How to Use the 9-Box Grid for Talent Management

In the early 1970s, McKinsey & Company introduced the 9-box grid framework to help business leaders prioritize investments within a corporate portfolio. 

What was once a strategic tool for investments has now evolved into a widely used HR tool for measuring and assessing employee performance and potential within an organization.

The 9-box grid segments employees into nine groups based on current performance and future potential. It offers HR professionals, managers, and leadership a comprehensive picture of employee performance so they can better manage talent and plan succession.

In this guide, we’ll dive deeper into the creation and benefits of a 9-box grid. We’ll also explore how to implement a 9-box grid with templates within your organization. Finally, we’ll touch on other, more holistic ways to maximize the outcome of your talent management practices.

Let’s start with the basics. 👇

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What is the 9-Box Grid?

One of the core elements of the 9-box grid is performance management. This involves performance reviews, achievement metrics, and manager feedback. By analyzing performance data, you can determine how well employees fulfill their roles and responsibilities.

The other factor is potential. Here, we go beyond current performance and assess an employee’s ability to grow, take on additional responsibilities, and grow within the organization. For this, we consider factors like skills, learning agility, leadership qualities, and ambition.

Unlike the stack ranking for employee performance (which is a one-on-one evaluation approach that many consider controversial and outdated), the 9-box grid assesses each employee’s performance and potential cohesively. 

Structure of 9-box grid in terms of performance and potential

The 9 boxes are typically arranged in a 3×3 format, with a mix of performance and potential at different levels.

Below is an example of a 9-box grid matrix developed for HR functions. 👇

Let’s break it down. 

In this grid, we’ve labeled each box and assigned a mix of performance and potential levels against which employees will be measured. 

There are three levels of performance:

• High: Consistently exceeds expectations
• Medium: Meets expectations
• Low: Falls short of expectations

For potential, there are three levels as well:

• High: Can excel in senior roles
• Medium: Potential for growth within current role or gradual and moderate growth into more senior positions
• Low: Limited potential for growth within the organization

Labeling the boxes helps us gain a clear picture of employees’ strengths, weaknesses, and development needs. Put simply, it helps talent managers, including those at ClickUp, develop a high-performing team.

Do you want to build a similar performing 9-box performance grid? Read on.

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The Process of Creating a 9-Box Talent Grid?

If you’re wondering how to create a 9-box grid for your organization, here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

Step 1: Define your performance levels

Start by establishing clear and measurable performance levels for employees. 

• High performance: Consistently exceeds expectations, achieves or surpasses goals, demonstrates exceptional problem-solving skills, and contributes to team/organizational performance
• Medium or moderate performance: Meets expectations, consistently delivers on job responsibilities, shows adequate problem-solving skills, and contributes to team goals
• Low performance: Fails to meet expectations, struggles to achieve goals, poor problem-solving skills, and negatively impacts team/organizational performance

Consider collaborating with key stakeholders, such as managers and subject matter experts, to develop a performance framework that is aligned with your organization’s goals, objectives, and culture.

Step 2: Identify assessment criteria to determine potential

Now, let’s think about future growth potential. Look for indicators like:

• Skills: Does the employee possess technical and soft skills that could be valuable in more senior roles?
• Learning agility: How quickly can the employee grasp new concepts and adapt to changing situations?
• Leadership qualities: Does the employee demonstrate the ability to motivate and inspire others?
• Ambition: Does the employee desire growth and development within the organization?

Use these indicators to categorize potential into different levels: High, Medium, and Low.

Step 3: Gather data and collaborate

Collect relevant data to populate your grid. Performance reviews, skill assessments, and manager feedback are all valuable sources of information.

ClickUp Forms come in handy when collecting crucial information and feedback from peers. You can customize the form for any intake process and use conditional logic to update it dynamically based on the responses you receive. 

Since you can automatically collect responses in ClickUp’s CRM, use that time saved to encourage open discussions and collaboration with managers who understand their team members’ strengths and aspirations well. This may also be a good time to understand job satisfaction levels among your employees.

Step 4: Plot your employees

Start by describing each box in the 9-Grid using your defined performance levels (High, Medium, Low) for the horizontal axis and potential levels (High, Medium, Low) for the vertical axis.

Label each grid with a name, like ‘Underperformer’ or ‘Top Talent,’ to create a clear framework for employee placement.

