While technical capabilities are key for resource planning, they're only part of the story. The missing gap—behavioural skills and team chemistry—can make or break project success. That's why forward-thinking organisations now look beyond CVs and certifications to consider how people work, communicate, and collaborate.
In this article, we'll explore why technical and behavioural skills matter in modern resource planning and how you can use this dual approach to build stronger, more effective teams.
Modern resource planning: From technical lists to team chemistry
Resource planning has come a long way from spreadsheets and skills matrices. Not long ago, matching the right person to a project meant ticking boxes on technical requirements. Had they used the right software? Did they know the programming language? Did they have the certifications?
These technical matches mattered. And they still do. But something was missing.
"The way people work has changed... a lot," explains Retain’s Rob Thomas. "This makes everything to do with resource planning more complex - leading to sub-par utilisation and project performance."
Hybrid working has amplified these challenges. Soft skills become even more crucial when teams aren't in the same room. Clear communication, self-motivation, and collaboration skills can make the difference between project success and failure.
What's driving this? Let's look at the numbers:
▪️Teams with strong interpersonal skills are 40% more likely to complete projects successfully, according to recent PMI research
▪️The rise of hybrid working (52% of UK knowledge workers now work hybrid according to ONS data) means team dynamics matter more than ever
▪️Project delays from poor team collaboration cost businesses an average of 21 working days per year
The most telling change is the questions resource managers are asking. Ten years ago, they focused on technical capabilities. Now, they're asking: How does this person prefer to communicate? What's their working style? How do they handle pressure? Will they mesh well with the existing team?
Modern resource planning needs to answer all these questions. Instead of focusing exclusively on what people can do, it focuses on how they work together to get it done.
Take auditing firms, for example. Technical skills are critical, but client satisfaction often hinges on how well team members work together and communicate with stakeholders. A technically perfect audit delivered by a dysfunctional team rarely leads to repeat business.
The challenge now is finding ways to measure and match these behavioural elements as effectively as we've always matched technical skills. That's where modern resource planning tools, like Retain, are stepping in—bringing behavioural profiling and team chemistry into the equation.
Technical skills: the foundation of resource planning
Let's be clear: technical skills haven't become less important. They're still the foundation of successful project delivery. What's changed is how we think about them in the bigger picture.
Modern technical skills matching has evolved far beyond simple yes/no checklists. Today's resource managers need to understand:
▪️Skill levels and proficiency ratings
▪️Technical certifications and qualifications
▪️Relevant project experience
▪️Specialist knowledge areas
▪️Industry-specific expertise
Think about a complex audit project. You need team members who understand specific accounting standards, have experience with particular industries, and know how to use specialised software. These technical requirements are essential for project success.
Resource planners face a unique challenge in tracking and matching these technical capabilities across hundreds or even thousands of employees. As Rahat Ahmed, Resource Management Growth Leader at Retain, explains, "The challenge is no longer gathering data but what to do with the vast amount of information flowing into the business 24/7."
Smart firms are tackling this by creating detailed skills matrices, tracking certification expiry dates, monitoring utilisation rates by skill type, identifying skills gaps for training, and planning for future technical needs.
But here's where it gets interesting. Even with perfect technical matching, projects can still go wrong. A team might have all the right qualifications on paper but struggle to work together effectively.
That's why leading firms are now looking beyond the technical skill set. They're asking: How can we combine technical excellence with behavioural compatibility to create truly high-performing teams?
The behavioural skills gap: why team chemistry matters
Most resource managers can spot technical gaps at a glance. But behavioural mismatches? They often stay hidden until it's too late, projects are already off track, and teams struggle to collaborate.
This blind spot is costing businesses. Research shows employees spend nearly three hours per week dealing with workplace conflicts. That's 144 hours per year per employee, lost to poor team dynamics.
Let's break down the key behavioural factors that impact team performance:
Communication styles
Some team members are direct and data-focused, while others prefer detailed context and relationship building. These differences can either complement each other or create friction—it all depends on how well they're understood and managed.
Work pace and priorities
Take the example of two auditors: One methodically checks every detail, while another focuses on quick wins and big-picture thinking. Both approaches have merit, but they can cause tension and delays without proper alignment.
