 Want to know what successful organisations have in common? They have the right people with the right skills at the right time. Top-performing businesses have a thorough understanding of what skills and competencies the workforce needs to succeed. A skills matrix is a straightforward but powerful tool to help you assess, track and develop your people's skills. Supervisors can more easily identify skills gaps. And hiring managers know exactly what skills are needed when recruiting. This article takes you through all you need to know about a skills matrix, including how to get started in five simple steps. And to make it even easier, we share a ready-made template you can download and adapt. Let's get started. What is a skills matrix?A skills matrix visually represents your employees' competencies across the skills needed for their roles. Managers can easily see who has the necessary qualifications, so the right people are assigned to specific tasks. It also means organisations can identify training needs and ensure the workforce is ready to meet current and future challenges. How to create a skills matrix?You can develop an effective skills matrix with these five simple steps: 1. Define key skills and competenciesThe first step involves identifying the essential skills required for each company role. So, for industries like construction and manufacturing, this will include technical skills, safety training, equipment operation, compliance certifications, and more. 2. Assess employee skills levelsNext, evaluate your employees' current skills and qualifications. Get an accurate picture with a mix of self-assessments, supervisor evaluations and competency tests. Develop a standardised rating system to help you quantify levels of proficiency. Here's one you can adapt to suit your organisation:
3. Identify gaps and plan trainingNow's the time to analyse the results. The visual nature of the skills matrix quickly highlights areas of strength, skills gaps and where employees need training. 4. Develop an action planUse the data and insights gathered from the skills matrix to set clear goals for what needs to be done next. You may need to create a plan for skills training or hire new employees to address any skills gaps. 5. Review regularlyA skills matrix shouldn’t be a one-off, tick-box exercise. If you want to get the best from this powerful tool, you must keep it updated, even more so in industries where regulations change all the time. So, be sure to review employees' skills and certifications regularly. Free skills matrix templateReady to take the next step? Download the CheckSafe skills matrix template today and take the first step in managing your workforce competency. Switch to a digital skills matrix with CheckSafeSpreadsheets are great for small businesses with a handful of workers. However, they have limitations when it comes to larger ones with lots of employees. The more people and data you have, the more complex and unwieldy the spreadsheet becomes.
That’s where CheckSafe comes in. Our online platform can scale with your organisation and offers real-time updates, on-the-move access and automated tracking of employee competencies. Find out how you can save time and a whole lot of hassle with a free demo of the CheckSafe platform.
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 When it comes to construction projects, staying on schedule and keeping things moving are the top priorities for building contractors. After all, time is money. It’s no surprise, then, that managing subcontractor compliance sometimes takes a back seat. However, effective sub-contractor management is critical to maintain a safe, compliant workplace. Streamlining your compliance processes helps you take control and reduce risks while keeping projects on track. Today’s post takes you through all you need to know as we explore how to streamline subcontractor compliance. Why is subcontractor management so important?Compliance issues are just part of the story. Poorly managed subcontractors can also lead to project delays and safety violations. It’s a different story with proper management. Instead, you have control over the following critical elements:
Challenges of subcontractor managementTime-consuming manual processes. Missing certifications. Complicated spreadsheets and endless paperwork. Sounds familiar? That’s often the reality of subcontractor management for many companies. Here are the most common challenges we hear from our clients:
How can technology help ensure subcontractor compliance?Technology empowers you to tackle these challenges head-on. With subcontractor compliance software, instead of emails, spreadsheets and paper files, you manage all subbies in one digital platform with anytime, anywhere access. From pre-qualification checks and verifying certifications to ongoing monitoring, technology makes handling subcontractor compliance straightforward for busy contractors. Not only does compliance software save you valuable time, but it also eliminates the errors that plague manual systems. Ensuring subcontractors consistently satisfy compliance is a whole lot easier with digital solutions. Take control of subcontractor compliance management with CheckSafeReady to take the next step? Sign up for a free demo of CheckSafe – the powerful cloud-based compliance management platform. And you can explore the following key benefits:
