From Skill Gaps to Strengths: Bridging the Capability Divide in Your Organization
Skills gaps arise when there is a disparity between the skills an employee possesses and the skills an employer expects them to have. The gap harms a firm’s productivity as it is likely for the average employee’s productivity to be lower. It also makes it challenging for employers to fill open positions.
The most common employee skills gaps include soft skills like active listening and hard skills like technical knowledge.
Let’s understand the impact of skills gaps and the measures of building organizational capability with the help of an example.
A leading private bank in the country has been facing criticism for its customer service quality. Many consumers have raised complaints about unanswered queries. Moreover, they have requested the closure of their bank account, leading to losses and a hampered brand reputation.
The senior management needs to take the following steps to remedy the situation before they lose more clients.
Identifying the gap
There are different ways to identify skill gaps in the workplace. In this example, the senior management inspected data points to identify the areas of performance and competency that were lacking. They concluded that the customer service team was unable to record complaints on their systems and access data to provide responses. Consequently, they began to focus on technical skills.
However, when a professional training company interviewed and surveyed the team, they discovered the problem was different. The customer service team wasn’t being able to comprehend the customer’s complaints and communicate appropriate responses to them. There was a need to improve communication and interpersonal skills.
Filling the gap with required learning
The next step is to find the right approach to train and develop the employees. The senior management helped the customer service team undergo communication training. It conducted several rounds, discussing common customer problems and the right responses to provide in such situations. A template of common questions and answers was also prepared.
Continuing the journey with success stories
Rewarding employees when they successfully take on their responsibilities and resolve customer concerns is critical. Sharing these stories enables leaders to continue the journey and keep improving customer service quality. Members of the customer service team also feel encouraged to continue developing.
