This short article published by the Institute for Learning and Performance (ILP) Asia Pacific provides a few tips on how organisations can ensure their employees possess the necessary skills when faced with changes in their staff’s job roles.
The article suggests that “addressing these issues necessitates strategically implementing regular skills assessments, tailored training programs, and collaborations with educational institutions.” It highlights four strategies.
Strategy 1: Conducting regular skills assessments
This involves conducting skills assessments “as part of their employees’ performance reviews. This method enables them to evaluate current skill levels accurately against the requirements for current or future roles” and they can then implement targeted training programs effectively.
Strategy 2: Undertaking self and third-party assessments
Performance reviews are useful, buts so are having employees take self-assessment tests. Using this approach can also be a useful step in the performance review process and help staff reflect and develop insights into their strengths and identify areas where they might improve.
Alternatively, “outside parties [can] administer third-party assessments … conducted by external experts ensure an unbiased evaluation of employee skills resulting in a comprehensive understanding of skill gaps within the organisation.”
Identified skill gaps can be addressed “through tailored training programs designed for employees’ specific needs… [to]… equip employees with the necessary abilities required in their positions while giving them the support needed to excel.” Training can be in different modes, including using online learning platforms, internal or external trainers doing in-house training programs or collaborating with educational institutions.
Strategy 3: Collaborating with educational institutions
As this short article points out, “organisations can support their employees’ professional growth by encouraging enrolment in relevant external courses or certifications that match their roles. External training providers partnering with companies ensure that industry-recognised training is available for the workforce to build necessary skills.” Further, “there’s a growing trend of companies collaborating closely with educational institutions to address existing skill gaps’ challenges adequately,” including by co-creating courses.
Strategy 4: Getting industry experience
Finally, “apart from co-creating course options through such collaborations, another option is internships & work experience programs targeting students and fresh … graduates, to build requisite competencies among … participants.” Through this process, “they can acquire practical skills while being exposed to real-world work environments.” In addition, the article points out that “organisations benefit from actively engaging with educational institutions, enabling them to shape future employees’ skills and competencies.” This is because “there is often a disconnect between academic studies and what’s required practically in the industry; hence organisations have opted for diverse ways of bridging the gap.”
In conclusion
Investing in employee training enables organisations to “nurture talent and position themselves as thought leaders in their respective industries. This strategy will ultimately result in heightened productivity and a more agile workforce known for delivering superior results.” Moreover, “investment in targeted education across their workforce can help companies build a skilled, flexible team that can adapt to industry shifts.” Monitoring metrics is useful too, the article suggests, including “improvements in employee performance, higher employee satisfaction levels, reduced turnover rates, and increased organisational agility.