 Every business wants workers to go home safely at the end of their shifts. And proactive risk management is the way to go. A reactive approach, where you wait for incidents to happen before acting, can lead to major consequences, including injuries, fines, and production delays. Being proactive means you identify risks early and have strategies in place to minimise them. Sounds easy, right, but where do you start? Today’s post takes the guesswork out of risk management as we share practical strategies to help you create a safer workplace. Risk identification and assessmentThe first step is to identify and assess potential risks to your operations. This involves conducting regular workplace inspections to evaluate possible hazards. It also involves checking the competency levels of all your staff, as often incidents occur when there are competency gaps. Next, assess the likelihood and severity of risks so you can prioritise your mitigation efforts. Finally, be sure to take a data-driven approach to risk assessment. Use past incidents and predictive analytics to anticipate potential safety issues. Implement preventative strategiesOnce risks and hazards have been identified, it’s time to put control measures in place. Possible examples include the following:
Use technology to support risk managementOnline risk management tools and platforms like CheckSafe make managing risk a whole lot easier. Real-time reporting, automated audits, online risk assessment and streamlined incident tracking help you stay ahead of potential issues. Furthermore, comprehensive analytics provide valuable insights. You can use these to help drive continuous improvement in your safety performance. Building a safety cultureA proactive approach to risk management isn’t just about processes and technologies. It’s also about winning the hearts and minds of your people and building a safety culture together. Here are some ways that you can do just that:
Proactive risk management with CheckSafeA safer workplace doesn’t just happen by chance. It's built through proactive planning, robust strategies, and the right tools.
However, managing all the moving parts of a proactive approach can be challenging. That’s where CheckSafe comes in. Our workplace health and safety software simplifies risk management. We can help you track, assess, and improve your teams' safety performance. Sign up for a free demo to find out more. Don’t wait for an incident to take action. Start building a safer workplace today.  Last year was super busy in the competency management space, and this year looks set to be even busier. Tech advances, shifting market demands, changing job roles and in-demand skills make keeping up with the latest trends challenging. We’re here to help. We’ve pulled together all the innovations you need to know about. Here are the top five competency management software trends to watch in 202 1. Mobile-first accessibilityOK, this may not be an entirely new trend, but as the workforce becomes ever more mobile, it's now mission-critical. This year, competency management software needs to be not just mobile friendly; it must be mobile optimised. On-the-go business managers and supervisors should be able to access training records, update certifications and complete verifications of competence anywhere and anytime. 2. Real-time monitoring and reportingReal-time data capabilities are indispensable as agile companies look to pivot and take advantage of new opportunities. And in the face of ever-more stringent health and safety regulations, ensuring compliance is vital. Competency management software will provide even more real-time dashboards and reporting features this year. With instant access to the latest information on workforce skills, managers can get actionable insights right when they need them. 3. Personalised, customisable solutionsIn 2025, personalisation and customisation are the name of the game. Thanks to social media, Netflix, and a host of other platforms, we’ve all become used to customisation and setting our own preferences. Competency management software needs to do likewise. Organisations want to be able to tailor their competency frameworks, assessments, skills matrix, and compliance checks to align perfectly with their unique requirements. 4. Integration with HR and compliance systemsSeamless integration with other business systems is a growing trend in 2025. Nowadays, competency management software needs to be compatible with HR, payroll and compliance systems so that data can be shared across multiple platforms. This ensures all the necessary information for effective workforce management is available under one virtual roof. 5. AI-powered insightsAI already impacts our daily lives, and competency management software is no exception. With its ability to analyse vast amounts of data, there’s no doubt AI is set to be a game-changer. Potentially, it will help managers predict future competency needs and target training programmes more efficiently. In 2025, we expect to see some major AI-driven innovations in competency management, so watch this space. CheckSafe: NZ’s competency management softwareAt CheckSafe, we are committed to staying ahead of the latest trends, so you don’t have to. Developed and owned by Kiwis just like you, we understand what’s needed to ensure a competent, highly skilled and safe workforce right here in New Zealand.
Sign up for a free demo and explore how CheckSafe can transform competency management in your business. |
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