A skills gap refers to the difference between the skills required for a specific job and the actual skills of the employee in the role.
What Is the Goal of a Skills Gap Analysis?
A skills gap analysis helps identify the difference between the needs of the employer and the real abilities of employees within a company.
The main objective of a skills gap analysis is to identify the skills a business needs to reach its objectives. The analysis also identifies employees who need to upgrade their skills and updates the company’s labor requirements to improve planning for recruitment.
How to Do a Skills Gap Analysis?
A skills gap analysis includes the following steps:
- Needs analysis: make a list of all the skills required within the company for it to achieve its objectives, sort skills for each department, and draw up a list of skills required for each job in the company.
- Evaluation of required skills: measure employees’ skills through individual evaluations or specialized tools.
- Skills gap analysis: compare the data collected in steps 1 and 2, and draw your conclusions.
- Solution implementation: draw up an action plan to correct the skills gap.
- Monitoring of skills improvements: adapt the actions to be implemented as needed and monitor results.
What Are Methods Used for Skills Gap Analysis?
The various methods used for skills gap analysis include:
- Asking staff to complete a survey to gather their views and suggestions
- Carrying out individual evaluations
- Analyzing performance evaluations or prior feedback
- Using of specialized tools
- Hiring an external agency
- Carrying out a SWOT analysis
Companies can use one or several of these methods to perform their skills gap analysis.
How to Correct Skills Gaps in a Company?
The strategies used to correct skills gaps in a company generally include:
- Investing in employee training and skills development
- Mentoring
- Reviewing of recruitment strategies
- Implementing individual training plans
When to Carry Out a Skills Gap Analysis?
A skills gap analysis may be performed when a business wants to achieve certain specific objectives, and it wishes to determine the actions it should implement to do so.
For example, a company may carry out a skills gap analysis when it reworks its strategic planning, when it experiences poor results, or if it wants to improvement management practices.
How Can Technology Help Perform a Skills Gap Analysis?
Using technology to carry out a skills gap analysis can help to keep a record of the results in employee records and carry out the necessary follow-up.
Digitalizing the data collected can also help keep it secure.
