12/10/2017 How To Create a Skills Matrix (Free Downloadable Template)

The Manager's Resource Handbook

Helping Managers and Businesses Succeed Through Real
Experience

HOME NEW MANAGER? START HERE NEW! MURDER BY MEETINGS

HOW TO GUIDES RESOURCES OUR SURVEYS CONTACT FAQ

ABOUT US

Management Tips by
What is a Skills Matrix And How Do I Email!

Create One? Email Address*

November 30, 2016  Business Process, How To, Performance
Reviews, Teams and Organizations, The Manager's Resource
Handbook
First Name

5 Things
You Need
to Do to * = required eld
Create
Your Own Subscribe
Skills
Matrix unsubscribe from list

Imagine: a
critical
MRH POLL (Results
assignment comes in, and you need to gure out who to give it Display After You
Answer)!
to in order to get it done.  You only have one shot to get it right
in order to secure that new contract.  Who do you give it to?  NEW! How often
Who is the most capable?  We recently posted a skills matrix does your
organization
template on our Tools and Templates Page. You can download conduct employee
it HERE for free. satisfaction surveys?

http://www.managersresourcehandbook.com/skills-matrix-template/ 1/8
12/10/2017 How To Create a Skills Matrix (Free Downloadable Template)

So What is a Skills Matrix? More Than

In simple terms, a Skills Matrix is a management tool that rates Once A Year
and scores each employee on the knowledge that it takes to Annually
do the job.  There are several reasons why you as a manager
Every 2 Years
would want such a tool:
Every 3 or
More Years
1. A skills matrix helps managers establish a detailed
At Random (No
assessment of individual employee’s capabilities.
Schedule)
2. A summary of your team’s capabilities helps you
identify where there may be gaps or weaknesses. Never
3.  A clear de nition of how skills are rated identi es a
Submit
criterion by which you can guide employee
development.
4. Your skills assessment can identify where training
RECENT ARTICLES
may be of use.

How to Sell Beer

RELATED:  How to Justify A Need for Training In China: A Lesson in
Marketing
As you go about creating a skills matrix for your team, here
How to Manage
are 5 questions you should ask yourself:
Other Managers:
Coaching Employees
1. Who Does the Evaluation? in Leadership
The rst question you should ask yourself when making a Positions
skills matrix is who performs the evaluation for each Shaping Young
employee.  There are really two main options.  First, you can Minds: The Art of
Mentoring
do all of the evaluations yourself.  Second, you can have the
Are Exit Interviews
employees evaluate themselves.  There are pros and cons to
Really Necessary?
each.
Great Business
If you perform the evaluation, you are assured that scoring will Lessons Every CEO
be done with a consistent thought process.  You can compare Must Know
20 Rookie
and contrast each employee based on your observations. 
Manager Mistakes
However, there is a downside: unless you have extensive
You Want to Avoid
experience working alongside each employee, you’ll be
The Recipe for a
hindered to evaluating their skills purely based on your limited Great Team: 12 Key
observations and touch points. Ingredients
Your Leadership
FREE DOWNLOAD: Sample Skills Matrix Template
Style De ned in 9
Alternatively, you are likely to get a more comprehensive and Questions
thorough assessment of skills when you have your employees
rate themselves.  However, each person will evaluate him or
GREAT BOOKS FOR
MANAGERS

http://www.managersresourcehandbook.com/skills-matrix-template/ 2/8
12/10/2017 How To Create a Skills Matrix (Free Downloadable Template)

herself somewhat di erently – some people are tough

Below you will nd
graders, others are may be overcon dent.
our recommended
To get the best of each approach, you may want to consider reads for managers
doing both – have employees rate themselves rst, then and business leaders
review separately and adjust scores based on any who want to improve
observations or experience you have. their skills.

2. What Skills and Knowledge Are Important to

the Job? New To
Management?
This is the most important aspect of your skills matrix:
identifying the skills and knowledge the are critical to the job. 
Something to keep in mind here is that the skills you identify
should be reasonable and appropriate.  There is no need to list
every piece of software installed on your company’s
computers.  Eliminate trivial items and those that are not
applicable to the job function.  As shown on our skills matrix A short, easy story
template, we’ve listed only a handful of items that could be that o ers many great
insights for rst-time
‘critical’ to the job.
managers.

Developing Your
Employees?

In addition, make sure your skills matrix is balanced; that is, it’s
not all just about technical skills, like use of software, or ability
to crunch numbers.  In our example, we included some basic
professional skills, as well as more technical software
Great tips and
knowledge, since professional skills can be just as important
concepts that will
as the technical ones. help managers
To help you identify what to list in your skills matrix, think improve their
mentoring and
about what your employees do over the course of a typical
coaching skills.
week.  Focus on those items that are frequent and recurring. 
You may also want to look at some old job posting you had for
your department, which may have listed some key skills.
Negotiating a Deal?
RELATED: 7 Things I Look For When Interviewing Job
Candidates

3. What Scoring System Should I Use?

http://www.managersresourcehandbook.com/skills-matrix-template/ 3/8
12/10/2017 How To Create a Skills Matrix (Free Downloadable Template)

Another key step in making any skills matrix is the scoring

system.  As shown in our sample template, we clearly de ned
some key elements of what each score means.  While we
could have left it as a simple numeric score on a scale of 1 to 5,
we also included a description of what it takes to achieve each
rating to aide in evaluating employees. Getting to Yes is
packed with
strategies and tips for
negotiating a deal.
Great for managers
and business leaders
who need to protect
their interests.

