Skills gaps are unfortunately common, and many employers and hiring managers feel the drain of having to hire workers who aren’t as prepared for the job as they need to be. While it should be expected to have a thorough onboarding and training process when hiring new employees, having to teach required skills for every position decreases company productivity and even costs money.
Skills Gaps are Everywhere
As industries are being revitalized with new technology, people are seeing the effects of skills gaps in all areas of the workforce. Many employers complain new graduates don’t have the skills they need to be successful hires, even in entry-level positions. Generally, this is the most common workforce demographic to have a skills gap. However, there has been a surge in skills gaps from older demographics as well.
Any time a worker changes their career, or enters a different industry, they will need to learn the required skills of their new job. Middle-aged workers who have been laid off from manufacturing jobs may have to re-enter the workforce with an entirely new career, causing them to also add to the skills gap dilemma. While more needs to be done to prevent these skills gaps, there are things you can do in your company to lessen the productivity and financial blow.
What You Can Do to Close the Skills Gap
When you consider some of the systemic issues with the economy and the job market, closing the skills gap can seem like an overwhelming task. Fortunately, there’s a lot that can be done by hiring managers, CEOs and employers to help make great change.
Be clear with the skills you require
In all job posts and job descriptions (for current or prospects) be sure you are crystal clear with the skills your employees need. Not only would this help weed out applicants who aren’t ready for the job, but it helps create industry standards that will serve as a guide to career coaches, professors and other leaders who help prepare the next generation of workers.
Follow-up on employees’ progress with performance reviews & feedback
Once each employee has a clear understanding on the skills they need to use to do their jobs effectively, it’s important you provide them with structured feedback and performance reviews. This allows your employees to stay on top of their game and always improving at the jobs, which creates more success for your company.
Provide on-the-job training
It’s an excellent idea to invest in your own employees. Whether it’s once a month, quarterly or even yearly, you should do something that builds the skills of your employees. You could negotiate a discounted rate for online courses, bring in a speaker or host a seminar that equips your staff with greater knowledge, a new skill or even a team-building exercise. These experiences not only boost morale and retention, but they create a stronger, more skilled company that will lead to greater success.
Looking for the right employee with the right skills?
Contact Principle Personnel to find employees that have the skills you need! We can also help you craft the right job posting to attract the employees you want to hire.