The demand for new skills is higher in today’s workforce. Employers are looking for employees who can adapt quickly to changing technologies and processes. According to Gartner’s research, around 58% of workers will require new skills to complete their daily tasks successfully.
But many companies aren’t sure where to find these workers or how to train them. That’s where IT staffing companies come in. By leveraging technology and partnerships with other businesses, they can help bridge the talent gap by providing training programs that match your company’s needs and budget while identifying employees who are ready to learn new skills.
Create a Company Culture That Nurtures Learning
Creating a culture that nurtures learning is the first step in closing the skills gap. A workplace culture that nurtures learning can ensure that the employees are keen to learn about new technologies and skills that can help them complete their tasks quickly. This can improve productivity.
Besides, a learning-friendly culture also helps develop engagement and team bonding. When your employees are keen the learn about new technologies, they will also come up with suggestions on what to learn and how. This will create a two-way effort for your company’s development.
Employee engagement is also beneficial for your brand’s success. However, a Gallup report shows that only 36% of US employees are engaged. So, a lot is needed, and a learning culture can help increase the numbers. To do this, you must:
- Provide training and development programs that allow employees to learn new skills.
- Provide mentorship opportunities for employees who want to develop their leadership abilities or take on more responsibility within the organization.
- Offer opportunities for employees to learn new languages.
Identify Skill Sets Where There Is the Most Need
One of the best ways to identify skill gaps is by using data. By analyzing your organization’s workforce and comparing it to current hiring needs, you can determine where there is a need for particular skills. You might also consider looking at how other organizations are addressing their talent gaps so that you can draw inspiration from them.
For example:
- If you’re looking at the IT department, what types of people do they need? Are they hiring software developers or project managers? What level positions do they have open? What technologies are most relevant in this field, and which ones aren’t being used anymore? This information will help guide which coursework will prepare students best for careers at your company when they graduate with an IT degree.
- If there’s no shortage of marketing majors graduating each year, but HR still isn’t getting enough applicants, there might be a need to change selection criteria or job descriptions.
Get Help From IT Staffing Companies
IT staffing companies can help you find the right talent and train them to be successful in your organization. They can also manage your talent pipeline, so you’re hiring only when it makes sense for your business.
In addition to helping with recruitment, IT staffing companies can offer training programs to help new hires quickly acclimate to their new job duties. These programs include basic computer skills training to specialized courses designed for specific organizational roles.
These staffing agencies usually offer two-way benefits. They help candidates find their dream jobs and help employers to find talented individuals. They offer both people management and career opportunities. This means they will already have a wide pool of candidates looking for jobs.
Hence, an IT staffing agency can help reduce turnover rates with people management and career opportunities. When candidates get opportunities in a field they like, they are less likely to leave the organization. However, it also depends on other factors, such as career development opportunities, salary packages, additional benefits, etc.
Harness the Power of Artificial Intelligence
While Artificial Intelligence (AI) may seem like a new technology, it’s been around for decades. In fact, the term “artificial intelligence” was first used in 1956 by computer scientist John McCarthy.
AI aims to make machines act more like humans by allowing them to learn and solve problems independently without being explicitly programmed by humans. It’s often used when many variables must be considered when making decisions or predictions about future events.
Artificial intelligence can help bridge the skills gap by providing efficient and personalized training and education solutions and automating routine tasks, allowing workers to focus on more complex and higher-value tasks that require human skills. AI-powered tools like adaptive learning algorithms, virtual reality, and gamified simulations can help employees acquire new skills and improve existing ones.
AI can also help companies identify skill gaps within their workforce and provide development and training program recommendations. Additionally, AI-powered job matching and career development tools can help individuals find job opportunities that match their skills, thus reducing the skills mismatch in the job market.
In fact, the human resources technology market is expected to reach $35.68 billion by 2028, and AI is a crucial part of it.
Provide Training and Development Programs
The best way to close the skills gap is by providing training and development programs that help employees learn new skills.
- Offer training and development programs for employees: Providing employees with opportunities to develop their skills is one of the easiest ways to bridge the talent divide. Consider offering short-term courses on digital marketing, project management, or leadership training, all of which can be completed online in just a few hours.
- Offer training and development programs for managers: If you have managers struggling with certain aspects of managing their teams effectively, consider providing them with additional resources, such as books or tools that will help them improve their performance in those areas where they need improvement most.
Training and development will also help bridge the skills gap and offer additional benefits. By developing new skills, a person can get control of his or her career development, which is crucial for success. Hence, training and development can also retain top talent.
According to the 2020 Retention Report, voluntary employee separations cost companies $630 billion annually. The report further shows that lack of training and development opportunities was one of the biggest factors behind voluntary separations.
Conclusion
It’s clear that there is a skills gap in the workforce, but it’s also clear that we can do something about it. In this article, we’ve outlined some of the most effective ways to close this gap. By creating a culture of learning within your company and investing in employee training programs, you can ensure everyone has access to new skills needed for today’s job market.
