Bridging Training Gaps: A Proven Strategy for Employee Retention and Growth

The lack of alignment between employee skill sets and the competencies needed to perform their jobs effectively is a major challenge many organizations face.

Recent statistics from the training industry show that 1 in 2 US businesses lack formal training initiatives to close the skills gap. This statistical finding highlights organizations’ need to identify and address training gaps within their workforce proactively. 

In this blog post, we discuss common training gaps, how they affect businesses, and what concrete steps companies can take to close these gaps and ensure employee retention and growth in their organizations. 

What are the Common Training Gaps in Many Organizations?

Training gaps refer to areas where employees lack the necessary skills or knowledge to perform their jobs effectively. In other words, there is a gap between what employees currently know and what they need to know in order to do their job well. Some of the common training gaps that can exist in a business include: 

1. Employee Onboarding

This training gap occurs when businesses do not give sufficient training to new employees. Onboarding training assists employees in understanding their job duties, company values, and policies. A thorough onboarding program can facilitate new employees in adjusting promptly and contributing to the team’s productivity.

2. Lack of Sufficient Skills

This training gap happens when employees lack the necessary knowledge and abilities to perform their duties effectively, leading to reduced productivity, errors, and inadequate job performance. To resolve this, businesses must identify specific skills employees require to excel and offer relevant training programs.

3. Poor Task Performance

When employees cannot perform their job duties to the expected level, it results in a training gap known as poor task performance. This can result in inefficiencies, errors, and lower-quality output. To address this issue, targeted training programs can be implemented to improve employees’ task performance and help them perform better in their roles.

4. Outdated Compliance Knowledge

Being updated with compliance regulations and requirements is important for employees to prevent penalties and legal problems, as these regulations are subject to change. Neglecting to inform employees of updates in compliance regulations can pose significant risks for businesses. 

5. New Business Systems or Equipment

If a company implements new technology, equipment, or software, employees must receive appropriate training to proficiently adjust and utilize these systems. 

For instance, if a business adopts a new customer relationship management (CRM) software, employees will need to be trained on how to use it properly. If the employees are not trained adequately, they may not understand how to input data correctly. This could result in decreased efficiency, miscommunication, and lost sales.

6. One-Size-Fits-All Corporate Training Materials

Every employee is different, and they have different levels of experience, knowledge, and preferred learning styles. Providing a generic training program that assumes that all employees have the same learning needs and preferences can lead to reduced engagement, retention, and ineffective training outcomes.

How Do You Identify Training Gaps in Your Organization?

Without a clear understanding of what skills and knowledge your employees need to succeed in their roles, your organization may struggle to meet its goals and objectives. Identify training gaps in your organization by following these practices industry experts swear by:

1. Conduct a training needs analysis (TNA) to identify the skills and knowledge your employees need to succeed in their roles. 
2. Ask employees for feedback on what areas they feel need additional training or support. 
3. Review employee performance evaluations and identify any recurring issues or areas for improvement. 
4. Analyze industry trends and best practices to ensure your employees are up-to-date on the latest developments in your field. 
5. Consider your organization’s business goals and objectives and identify any skills or knowledge gaps that may hinder your ability to achieve them. 
6. Review the job descriptions of your employees and ensure they align with the current requirements of their roles. 
7. Use employee data to track training completion and identify areas where additional training may be needed. 
8. Stay in communication with team leaders and management to understand the specific training needs of their teams.

What are the Consequences of Not Addressing Training Gaps in the Workplace?

Failing to address gaps in training employees at work can have serious negative consequences for both employees and the organization as a whole, including but not limited to the following:

1. Low Productivity

When employees lack the necessary workplace skills to perform their job effectively, it can lead to decreased productivity. This can result in missed deadlines, decreased quality of work, and, ultimately, reduced profitability for the organization. 

2. Low Employee Morale

Employees who are not adequately trained can become frustrated and disengaged, leading to low morale. It can lead to increased absenteeism, high turnover, and declining loyalty to the organization.

3. Safety Risks

Insufficient training in specific sectors like manufacturing and construction can pose safety hazards for workers, potentially resulting in workplace incidents and physical harm. These incidents not only affect the well-being of employees but can also hold the organization legally accountable.

4. Decreased Competitiveness

Businesses of all sizes must continually innovate and improve their products and services to stay ahead of the competition. This requires a workforce with the necessary skills and knowledge to adapt and change. Without proper training, employees may lack the skills and expertise to innovate and improve, leading to decreased competitiveness for the organization. 

5. Legal Compliance Issues

Depending on the industry and jurisdiction, there may be legal requirements for employee training on specific topics, such as sexual harassment or workplace safety. Failure to provide the necessary training can result in legal liabilities for the organization.

How Can You Close the Training Gap in Your Organization?

Many organizations struggle with closing training gaps that may exist among their workforce. In this section, we’ll explore strategies your organization can use to close training gaps and develop your employees’ skills and knowledge to create a more skilled and competent workforce. 

1. Skills Gap Analysis

This strategy involves carefully evaluating the knowledge, skills, and abilities that employees currently possess, as well as the skills and knowledge they will need in the future. By conducting a skills gap analysis, your organization can determine where your employees may be lacking in key areas and design customized training programs that provide them with the specific knowledge and skills they need to excel in their jobs.

2. Develop a Comprehensive Training Program

To address the identified skills gap in the workforce, it’s essential to develop a comprehensive training program that covers all areas where employees need improvement. The training program should be designed to meet the specific needs of the organization and its workforce, and it should be regularly reviewed and updated to keep up with changing industry trends and evolving job requirements.

3. Use a Learning Management System (LMS)

Having an LMS can be highly beneficial for organizing and providing training materials. With an LMS, it becomes easier to design and monitor training modules, track employee progress, and generate reports on training completion. 

Booth & Partners, for example, leverages LMS to evaluate their team’s shortcomings and identify the necessary training to address them. By partnering with Booth & Partners, your offshore team can receive the training required to boost their productivity and efficiency.

4. Implement Microlearning

Microlearning is a training approach that delivers learning content in small, bite-sized chunks that are easy to consume and retain. It is an effective way to provide training to employees as it is flexible and can be easily integrated into their daily routines.

With microlearning, employers can prevent cognitive overload, which occurs when employees are given too much information to process at once. By breaking down the content into smaller, more manageable chunks, employees can retain the information better, as they have more time to process and reflect on it.

5. Leverage Staff Leasing

Staff leasing can be a valuable solution for organizations looking to address company training gaps. It allows organizations to access a pool of skilled and experienced professionals with expertise in the specific areas where training gaps exist. This means that the organization can quickly fill critical roles with talent specializations, who can hit the ground running and require minimal training.

Build a Globally-Competent Workforce Offshore with Booth & Partners

At Booth & Partners, we offer managed services to help you build and manage a high-performance offshore team. We’ll carefully handpick talent that fits the profile and skills you need, ensuring that your offshore team is equipped to drive results for your business.

By partnering with us, you’ll have a dedicated Operations Manager who will work hand-in-hand with you to discuss and set custom Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to meet your goals. Our Training and Quality Solutions team will also collaborate with you directly and train your future associates to ensure that your team is always up-to-date with the latest tools and practices. 

Finally, we know that managing an offshore team can be complicated, so we offer a comprehensive Employer of Record (EOR) service for your offshore staff. From employee engagement and labor relations to performance management, coaching sessions, and evaluation to payroll management, we’ll be responsible for your outsourced team, allowing you to focus on your core business.

Are you interested to learn more about our outsourcing services? Click here to get a quote, or contact us for a quick discovery call.