Problem-solving approaches
"Retain helps managers understand the strengths and communication preferences of their team members," explains Rahat Ahmed. "This means teams that are not just technically capable but also cohesive."
Think about how these factors play out in real projects:
✅A detail-oriented developer paired with a big-picture project manager
✅An outgoing client relationship manager working with an analytical data specialist
✅A methodical senior auditor mentoring a fast-paced junior team member
Each combination brings both opportunities and challenges. The key is understanding these dynamics before teams are formed, not after problems arise.
This is about understanding and leveraging people's natural strengths. When teams acknowledge these differences, they can turn potential conflicts into productive collaborations.
What makes modern behavioural matching powerful is its integration with technical resource planning. You can see that someone has the right skills and how they'll likely work with existing team members.
Implementing dual-focus resource planning: a practical approach
Traditional resource planning often focuses solely on matching technical skills, but it frequently overlooks the important behavioral aspects that contribute to team effectiveness. To improve this process, it's essential to combine both technical and behavioral elements in a practical and manageable way.
Every successful implementation starts with solid foundations. That means having your technical skills mapping sorted, keeping certifications up to date, maintaining accurate availability data, and clearly specifying project requirements.
But here's where modern resource planning gets interesting. Tools like Retain now layer behavioural insights on top of these technical foundations. You can see who's available and qualified and who will work well together.
The technology supporting this dual approach has evolved significantly. Modern platforms integrate technical and behavioural data seamlessly, mapping visual team chemistry alongside traditional resource planning features. These tools provide real-time insights that support better decision-making about team composition.
Yet it's important to remember that this isn't about finding perfect matches. No team will ever have perfectly aligned working styles - nor should they. The goal is to understand different working styles and build teams where these differences complement rather than conflict with each other. It's about creating balance, not uniformity.
The competitive advantage: When technical excellence meets team chemistry
Nowadays, delivering projects on time and within budget isn't enough. Clients expect exceptional service, seamless collaboration, and consistently high-quality results. That's where the combination of technical and behavioural matching creates a genuine market advantage.
When teams are matched for both technical skills and behavioural fit, they're more efficient and more innovative. A senior auditor who communicates well with colleagues can spot potential issues earlier. A project manager who understands their team's working styles can head off conflicts before they impact deadlines.
The financial impact is significant. Traditional resource planning often leads to hidden costs: projects that run over budget due to communication issues, valuable employees leaving because of team conflicts, or clients becoming frustrated with disjointed service delivery. By contrast, teams matched for both technical and behavioural fit tend to stay together longer, work more efficiently, and deliver more consistent results.
"Retain's tools help organisations optimise their resources, anticipate market trends, and make strategic decisions based on robust data analytics," notes Rahat Ahmed. This comprehensive approach is particularly valuable for firms handling complex, recurring projects like audits, where team stability and consistent delivery are crucial.
Client relationships also benefit. When teams work well together, it shows in their interactions with clients. They communicate more effectively, present a more unified front, and generally deliver a better experience. This leads to stronger client relationships and increased repeat business - a key differentiator in competitive markets.
The benefits of talent attraction and retention shouldn't be underestimated either. Top professionals increasingly look for workplaces where they can thrive technically and personally. Firms committed to building well-balanced teams have an edge in attracting and keeping the best talent, particularly among younger generations who prioritise workplace culture and team dynamics.
Boost project success: the power of balanced team building
The future of resource planning isn't about choosing between technical excellence and team chemistry - it's about embracing both. As we've seen, the most successful firms are those that look beyond skills matrices and CV matching to consider how teams actually work together.
To make this a reality, you need the right tools, data-driven insights, and a commitment to understanding both the technical and human sides of team building. That's why platforms like Retain are integrating behavioural profiling alongside traditional resource planning capabilities, giving managers the full picture they need to build truly effective teams.
For firms looking to stay ahead, the message is clear: technical skills remain crucial, but they're only part of the story. The real competitive advantage comes from understanding how different working styles complement each other and using this insight to build stronger, more resilient teams.
Ready to transform your approach to resource planning? The tools and insights are available. The question is: are you ready to take the next step? Book a demo to see for yourself.
