Rapid Re-Skilling of Your Employees for a New Economy (cont.)
 

Re-Skilling Your Employees for Success

The most critical question now is what to do to prepare your employees for what is needed for success as a result of the changes your organization have been through – and how to do it quickly. The following steps provide a methodical way to get your employees prepared with the skills they need for success.

Step One: Examine the new environment

After your company has emerged from the storm of the recession, step back and consider characteristics of the new environment relative to your business. Find answers to the following:

• What are the new success factors? Are there capabilities needed to succeed now that may have been insignificant in the past?

• How has the market for your products and/or services changed? Are there new expectations for quality, quantity, pricing? Has the competitive environment become more of a challenge?

• Are there new products and services you have begun to offer? Have these required re-tooling, new systems, new business processes or new policies?

• What are the skills needed to deliver? How have the success profiles or competency requirements for the various positions in your organization changed?

• Have your mission, vision or values changed?

• In the new environment, what will set you apart from the competition?

Step Two: Determine where your company stands

Now that you have a clearer picture of the characteristics and requirements for success in the business climate, the next step is to figure out where your company stands relative to those factors. Consider the following in assessing the current state of your company:

• Recall the skills and competencies that made you successful in the past.

• Identify the skills and competencies that are required both now and in the future.

• Use assessment methods (observation, interviews, customer feedback, surveys, and skills assessments) to determine the current skill level of your employees.

• Identify the skills gaps.