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What is a skills matrix

What is a skills matrix?

And how can it help you to identify and develop skills within your organisation?

A skills matrix, training grid, or competency matrix, is a tool to map required and desired skills for a team or department. It is a grid that visualises the required and available skills and competencies available. Usually integrated with a colour rating, such as red (in training) through to green (adequately trained) this tool acts as an essential heat map for any data-driven HR, team leader or management professional.A completed skills matrix visually demonstrates the skills that are available, with those missing acting as a gap analysis from which to take effective action.

There are many ways in which to create a skills matrix. One method is through an Excel spreadsheet – there are many great and FREE tools out there such as this one https://freeskillsmatrix.com. Spreadsheet versions can have their limitations such as moving employees from one team to another, or in creating holistic department and organisational data from data entered at team level – this is where more dedicated applications such as https://ability6.com may be useful. Ability6 offer a full, unrestricted version of their software for 30 days, with no need to add any payment details. Just sign up, evaluate and then benefit!

Is it worth using a Skills Matrix?

Effective Skills Development made easy with the use of a skills matrix

In one word, Absolutely!

The benefits from using a Skills Matrix aren’t simply limited to the individual employee, or the team. They expand beyond that driving significant value for the end-client (the customer) as well as for the organisation as a whole, including more broadly stakeholder benefits.

The benefits are widespread and can easily be categorised into three core areas, namely;

1.Individual / Employee
  • Increased competencies – a feeling of investment into their role and their development
  • Decreased stress levels – work competencies increase thus removing uncertainty
  • Full awareness of what their ‘role’ entails including the relevant skills competencies required
  • Full awareness of the desired areas of growth and where they need to focus their training efforts
  • Can; within some organisations be used within employees Personal Development Plans (PDP)
  • Employees gain from improved identification and understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses
  • Aid in understanding the value they bring to the organisation (which in turn can boost morale)
2.Organisation / company
  • Enables managers, function or business owners to understand the skill strengths and weaknesses of employees reporting to them.
  • Increased capacity – by addressing skills shortages and increasing employee competencies companies can release real capacity into their businesses without incurring the heavy costs of recruitment
  • Creates the ability to search for desired skills and talents across the organisation (e.g. to help fill a role or to assist with either short or long term increased requirements of a task from an end-client)
  • A rolled-up view of skills and skills gaps across an organization can enable its executives to see areas of skill strength and weakness.
  • Enables proficient future planning against projected availability of staff. When used company-wide creates management consistency to drive an organisation forward
  • Customers experience a quality of product/service increasing the likelihood of them returning and advertising your products/services.
  • Customers experience a quality of product/service increasing their loyalty levels
3.Customer / end-client

The customer should largely be unaware of the existence of a skills matrix. The customer will however, benefit from the increased levels of competency of your staff, their ability to resolve queries in a timely manner and on first touch (i.e. avoiding the ‘I’ll call you back’ scenario). Simply put the benefits are endless.

  • Faster response rates (decreased lead times)
  • Increased rate of quality in service or products (reduced defect and return rates)
  • Increased employee competencies leads to speed which can result in ‘faster to market’ products and services
  • Customers feels valued
  • Customers experience a very easy and smooth transaction with company

How do I get started?

Getting started is fast and easy.

There are three critical components to a skills matrix, these are:

  • Your People / Employees / Workforce (the people that make your business happen!)
  • The tasks and process that make up your teams and departments
  • A competency scoring system
Getting started with a Skills Matrix is fast and easy

Your people can be a detailed list, or just their name and team.

The tasks and process should be specific to a function, team or department.

We believe that the ability6 scoring system is by far the most mature in terms of its accuracy and broad usability. They’ve prudently identified through their long-standing experience in this space that there are 6 active proficiency indicators that could be included in a skills matrix, these are:

  • No Current Proficiency Requirement
  • Required Proficiency
    No Current Competency
  • Required Proficiency
    Partial Competency Level
  • Required Proficiency
    Good Competency Level
  • Required Proficiency
    Advanced/Trainer Competency Level
  • Strategic Influence/Power

How many teams would you like to record on your Skills Matrix?

Just my own team

Get started with the free Excel Skills Matrix
by https://freeskillsmatrix.com

Here is a video that shows you how it works:

Just my own team

Multiple Teams

Managing the capability of your people at multiple levels is made easy with the ability6 online skills matrix platform.

They offer a 30 day free trial, where no credit card details are needed.

Sign up today: https://ability6.com

We are proud to be working with the following great partners in developing the world’s most efficient and value driven Competency Frameworks, Skills Matrix and Training Matrices