Employee Training Matrix: Template & Steps to Create One

Almost 6 out of 10  workers say training helps them do their jobs better. From the employer’s perspective, 86 % believe training helps keep employees, and 83% say it helps attract new talent.

With this in mind, having a clear and organized approach to training is important. One effective way to achieve this is by using an employee training matrix. But what exactly is this matrix and how can it help improve workforce performance and organizational growth? Let's find out.

What is an employee training matrix? 

An employee training matrix is a tool that helps organizations plan, track, and manage employee training. This matrix lists employees and the skills or training they need, along with their current status, skill level, and any deadlines for completion or renewal.

Its goals are to ensure employees have the skills they need to do their jobs well, meet company rules, monitor skill acquisition progress, and support the organization’s growth. It also helps guide training efforts to be more focused and effective.

Reach these goals with Salary.com's Skills and Competency Library. It helps close skill gaps in your organization by providing clear role-based skill profiles, easy tracking, and tools to support employee growth and skills development.

The difference between training matrix vs training need analysis

The difference between a training matrix and a training needs analysis (TNA) is that the former is a visual tool, often in spreadsheet form, used to track who needs training, when they need it, and their current progress.

The latter, on the other hand, is a process that identifies what training is needed and why by examining the gap between current skills and the skills required to meet business goals.

In short, a training matrix focuses on the "who," "when," and "status" of training, while a TNA answers the "what" and "why" and highlights areas where development is needed.

Pros and cons of employee training matrix

Implementing an employee training matrix in place in an organization is highly beneficial, yet comes with its own set of challenges. Below are the advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages

• Clear view of training needs: A matrix shows which skills are present and which are missing, so managers can plan effective training programs equip employees with the skills they need.

• Improves compliance and reduces risk: In industries with strict rules, a matrix makes sure employees finish required training, which keeps the company following the rules and reduces risks.

• Supports employee development and planning: The matrix supports employee development by showing career paths and needed training. It also helps HR identify and prepare high-potential employees for future roles.

• Enables informed decision-making: With a clear view of employee skills and training, management can make smarter decisions about projects, promotions, and resource use, which leads to better planning and operations.

Disadvantages

• Requires regular updates: A matrix is effective only when regularly updated to reflect new skills, training, or role changes. Regular updates also support evaluating training programs to ensure they meet employee and organizational needs. Without updates, the data becomes outdated and unreliable.

• Potential for bias: If not managed well, a matrix can be unfair. The choice of skills, how they are rated, or how employees are assessed might give some people or roles an advantage and lead to uneven training focus.

• Resource demands: Creating and keeping a matrix takes time and effort. It needs planning, setting up systems, and regular updates, which can be hard for small organizations with limited resources.

• May overlook soft skills: Training matrices mostly track technical skills that are easy to measure. Soft skills like communication and teamwork are also important but harder to track, so they can get missed.

To make a matrix effective, ensure key skills in your organization are identified and managed. The Skills Library helps identify the skills needed for each role and builds a job structure based on any job family framework, showing required skills and career paths.

How to create a training matrix: steps

Now that you understand the definition, advantages, and disadvantages of a training matrix and have decided to use one for your organization, here is how to create a training matrix:

1. List all job roles and needed skills: Identify all the jobs in your organization. For each role, list the skills needed to do the job well. This becomes the foundation of your matrix.

2. Write down all training programs: Identify training courses your organization offers, such as courses, on-the-job training, certifications, and workshops that help employees build the skills needed for their jobs. This step is important when implementing training programs.

3. Set up and fill in the matrix: Make a chart or spreadsheet that lists employees and their skills or training. Update it with current information to know who is trained, learning, or needs training.

4. Check progress and spot missing skills: Use the matrix to see who finished their training and who has not. This shows where skills are missing and where more training is needed, helping with adjusting training programs effectively.

5. Keep it updated and take action often: Check the matrix often to keep it correct. When people learn new skills or change jobs, update their details. Keeping it updated supports the entire training management process by helping you track progress, plan future training, and make smart decisions about promotions or job changes.

Salary.com's Skills Library helps you build your matrix. It gives your organization current and complete skills data to hire, evaluate, and develop talent to close skill gaps.

Basic training matrix templates

To fully understand employee training needs and progress, here's how a basic employee training matrix template can help you visualize and track it effectively.

The template lists employee names (like John Constantine and Belle Smith) in rows and training modules (Training #1, #2, #3, #4) in columns. It also has a “Percentage Complete” column that shows how much training each person has finished.

FAQs

Here are some common questions about the topic:

Why use a training matrix?

As mentioned, organizations use a training matrix to get a clear, central view of their employees’ training and skills. It helps find skill and training gaps quickly, making sure employees get the training they need for their roles and to follow safety rules.

What should an employee training matrix include?

As shown in the template above, a matrix includes important information to clearly show training needs and progress. It lists employee names, actual training sessions, and tracks each employee’s training status, often using colors or numbers to show if they are "untrained," "in progress," or "completed." This makes it easier to track training progress and training completion across the organization.

What is the skills matrix in HR?

In HR, a skills matrix is a tool that shows employee skills in a grid. It lists employees on one side and skills on the other. Organizations often use skills and training matrices to identify skill gaps, plan training, hire more effectively, and improve teamwork.