Competency matrix: What it is and how to create one

18 de November, 2025

In a business world where efficiency and continuous improvement are increasingly central aspects, knowing the skills available in a team is essential for making strategic decisions, distributing tasks effectively and identifying opportunities for growth.

In this context, the skills matrix is a useful and practical tool for mapping, assessing and developing internal talent, maximizing performance.

Come and discover with us what a competency matrix is, what the advantages of creating one are and how to do it in practice.

What is a skills matrix?

The skills matrix is a visual representation of the skills needed and available in a team or organization.

Usually presented in the form of a table, this matrix cross-references the names of employees with the skills required for a particular project or role – skills that may be available or lacking.

Read also: 10 important skills for HR professionals

Why use a skills matrix?

The use of a competency matrix brings with it several benefits in terms of talent management and organizational performance:

• A clear view of the skills available: even the most attentive leaders may not have an exact idea of the skills available in their teams. The matrix allows this information to be consolidated, making individual and collective potential more visible and tangible.
• Identification of skills to be developed: by comparing the skills needed with those that exist, the matrix makes it possible to detect gaps that could jeopardize the execution of tasks or projects. This analysis helps guide decisions on upskilling and reskilling, internal mobility or recruitment needs.
• Promoting professional development: the matrix helps employees to understand where they are, where they can improve and how they stand in relation not only to their colleagues, but also to the needs of the company. This transparency can be a driver of motivation and continuous learning.
• Aligning expectations: by making the skills required for each role or project more obvious, the matrix tends to facilitate communication between managers and teams, promoting greater clarity about objectives and performance and evaluation criteria.
• More effective recruitment processes: with a clear view of the missing skills, recruitment processes become more targeted and effective. The matrix makes it possible to precisely identify the profiles to look for.

How to create a skills matrix?

The creation of a skills matrix must be adapted to the reality of each team and organization. However, in general, it should cover four fundamental stages:

1 – Definition of the relevant competences

Start by identifying, with the main stakeholders, the essential skills for the project, function or team in question.

At this stage, it’s important to be specific: for example, instead of “good communication skills”, you should opt for “technical written communication” or “persuasive communication in a sales context”.

This definition should include both technical competencies – hard skills – and behavioral competencies – the soft skills -and can be based on job descriptions, strategic objectives or market requirements.

It is up to managers to decide what information to include in the matrix, based on the size of the team, the complexity of the project and other practical concerns.

2 – Assessment of employee skills

Include all team members and assess their level of proficiency in each competency you have previously defined. You can do this using self-assessments, competency tests or previous performance evaluations.

Use a clear and objective scale, like the one below:

0 – No experience or knowledge;

1 – Limited experience or knowledge;

2 – Reasonable experience or knowledge;

3 – Considerable experience or knowledge;

4 – Specialist.

3 – Identifying employee interest

Knowing who has a certain skill is important, but knowing who wants to apply it or develop it is just as important. Motivation has a direct influence on employee performance and involvement in projects.

Ask employees to indicate their level of interest in each competence, for example:

1 – No interest in applying;

2 – Interest in applying or developing.

This information helps to align tasks with individual motivations and boost engagement.

4 – Data analysis and decision-making

With the matrix filled in, it is possible to see patterns, identify gaps and make more informed, data-based decisions. For example, which skills are lacking, which employees can be mobilized for new challenges, which areas should be trained or which new profiles should be hired.

You can represent this data graphically, using dashboards or charts, to facilitate analysis and communication to other areas of the company.

In short, the skills matrix is a strategic tool that allows companies to better manage their human capital, promote internal development and make more informed decisions about training, mobility and recruitment.

In a constantly evolving market, knowing, valuing and enhancing the skills of teams is a critical success factor.