How public sector capability frameworks differ from private sector models

CANBERRA, Australia - Dec. 12, 2022 - PRLog -- The public and private sectors operate in different ways, and this is no different when it comes to capability frameworks. This is a key point made by the Acorn subject matter experts who recently dove into public sector capability (PSC) frameworks across two separate articles. Ultimately, they determine the major difference lies in purpose. PSC frameworks are formed and reviewed in the interests of not just employees and the sector, but also the community they serve.

In addition to PSC frameworks serving the community, they also must be agile. They need to be viewed in the constantly changing interests of the public and describe whole-of-sector expectations. This is so employees are able to respond to cultural, social environmental and economic change.

Public services exist in many iterations around the world, yet still there are shared elements in their capability frameworks. Frameworks are usually public, have deeper detail but shallower granularity, and are fuelled by behavioural indicators.

"Public sector organisations are great examples of how capabilities should be as performance-centric as they are strategic," said Blake Proberts (Co-Founder and Managing Director). "Capability frameworks should ultimately come back to guiding employee performance, since it's the day-to-day behaviours, skills and knowledge of your workforce that drives organisational success."

In their in-depth analysis, the Acorn subject matter experts dive into a range of frameworks from Australia, the UK and the US. In Australia, they hone in on state frameworks including New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland. For the UK, they examine those used by the Civil Service and Greater London Authority. In the US, they focus mostly on what's developed by the US Office of Personnel Management.

While examining these frameworks, the Acorn subject matter experts take away some valuable lessons for other capability frameworks. Some highlights include capabilities should be accessible for independent contributors; how a framework is displayed is as important as how it is articulated; and defining undesirable behaviours can set clear parameters as much as defining desirable ones.

The Acorn experts have published two articles about Public Sector Capability Frameworks.

• You can read their introduction article here: https://hubs.ly/Q01tH_vH0
• And you'll find their in-depth analysis here: https://hubs.ly/Q01tgc-s0

Pursuit Technology is one of Australia's fastest growing HR technology companies. Pursuit, via Acorn LMS, takes a different view to strategically enabling HR and L&D teams compared to traditional providers. Rather than focusing on analytics after learning experience, their products use workforce planning and capability frameworks prior to any learning. By linking to a company's strategy, Pursuit products can inform organisational capability gaps and suggest education, deliver this education, then measure the impact – proving business impact by the HR and L&D team in a quantifiable way.