Playbook

Skills Calibration Process

Design and run effective calibration sessions to ensure consistent, fair, and accurate skill ratings across your organization.

3-4 weeks

HR + Business Leaders

Prerequisite: Skills Assessment

Why Calibration Matters

Without calibration, skill ratings become inconsistent and unreliable. Different managers interpret rating scales differently, leading to inflated ratings in some teams and deflated ratings in others. This undermines trust in your skills data and compromises talent decisions.

Calibration creates a shared understanding of what each proficiency level looks like in practice. It surfaces hidden biases, corrects rating drift, and ensures employees are evaluated against the same standards regardless of their manager or department.

Process

Implementation Steps

1

Design Calibration Framework

Define calibration objectives, scope, and rating standards.

Define calibration objectives (consistency, bias reduction, accuracy)
Determine calibration scope (which skills, which roles, frequency)
Establish rating distribution guidelines
Create proficiency level definitions with behavioral anchors

Duration: 1 week

2

Prepare Calibration Materials

Create facilitator guides, rating rubrics, and session templates.

Develop facilitator guide with session flow and talking points
Create rating rubrics with examples for each level
Design pre-session data package template
Build calibration tracking spreadsheet or system

Duration: 1 week

3

Train Facilitators

Equip calibration facilitators with skills to lead effective sessions.

Select and train HR partners or senior leaders as facilitators
Practice handling common calibration challenges
Review bias recognition and mitigation techniques
Conduct pilot session with feedback

Duration: 3-5 days

4

Run Calibration Sessions

Facilitate structured discussions to align skill ratings.

Distribute pre-read materials 48 hours before session
Open with rating standard reminder and ground rules
Review outliers and rating distributions first
Discuss specific cases requiring adjustment
Document decisions and rationale in real-time

Duration: 1-2 weeks (rolling sessions)

5

Document and Monitor

Record outcomes and track calibration effectiveness over time.

Update skill profiles with calibrated ratings
Communicate changes to employees (where applicable)
Track adjustment patterns by manager/department
Schedule recurring calibration cycles
Refine process based on feedback

Duration: Ongoing

Best Practices

Mitigating Bias in Calibration

Recency Bias

Require evidence from the full review period. Use skills demonstrated over time, not just recent projects.

Similarity Bias

Include diverse voices in calibration. Ensure facilitators call out potential favoritism toward similar backgrounds.

Central Tendency

Challenge "safe" middle ratings. Require justification when managers rate everyone as average.

Halo/Horn Effect

Evaluate each skill independently. Strong performance in one area shouldn't inflate others.

Contrast Effect

Rate against standards, not peers. Avoid letting exceptional teammates skew ratings of solid performers.

Attribution Bias

Focus on demonstrated behaviors, not assumed potential or past reputation. Use concrete evidence.

Results

Expected Outcomes

Consistent skill ratings across teams and departments
Reduced bias in talent decisions
Higher employee trust in the assessment process
Better-quality skills data for matching and planning
Clear documentation supporting promotion and development decisions

Skills Assessment Competency Framework Succession Planning