Software development continues to be in high demand. You can use a skill matrix to see your organization’s current level of skills. Information like this can aid in upskilling, reskilling, and recruitment decisions. Having the right skills on your team can also help you prepare them for the future.
Skills matrix – what is it?
The employee skills matrix enables organizations to visualize the skills they have. In addition, it allows each employee to see how proficient they are at each skill. A skills matrix provides you to develop a realistic plan and decide whether you should hire new team members or train current employees.
Matrix of proficiency and interest in jobs
Your team’s proficiency is a clear indicator of its current abilities. This evaluation can determine each employee’s knowledge and comfort level relating to a given skill. You will be able to reach your skills-related goals based on your employees’ willingness to learn and/or their prerequisite skills.
A skills matrix can provide six advantages:
- Possibilities to upskill and reskill
A skills matrix allows you to compare skills across your team and see where a team member needs additional training. With personalized upskilling and reskilling insights for your employees, you can create a skills acquisition plan.
- A better succession plan and risk mitigation
The skills matrix lets you see the strengths and weaknesses of each employee and what they can bring to your organization. If your employees were planning to leave or turn out to be disappointed, you will be able to evaluate how much damage it would cause your company.
- Tracking progress
Using your skill matrix, you can track the skill acquisition progress of your employees. Besides evaluating the success of individual development efforts, you can analyze company progress.
- Finding out which employees learn the fastest
Are you aware of the A players in your organization? Do they still learn? You don’t want your best employees to leave your company. Finding and recruiting a new employee requires a lot of time and effort.
- A higher retention rate of employees
You will be able to design meaningful development programs for employees with the help of a skills matrix. Continually developing new skills will help them retain their jobs. Development programs can take many forms, whether live interactive workshops, presentations, or online courses.
- Managing people’s time and tasks effectively.
You will be able to manage your projects more effectively if you know what skills each employee has. After making a list of the skills needed for each project, you’ll be able to assign the right person to each. It is particularly beneficial for software houses.
Creating a skills matrix
Creating a competency matrix can be done in two ways:
- Manually in a spreadsheet such as Excel or Google Sheets
- Software that manages talent
A guidelines for creating your skills matrix
Phase 1: Establish employee profiles
Phase 2: Pull data from tech screening platforms and speak with your employees and their managers
Phase 3: Create a plan to acquire new skills based on your findings
Conclusion
You can identify the skills of your team using a skills matrix. It will help you spot any skills gaps, and determine how you will acquire the necessary skills. If there’s a gap in skills, you’ll be able to decide whether to upskill, reskill, or recruit. You’ll be able to design meaningful career paths and enhance your succession planning.
