“Pressures are mounting for a hyper-efficient workforce made up of just-in-time employees who are skilled and ready to take on roles and responsibilities quickly,” stated Kristen Leverone, Senior Vice President, Global Talent Development Practice Leader for Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH), a talent mobility consulting firm.
But, according to a survey by Lee Hecht Harrison, which surveyed 379 workers throughout the U.S. via an online poll, 65 percent of employees report that their organizations rarely or never provide career planning or development to help prepare them in their roles. With only 16 percent of employees reporting they received career planning and development support, it makes it difficult for employees to succeed if they are lacking in resources needed to perform optimally, and thus widening the skills gap.
Data from “Bridging the Skills Gap,” an American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) whitepaper, revealed that this is a common trend, with 84 percent of its respondents indicating that there is a skills gap in their organization now.
There is a tremendous business impact of having a skills gap. Leverone reported that organizations that mobilize their workforce – effectively understanding, developing, and deploying talent in response to business needs – are 12 percent more likely to report revenue growth above target levels, while companies who lack insight into talent needs and fail to provide development opportunities are likely to face significant challenges as they strive to remain competitive and grow.
“It is critical for organizations to develop a workforce that is prepared and ready to meet evolving needs,” said Leverone. “Career planning and development plays a keys role in ensuring an organization can fill talent requirements and hit financial targets.”
Lee Hecht Harrison designed a diagnostic to help organizations identify gaps and benchmark against current best practices to help guide their talent strategy. Organizations can gain insight into their current talent management practices by taking the LHH Talent Mobility Diagnostic.
