Which competencies are the most important in government? Introduction of the Competency Explorer to investigate civil servants competencies

Abstract

In this article, we present the Competency Explorer: a valid, user-friendly digital tool to assess civil servants’ views of the relative importance of competencies in their daily work. Through two studies of evaluation and modification in which 131 Dutch civil servants participated in a Q sorting procedure in combination with either a focus group or an individual interview, we developed a tool that is easy to use and enables its users to adequately reflect their views. A key finding from the development of the tool is the identification of 32 competencies that are demonstrated as meaningful and appropriate for civil servants in a large variety of positions and domains. This study provides insights into the competencies that matter for civil servants’ work and the tool can be used by researchers and practitioners for a wide array of learning and development purposes.