Imagine having an always up-to-date skills mapping for all employees, positions, and departments within the company, covering both current skills and those necessary for the company’s long-term plans, along with an always-on program to bridge skills gaps.
This is a dream scenario, even for big companies. It is predicted that within 15 years, new automation technologies will significantly transform 32% of jobs worldwide.
Despite having the budget to invest in skills mapping systems, companies still face the challenge of the rapidly evolving nature of skills and the subjective nature of certain abilities, such as effective communication and problem-solving.
There are many methods to measure, evaluate, record, and map competencies and skills. Doing this on a large scale requires investments in additional tools for the growing stack needed for team management and development. However, it is possible to implement straightforward systems using common tools at the departmental level, filled in through self-assessments, peer reviews, and leader evaluations.
Bold Company Goals Demand Highly Skilled People
Strategic planning of organizational and individual goals is a common practice in many companies to break down overall objectives to the daily work level, ensuring everyone is aligned towards the same targets.
However, the skills that drive success today may not be the same ones needed to reach new levels of performance and sustain growth.
According to a McKinsey report, most companies globally—87 percent—acknowledge that they either currently face a skills gap or expect to encounter one within the next few years.
To understand and prepare for future challenges, team leaders should adopt a skills-based approach and conduct regular assessments to identify gaps and address them through hiring, training, or third-party partnerships.
Don’t wait for low performance to take root before starting team development—an annual assessment can be enough to provide the direction your team needs to focus on upskilling.
The Many Benefits of Skills Mapping
What gets measured gets managed. Having a skills map that outlines the competencies needed to drive the company’s success not only guides the team’s professional development but also:
- Makes it easier to decide which skills should be outsourced and which should be brought in-house through new hires
- Provides a clearer understanding of the overall workload and its distribution across the team
- Helps the company to position employees in roles where they can excel
- Facilitates the prioritization of initiatives by connecting the skills list with business goals
- Supports strategic workforce planning by identifying skill gaps and anticipating future needs
- Enhances employee engagement by aligning individual growth with company objectives
- Double down on the communication for people to know and understand the strategy that is being implemented
Step by Step to Implement a Skills Assessment Process (With Skills Mapping Template)
#1 Define goals and objectives
Why do you need a skills mapping? Whether it’s to grow the team, address a business problem, or create a professional development plan for employees, it’s crucial to start with a clear understanding of what will be done once the information is processed.
This is important because people will naturally expect action to follow. By setting clear intentions from the start, you not only guide your efforts more effectively but also manage expectations, ensuring the skills mapping results in meaningful and impactful outcomes.
#2 Create a list of skills connected to business goals
The next step is to analyze the business objectives and break them down at the departmental level. In this analysis, the objectives represent the “what,” while the list of skills represents the “how.”
For example: if one of the company’s objectives is to increase annual revenue by expanding global presence and the skills mapping is being conducted in the sales department, you’ll need a list of skills related to this objective, such as:
- Building and managing relationships with global clients
- Negotiation strategies across different cultures and markets
- Sales forecasting and pipeline management
- Lead generation and qualification techniques
- Language proficiency for effective sales interactions in multiple languages
Given the varied nature of skills, once you’ve compiled your skills list, you can categorize them into soft skills (or power skills) and hard skills.
You can use a generative AI tool to accelerate the process of identifying the skills linked to the company’s objectives. With this initial list in hand, conduct a validation cycle with the team leadership to make sure all the important skills are there.
Ensure that your list includes not only the skills needed to address current business challenges but also those that will be critical for future success. Benchmark against industry trends and identify the skills that are driving results for other market players, so the company can prepare for upcoming challenges.
#3 Create the assessment with defined criteria
There are countless tools, platforms, and methods available for mapping employee skills. While choosing the right option can involve a lot of analysis, consideration of various factors, and budget planning, the good news is that you can start with something simple.
It’s easy to create a skills assessment using basic tools like a form or a spreadsheet. Since the key information you need to gather is straightforward—each employee’s skills and their self-assessed level of proficiency—there’s no need to overcomplicate things at the start.
Here’s a suggested self-assessment proficiency criteria to get you started:
1 – Awareness: I’m familiar with the competency but have not yet applied it.
2 – Novice (Limited Proficiency): I understand and can discuss the terminology and concepts.
3 – Intermediate Proficiency: I could apply this skill independently in familiar situations without needing guidance.
4 – Advanced Proficiency: I could mentor or guide others in this skill, including explaining complex nuances.
5 – Expert: I have consistently demonstrated results in this skill across various projects and challenges
These clear criteria allow for a fair evaluation of each skill or competency in a way that is objective, easily measurable in a simple sheet, and aligned with departmental needs and goals.
Add the skills to a sheet, or use this template we’ve created, which plots the data into a radar chart, making it easier to visualize current skills versus future skills. This sheet can be added to the worker’s professional development plan.
Get the Google Sheets Template here
In addition to the numerical analysis of the skills map, include a qualitative evaluation that incorporates feedback from the self-assessing employee, peers, and leadership.
This will provide a more comprehensive understanding of both the current skill levels and the desired future state for each employee and also enable the consideration of personal qualities and behaviors that are hard to measure quantitatively.
#4 Communicate Expectations
Communicate the assessment process to the team, clearly outlining its purpose and the benefits it offers both to them and the department. Emphasize the connection between the assessment and broader business goals.
Share the assessment sheet you’ve created, along with detailed instructions on how it will be completed, evaluated, and how the results will be used to support their professional growth.
#5 Implement and Rollout
Before rolling out the skills mapping, test it with one person to gather feedback and make any necessary adjustments. Once refined, share it with the entire team.
Set a clear deadline for everyone to complete the self-assessment, ensuring consistency and fairness throughout the process. Provide enough time for employees to complete their assessments thoroughly.
#6 Evaluate Results and Adjust the Plans
After the self-assessment round concludes, it’s time to analyze the assessment data, identifying skill gaps, strengths, and areas for improvement within the department.
Collaborate with employees to create personalized development plans and training and development strategies, setting clear goals and timelines for upskilling. Align these plans with departmental objectives.
#7 Provide Feedback
Give constructive feedback to employees based on their assessment results. Set a meeting to discuss their strengths, areas for improvement, and opportunities for development. Encourage open dialogue and collaborative goal-setting to help them grow.
Beyond achieving superior performance through a well-aligned and highly skilled team, this process boosts engagement and shows the company’s genuine interest in the success of each team member. This practical demonstration of support fosters a positive work environment and motivates employees to excel.
#8 Monitor Progress
Regularly review metrics that represent progress on skill development. Provide ongoing support, resources, and promote training opportunities as needed to help employees achieve their goals.
Periodically review, evaluate, and adjust the skills assessment process based on feedback and outcomes. Continuously refine the process to better meet departmental needs and improve employee skills.
Final Thoughts
Investing in professional development through a comprehensive skills mapping process isn’t just a win for the company—it’s a win for employees as well. When workers see that their growth is valued and supported, they tend to reciprocate with higher levels of engagement and productivity. This not only leads to a more motivated and capable workforce but also fosters a learning agility culture that benefits everyone.
In the end, when employees feel empowered to develop their skills and contribute to the company’s success, they are more likely to stay committed and go the extra mile. By aligning individual growth with organizational goals, companies can build stronger teams and achieve sustainable growth.