For example, let’s see what our grid descriptions reflect in this case:

• Underperformer: A candidate with lower performance and potential. Likely to stay stagnant or be replaced by a new hire
• Steady Contributor: An average performer who could benefit from training and development activities
• Experienced Contributor: A consistent performer in the current role but needs training and mentoring to get promoted to higher positions
• Solid Performer: An employee who shows exceptional performance and potential for growth and development via the right training and mentoring
• Core Player: A potential candidate for future progression, a little push for training and mentoring could work wonders
• Underutilized Talent: A candidate with unutilized potential who could benefit from being tested with more authority and responsibilities
• Top Talent: An exceptional candidate and a consistent performer with strong critical thinking and people management skills
• Rising Star: Shows great potential, performs extremely well in their role, and can reach higher with appropriate stretching goals
• Raw Talent: A seasoned professional with exceptional people management skills; displays the capability for an expanded role with some coaching and mentoring 

Place each employee in the box that best reflects their current performance level and future potential once you have all the data. But remember, this is a snapshot in time, not a permanent label. Treat each person’s box label as a starting point for discussions around growth and development.

Step 5: Calibrate and refine

Once you have a preliminary grid, schedule a calibration meeting with key stakeholders. 

Discuss and arrive at a mutual agreement for each employee placement. Ensure everyone is on the same page regarding the criteria used. Then, make the required adjustments to the grid.

Step 6: Document and communicate

Once finalized, share the grid (with employee names anonymized as needed) with relevant managers. Use the opportunity to facilitate discussions about individual development plans, succession planning strategies, and targeted training programs.

How industrial and organizational psychology influences the creation of a 9-box grid

Industrial and organizational (I/O) psychology heavily informs an effective 9-box grid. Leveraging its principles helps you identify future high performers and spot hidden gems in your workforce.

Here’s how:

Performance appraisal

I/O psychology helps design performance appraisal methods that go beyond ‘gut feelings’. It focuses on setting clear, objective goals for each role using business evaluation tools, so you’re evaluating employees on the same criteria and practicing transparent talent nurturing and management.

I/O psychology also incorporates 360-degree feedback, which considers input from coworkers, reports, and supervisors, giving you a well-rounded picture of an employee’s performance.

For example, for a marketing manager role, I/O psychology might suggest goals like ‘increase website traffic by 20% without increasing team size’ and ‘successfully launch two new marketing campaigns within budget.’ This ensures everyone is on the same page about what ‘high performance’ looks like in that specific role.

Spotting hidden gems

Besides analyzing current performance, I/O psychology helps identify traits that indicate future potential.

It considers factors like an employee’s ability to learn new things (learning agility) or their charisma and influence on others (leadership qualities).

Now, this helps you identify employees who consistently meet expectations (a solid performer) and have a knack for grasping complex concepts quickly and inspiring their teams.

To sum it up, I/O psychology’s influence on your 9-box grid helps you spot high-potential workers and invest in their development for future leadership roles.

Excel template for creating a 9-box grid

Excel is readily available on devices and thus is a top choice among HR professionals and businesses looking to create a 9-box grid. 

Benefits of an Excel template:

• Efficiency: An Excel template saves you time and effort compared to manual creation. Predefined layouts with drop-down menus and formulas can automate calculations and data organization
• Data analysis: Excel’s built-in functions allow you to analyze your talent pool effectively. You can sort and filter data based on various criteria, identify trends, and calculate metrics like the percentage of employees in each box
• Collaboration: Excel templates facilitate collaboration between HR professionals and managers. You can share the spreadsheet, allowing everyone to access and update the data as needed

Deel’s 9-box grid Excel template offers a comprehensive approach to evaluating employee performance and potential.

It has advanced assessments, detailed rating scales, automated results compilation, and tons of guidance and advice for better succession planning. 

With Excel templates, you can create a dynamic and informative 9-box grid, which allows you to make data-driven decisions and optimize your talent management practices.

Alternatively, you can use skills management software to store, develop, and efficiently track an employee’s skills over time.

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How to Implement the 9 Box Grid in Talent Management?

Here’s how to implement a 9-box grid into your talent management strategy:

Onboarding

By implementing the 9-box grid into your onboarding process, you can create a high-quality talent pool for your organization. It also helps new employees understand the criteria they’ll be evaluated against and the steps they need to take to progress.

In addition, these 9 boxes identify every candidate’s strengths and potential early on, aiding in targeted training and mentorship programs. And when the time comes for succession planning, your organization has a tailored pool of high-quality candidates. 

Mentorship

Use a 9-box grid to match high-performing employees (with strong leadership qualities) with those who possess high potential. Doing so can help create a mutually beneficial and rewarding relationship between employees.

For instance, a global consulting firm may use the 9-box grid to launch a program that connects experienced partners (high performers, strong leadership) with high-potential associates. This program will help nurture future leaders and foster community and knowledge transfer within the organization.

