Today’s business landscape is constantly evolving. With new technologies and new trends shaping the market it is essential to build up skills as required by the market. Just hiring the best suited candidates isn't enough anymore. 

You need to actively close the gap between new hires and the competencies the business demands. As a result employers need to rapidly upskill new hires in order to align them with organizational goals, improve productivity and reduce talent turnover along with building a culture of continuous learning.

What is a skill gap?

Skill gap refers to the difference in the skills that the organization requires and the skillset that the employee currently possesses. These gaps include both hard skills like technical skills, digital tools or soft skills like communication and adaptability. 

What causes skill gaps ?

In this fast paced world, the effect of skill gap is becoming even more evident. It poses significant challenges to both the employers and the employees. Understanding its causes can lead to reducing its impact sooner. Some of these causes are discussed below:

1. Education mismatch

The industry and the market evolves faster than the curriculum. Most of the time the education in universities and colleges are theory heavy which causes the employees to have a skill gap. Students may know what to do in theory but they lack practical job ready experience.  

2. Rapid Technological advancements

In the past skills stayed relevant for decades but today the relevant skills and tools required evolve every few years. Despite the rapid technological advancements not everyone has equal access to emerging tech for hands-on learning. 

3. Evolving industry standards

With the industry standards evolving the definition of qualified keeps changing as the industry updates safety, legal, and ethical standards along with the change in society and technology. The constantly evolving industry standards make it harder to evaluate the actual significant skills. 

4. Poor feedback loops

When there is no one to give feedback the employees may not even be aware that they have a skill gap. Employees may spend years practicing the wrong thing before learning that they need to change. They may remain unaware of skill deficiencies until they fail in higher stakes situations. Even when employees get constructive feedback if no training, mentoring, or resources follow, the gap continues to persist.

5. Soft skills neglect

Soft skills are often immeasurable. Many organizations just assume that people naturally know how to lead, collaborate or resolve conflict. Workers without soft skills may struggle to adapt, even if their technical skills are sharp.

Why should you upskill new hires?

There are various reasons as to why there is a skill gap. Upskilling new hires is a great way to combat through the issues caused by the skill gap. Here are some detailed insights on why you should upskill new hires:

1. Close education workplace gap

Most new hires including the experienced ones don’t have all the knowledge regarding the tools used and the workflow for their current workplace. So upskilling can make them equipped with the necessary skills that align with the company’s needs.

2. Increased productivity

Without the time being wasted on unnecessary stuff there is an increase in productivity. When new hires are upskilled they can start contributing effectively and sooner. Along with this there is also less error and lesser time spent on supervision.

3. Alignment with company culture and goals

When a new hire joins the workplace they often only have a vague idea on what to expect from your company. So it is very likely that they are not equipped for all the skills expected in your workplace. Upskilling them is a great way to help them adjust and let them learn something new.

4. Adaptability to industry changes

The industry’s expectations change along with the changing trends and consumer behavior. Upskilling equips new hires with current knowledge and relevant skills so they can adapt quickly without the requirement of extensive retraining.

5. Boosts retention and engagement

When a company invests in its employees growth and development, employees feel valued. Most employees look for a workplace where they are valued and their career can reach new levels. Upskilling is a way to ensure that employees grow constantly and you can also attract the appropriate candidates with its help.

6. Builds a stronger talent pipeline

When you have employees that grow constantly and invest in your organization you become well equipped for future staffing needs. This can boost your branding and make your company more attractive for future talent attraction.

7. Closes skill gaps quickly

New hires rarely arrive with all the specific skill sets that the organization requires. Upskilling bridges the gap between existing capabilities and job requirements faster than on the job learning.

8. Creates consistency in workplace

Upskilling helps the new employees get used to the company culture so it helps them embody your brand voice and maintain consistency across processes, practices and cultural norms. It also ensures that your present employees can function smoothly just as they used to before.

Steps to upskill new hires quickly

Now that we know that upskilling is essential for an organization, here are some steps that can help you upskill new hires quickly:

1. Assess skill gaps early

As soon as new hires join, assess their strengths and weaknesses. It helps to prevent wasting time on skills that they are already well equipped with. Similarly you can focus on the actual shortcomings they possess. 

2. Prioritize critical skills

First focus on skills that are essential for the role’s day to day productivity. Prioritizing critical skills ensures that new hires become effective contributors quickly and efficiently. Not only this but they can also bring forth more innovative ideas and overcome challenges effectively.

3. Build role specific learning paths

What are the skills that the role of your employee demands? You need to be sure of their role and equip them with specific learning paths. When you focus on the specific role you can avoid wasting time on unnecessary stuff that doesn't matter in the long run.

4. Assign mentors or supervisors

Mentorship and supervision can help the employees adapt better. It can provide them with real life insights and a direction to move forward. Similarly it becomes easier for them to receive feedback and correct their mistakes early on.

5. Provide regular actionable feedbacks

When provided with regular feedback it becomes easier for employees to improve on their problems before it becomes a habit. On a similar note providing them with actionable steps helps them avoid constantly jumping from one thing to another without results.

6. Encourage continuous learning mindset

Trends come and go and the market keeps on evolving but what does keep a person in the job market is their ability to constantly learn. A learning mindset helps the employee overcome all sorts of problems they face including adaptation to new tools and trends.

7. Monitor progress and adjust

Monitoring progress helps employees feel heard. Not only this but it also helps their career grow which is a priority for employees these days. This allows the employers to see how the people in their organizations are doing and helps adjust the problems sooner.

Upskilling has become a necessity in today’s world with the constant evolving of the majority of the industries, but if you go through it strategically then you can be ready for the future market and trends.