Are You Building a

Team?

One more point: not only does a well-de ned scoring system
help you evaluate your sta ’s skills as they stand today, but it
also identi es what it takes for employees to reach a higher
level.
A great read
discussing the
4.  What Comparisons Can You Make?
importance of
As shown in our template, compare the scores in your skills maximizing the
matrix to give you an understanding of how employees stack potential of your
up.  Typically, your more seasoned employees will rank higher employees and how
on average, due to the length of time in the job, while new or it will create a high
younger employees will generally rank lower, simply due to performing
organization.
their limited experience.

TIP!  Some Other Ways to Classify and Evaluate Skills

Growing a Business?
Matrix Scores

By Region or Location
By Employee Title
By Job Function

5.  I’ve Made a Skills Matrix.  Now What? Despite the title, this
book packs in loads
After putting in the e ort, take a step back and look at your
of great ideas for any
skills matrix.  What does it tell you?
http://www.managersresourcehandbook.com/skills-matrix-template/ 4/8
12/10/2017 How To Create a Skills Matrix (Free Downloadable Template)

Do the scores and results seem appropriate?  Are the items company looking to
that scored high similar to where your team excels?  Do the connect with
areas where your team scored the lowest coincide with areas customers
where you struggle?  The rst thing to do is to make sure the
data and information is realistic.

Next, once you have your skills matrix and you con rm the International
Business?
data makes sense, use it to identify areas where training or
experienced may be needed.

Finally, use your skills matrix as a tool to help you manage

your organization, day in and day out.  For example, when
critical tasks come in, give the assignment to those employees
who are best skilled to handle it.  Conversely, if a low priority
Ohmae highlights
action comes in, you may want to assign it to someone who
examples of mistakes
could use some experience in a non-critical situations where
rms made in their
errors and mistakes are acceptable.  Revisit your scores every
product development
year to make sure it’s up-to-date and accurate. strategies, falling
Happy Managing! short in the world's
marketplace.
 

Looking for More?  You Might Also Like….

Working With
29 Fantastic Ways to Develop Employees Customers?

The SMART Goal Concept: E ectively Managing Employee

Performance

10 Secrets for New Managers

How to Manage the O ce Scrooge

How to Manage Poor Performers

This little book packs
  a big punch when it
comes to improving
how you serve your
Get Management Tips from MRH By Email! customers. Learn to
be a Fred!
* indicates required
Email Address *

Doing Business with

China?
First Name

http://www.managersresourcehandbook.com/skills-matrix-template/ 5/8
12/10/2017 How To Create a Skills Matrix (Free Downloadable Template)

Last Name

Subscribe
An essential read for
anyone doing
business in the
People's Republic.
 
Get your business
  etiquette right and
understand the
Share this: nuances of working in

 Facebook 7  LinkedIn  Twitter  Pinterest 2

China.

 Email

Help with Business

 2 comments  coaching, employees, management skills, Strategy?
mentoring, organizations, performance reviews, teams

2 comments

Jennifer
Includes examples
May 1, 2017 at 10:19 pm
and information that
is applicable to a
Which online tools should I consider for managing this
variety of business
stu ? The best one I can nd so far is Skills Base
settings on the world
(https://www.skills-base.com). Any other suggestions?
stage, regardless of
Reply which country you
happen to be in.

Tim G.
May 15, 2017 at 9:56 pm

Need More Tips on

Hi Jennifer, Strategy?

Thanks for the question! I am not familiar with any

other online versions of a skill matrix, unfortunately.
The one you suggest here seems to be pretty
good.

If you’re talking more in terms of competencies and

skill development, I have used the Lominger A fantastic resource
framework and the related products by Korn Ferry. I for all managers and
would highly recommend you look into these business leaders. Full
http://www.managersresourcehandbook.com/skills-matrix-template/ 6/8
12/10/2017 How To Create a Skills Matrix (Free Downloadable Template)

products for measuring employees against the of examples, tips and

competencies needed for the job. case studies about
business strategy
I hope this helps,

Tim G.
Editor
The Manager’s Resource Handbook THE MRH
RECOMMENDED
STANDING DESK
Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required elds are

marked *
Comment We recently began
providing employees
with these standing
desks and feedback
has been
tremendous. We all
want happy and
healthy
employees....Get
Name * them on their feet!.

Email *
10 Secrets for New
Managers

Website

Post Comment

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

10 Lessons for New
Notify me of new posts by email. Managers from MRH
Team

http://www.managersresourcehandbook.com/skills-matrix-template/ 7/8
12/10/2017 How To Create a Skills Matrix (Free Downloadable Template)

HELP US HELP YOU!

Take more MRH Polls

HERE

HOW CAN WE HELP?

SEARCH OUR SITE

Search …


MONTHLY ARCHIVE

Select Month

MHX Global LLP Web Site Disclaimer Powered by WordPress and Smartline.

http://www.managersresourcehandbook.com/skills-matrix-template/ 8/8