Leadership development

The 9-box grid approach helps identify future leaders. Employees in the top right box (high performance, high potential) demonstrate the potential and capability to take on leadership roles.

You can prepare them for future leadership positions by investing in their development through leadership training programs and strategic exposure to senior management.

For example, you can leverage the 9-box grid to identify a production manager with a consistent track record of exceeding targets (high performance) and a natural inclination to learn new skills (high potential). Enroll them in a leadership development program and equip them with the necessary skills to transition into a senior management role within the next few years.

Employee retention

The 9-box grid plays a crucial role in employee retention. By identifying high performers across the grid, you can tailor retention strategies to address their needs and aspirations.

This might involve providing opportunities for career advancement, offering competitive compensation packages, or establishing recognition and appreciation.

How to introduce the 9 Box Grid in an organization?

Here’s a roadmap to ensure the smooth adoption and implementation of this model in your company:

1. Communication

• Be transparent: Clearly explain the purpose and benefits of the 9-box grid to your HR team, managers, and employees. Frame it as a tool for development, not evaluation, creating a positive and collaborative sentiment toward it
• Open communication channels: Encourage questions and concerns from managers and employees. Address them transparently and use this feedback to refine your implementation approach

2. Collaborative development

• Involve key stakeholders: Gather input from HR professionals, managers, and even employee representatives. This ensures the grid aligns with your organizational needs and talent management goals
• Define clear criteria: Establish clear and measurable definitions for both performance levels (high, medium, low) and potential indicators (learning agility, leadership qualities, etc.). Consistency is crucial for accurate placement within the grid

3. Top-down approach

• Train and empower managers: Equip them with a thorough understanding of the 9-box grid and its application. Train them to use the grid for performance discussions, development planning, and talent identification
• Management buy-in is crucial: C-level executives need to champion the use of the 9-box grid and integrate it into their management practices. Their active participation and support pave the way for successful implementation

4. Technology as an ally

While Excel templates are a good starting point, consider using a performance and HR management tool like ClickUp to level up your 9-box grid experience.

ClickUp is a powerful talent management software that helps you implement a 9-box grid effectively.

• Customizable statuses: Define custom statuses within ClickUp’s List that mirror your performance levels (high, medium, low) and potential categories (high, medium, low)
• Dependencies and subtasks: Use ClickUp’s dependency feature to link individual development plans (subtasks) to employee profiles within the 9-box grid (main tasks). This facilitates the creation of targeted development roadmaps based on each employee’s placement on the grid
• Dashboards and reporting: ClickUp’s Dashboards allow you to visualize your talent pool data effectively. They allow you to gain insights into the distribution of employees across the grid, identify trends, and track progress over time.

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Benefits and Limitations of Using a 9-Box Grid

The 9-box grid is a powerful tool for talent management, but like any tool, it has its strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a closer look at the benefits it offers and the limitations to consider:

Benefits of the 9-box grid

• Enhanced motivation: By identifying and acknowledging employees with high potential, you nurture development opportunities and career paths, which can motivate them to contribute more effectively
• Targeted training and development: The grid allows you to run tailored training programs and development opportunities to bridge skill gaps and unlock full potential
• Strategic recruitment and succession planning: The 9-box grid helps you identify talent gaps within your organization. It supports succession planning by routing your recruitment efforts toward attracting candidates with the specific skills and potential your organization lacks

Limitations of the 9-box grid (and how to overcome them)

• Subjectivity: The 9-box grid’s reliance on subjective managerial assessments can lead to inconsistencies in employee placement. Personal biases, varying performance standards, and differing perceptions of potential can skew results
  
  🎯 Solution: Implement a 360-degree feedback system to gather multiple perspectives on employee performance and potential. Introduce standardized performance metrics and data-driven potential evaluation criteria. Conduct regular calibration and talent review sessions among managers to align perceptions and reduce bias.

• Oversimplification: The 9-box grid’s simplistic structure does not capture the full complexity of employee profiles. It overlooks unique strengths, weaknesses, and career aspirations. Over-reliance on the grid can lead to a narrow focus on talent management
  
  🎯Solution: Combine the 9-box grid with other talent assessment tools, such as personality assessments, skills matrices, and career aspirations surveys, to create a comprehensive employee profile. Consider using competency frameworks to identify specific skills and behaviors required for success.

• Focus on placement, not development: The 9-box grid may become a static tool that emphasizes placement within a certain box over growth. This can stifle employee development and limit organizational agility
  
  🎯Solution: Use it as a starting point for creating individualized development plans. Integrate the 9-box grid into a broader talent development framework and emphasize its role in informing career paths rather than simply categorizing employees.

