What is the Skill Gap?

The skill gap describes the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that an organization’s employees possess, versus the KSAs the employees need to develop in order to perform at an optimal level.

The skill gap is a measurement that organizations use to assess their human capital (the assets of an organization, which includes employees), If a company has what it needs to perform, the skill gap may be either positive or negative.

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What Causes a Skills Gap?

A skills gap occurs when companies lack the people they need to get the job done, Companies usually create a skills gap when they realize that their current employees are not capable of producing what they are being asked to produce, and so they struggle to find capable, qualified people who can fill positions.

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A skills gap can also happen when a company hires too many new employees at once and is unable to properly train them, Offering up too many jobs at once can make training take time, and it can also slow down the productivity rate of the new employees.

If employees are lacking in knowledge, skills, and abilities that are critical to the organization’s ability to function, then the company has a talent gap. The talent gap is caused by a number of factors, including changes in technology, globalization

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How Can Employers limit the Skills Gap?

1. Skills training
2. Hiring and promoting
3. Identify Learning Opportunities Geared Toward Closing the Gap.
4. Create Engaging Learning Experiences.
5. Monitor Your Progress.