How to Conduct a Skills Gap Analysis

Leo Rolf

Posted 26/11/2019
by Leo Rolf

You can read this
in 3 minutes.

How to Conduct a Skills Gap Analysis

No matter how much work you put into sourcing the best employees to work for you, there are always skill gaps to be filled in. Some are not obvious until the person is employed, while others come to light as job roles change. A skills gap analysis allows you to work out the skills you can call upon when needed – and to identify the ones that are missing, so you can do something about it. 

Working on staff development

Some employers make the mistake of neglecting staff development in favour of recruiting more staff. Ideally, you should focus on both areas. Conducting a skills gap analysis helps you get more out of your existing employees. In some cases, you may find you need not employ anyone else if additional training resolves any skills gaps you find. 

What is a skills gap analysis?

If you want to develop your existing employees, you need to find out which skills they currently have and which ones you would like them to have in future. The gap between the two may be small or large, but an analysis will help you identify how much work there is to be done in closing that gap. 

Discover the current skill set held by each employee

There are various ways to do this: • Read performance reviews • Consider outcomes to recent tasks or projects • Use surveys and similar tools to glean information Skills tests are a great way of getting the information you need in a fair and objective way. Each employee can participate in appropriate skills tests to determine their current level of skills. You can then use the results of those tests to determine whether there is a gap between the skills they have and the skills you would like them to have. 

How do skills tests help identify skill gaps?

If everyone sits the same tests, the results are easier to collate. You’ll see where certain skills are lacking and be able to use the results to plan for future training. For example, half your employees may sail through tests on MS Word and Excel, whereas the remaining half might struggle. Clearly, the latter half would benefit from proper training in making better use of those programs. This is just one example of how testing can more readily highlight skills gaps. Testing is also impartial, removing you from the process. It also removes the risk of a lack of objectivity. Only the facts are highlighted, making it far easier to analyse the type of training and initiatives required to close that skills gap in future. By adopting skills testing across your workforce, you can gain the bigger picture about the skills you have – and the skills you need to find through training, recruitment, or mentoring 

To find out more about conducting a skills gap analysis

working with skillsarena

Developing your existing employees is just as important as recruiting the right people for the future of your business. Skillsarena provides a selection of learning and development tools, including skills tests, to achieve your aims. Find out how to make the most of your employees by calling us on +44 (0)203 693 2201 today. Alternatively, send an email outlining your requirements.

Scroll To Top