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Exploring Alternatives to the 9-Box Grid

The 9-box grid offers a valuable framework to evaluate employee performance, but it’s not the only option to assess employee performance. Here’s a comparison with some alternatives:

Performance Management Systems (PMS)

These provide a structured approach to the performance improvement plan, incorporating goal setting, feedback mechanisms, and development plans. A PMS offers greater detail than the 9-box grid but also has a steep learning curve to administer.

Skill-based matrices

These focus on identifying specific skills and competencies required for organizational roles. They can be valuable for building talent development strategies and workforce planning 

Succession planning models

These identify high-potential employees to fill future senior leadership positions. While the 9-box grid can contribute to succession planning, dedicated models may go deeper into assessing leadership qualities and development needs.

ClickUp’s Human Resources

ClickUp’s Human Resources offerings provide robust performance management and HR software that help you deploy a fresh, effective, holistic approach to talent management. 

Here are some features HR professionals love:

Goal setting and tracking

ClickUp Goals help you track sprint cycles, OKRs, weekly employee scorecards, and more to measure employee performance over time.

Although third-party goal-tracking apps also help you set SMART goals for your employees, ClickUp’s all-inclusive interface and reporting capabilities allow for clear communication and easy monitoring of individual and team goals.

Recruitment and onboarding

Use ClickUp for hiring and recruitment processes. Easily track and centralize all incoming job applications. Evaluate candidates via scorecards or custom evaluation criteria. 

Streamline interview scheduling and onboarding processes via ClickUp Gantt charts and ClickUp Calendar view.

Professional development

ClickUp facilitates professional development by allowing you to assign training materials, track learning progress, and manage development plans for your team within the platform.

360-degree feedback

Facilitate a culture of 360-degree feedback using ClickUp. Gather comprehensive input from peers, managers, and even direct reports to provide employees with a well-rounded picture of their strengths and areas for improvement.

Here are a few performance review templates that will help you gather feedback better: 

ClickUp’s Performance Review Template

Download This Template

ClickUp’s Performance Review Template offers features like custom statuses to track review progress, custom fields for organization, and customizable views for efficient review management.

Project management tools like comment reactions and automation ensure a smooth and efficient experience for everyone involved. They also ensure post-review follow-up with recurring tasks.

This template empowers HR professionals to maintain consistent, fair performance reviews and is a great alternative to other performance review software tools in the market.

ClickUp’s Performance Reviews Template

Download This Template

ClickUp’s Performance Reviews Template has sections you can customize so that they align with your organization’s specific needs. For example, you can add sections for specific skills, competencies, or projects relevant to your industry.

ClickUp’s Performance Reviews Template is ready to use, allowing you to get started right away with a smooth and easy implementation process. Plus, it’s feature-rich and packed with essential elements for thorough and effective performance evaluations.

The template lets you switch between Board and List format views to suit your preference. It comes with predefined statuses—Open and Complete—to streamline task tracking.

Additionally, the template features custom fields such as Quarter, Department, Progress, Manager, Requestor, Request Category, and Region, providing a comprehensive framework for detailed and organized performance reviews.

ClickUp’s Quarterly Performance Review Template

Download This Template

ClickUp’s Quarterly Performance Review Template streamlines the review process, allowing you to track goals, provide structured feedback, and monitor progress with real-time data.

Managers can provide constructive feedback in an organized way supported by real-time data that facilitates continuous learning for everyone. This template equips your team for success—from setting clear expectations to monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs).

This is a great template for you to help set up goals for appraisals through performance reviews.

Benefits of Using ClickUp for Talent Management

• Centralized hub: Manage all your talent management activities within a single platform, eliminating data silos and streamlining workflows
• Enhanced data-driven decisions: ClickUp’s reporting and analytics tools provide valuable insights into your talent pool, allowing you to make informed decisions about your workforce
• Improved collaboration: ClickUp enhances collaboration between HR professionals, managers, and employees, ensuring everyone is on the same page regarding talent management goals

With ClickUp’s comprehensive suite of features, you can move beyond the limitations of the 9-box grid and create a dynamic and holistic talent management strategy for your organization. 

ClickUp also empowers you to attract, develop, and retain top talent, building a strong workforce for long-term success.

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Unlocking Potential and Driving Performance With ClickUp

The 9-box grid offers a valuable starting point for talent management, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. By understanding its benefits, limitations, and alternatives, you can leverage it effectively within your broader talent management strategy.

ClickUp, with its powerful features and intuitive interface, can revolutionize your talent management practices.

From setting SMART goals and tracking performance progress to facilitating meaningful feedback and managing development plans, ClickUp empowers you to get most out of your talent management efforts.

Ready to unlock your people’s full potential?

Sign up for your free account today!