With new trends and technology comes the need for updated skillsets among workers at all levels of business. It’s an ongoing evolution – and it’s critical to keep up with it as you hire and develop your team.
Skills gaps can be signaled by drops in productivity or morale and higher turnover rates, all which of course, can be very costly to your company.
Here are some suggestions for bridging the skills divide while keeping your brand attractive to both current and prospective talent:
A More Diversified Talent Pool
Tap into a more diverse talent pool that will ultimately prove more valuable to your business. In addition to gender, race and ethnic diversity, also look to employ older adults, who often offer a rich blend of acquired skills and experience. This also helps craft a more fair hiring process.
- Go global. Source individuals who would be happy for an opportunity to work in your market. This may provide your company a unique competitive advantage.
A Revised Recruitment and Hiring Process
When recruiting, balance your focus between the skills and education required for a role and the soft skills that would constitute an ideal candidate. Look for growth potential and willingness to learn and adapt.
- Think about how you review resumes and post job advertisements. Are you going through applications carefully enough so you don’t miss any key details?
- Does your onboarding process work effectively? This is critical, not only to ensure new hires get off to a strong start, but also to make them feel supported from Day One. Build their comfort and confidence levels so they’re poised for long-term success at your organization.
Apprenticeships
No longer associated only with blue-collar roles, apprenticeships are among the earliest – and most effective – forms of workplace learning. As reported by the U.S. Department of Labor, there are more than 580,000 active apprenticeships in the United States, up 103 percent in the past decade. What better way to learn a new skill or update an existing one than by working hands on, side by side with a subject matter expert?
Coaching
Coaching is another great way to boost employees’ learning, confidence, effectiveness and productivity. According to the International Coaching Federation, the number of practicing coaches exceeds 71,000, an increase of 33 percent between 2016 and 2020.
Tuition Assistance
Many people will choose to work – or continue working – for a company over its competitors if tuition reimbursement or assistance is one of the perks. It can make employees more qualified to promotions and enable them to teach others as well. As an added benefit, both you and your employees may be eligible for related tax breaks.
Let the staffing and talent management experts at PrideStaff Modesto help you as you continually improve your recruiting and employee development strategies. Reach out to us today to learn more.
