Is your workforce Future Strong?
Organizations must respond to the changing needs of today’s workforce by taking a fresh look at the skills and needs of their employees and jobs respectively. Too often we have a person and a job, and we smash the two together with the hope that the match is good. The end of the year is a great time to reflect on your employees to see where the “fit” is working and where there may be an opportunity for adjustment and change.
Businesses everywhere are seeking better ways to secure the talent necessary for success. But what talent does a job require for superior performance? Only the JOB has the answer, so let the job talk and listen carefully. Year-end is an important time to assess the job and talent to find the best job fit. Depending on the benchmarking tool used, you can quickly determine the behaviors, values, personal skills, and task preferences required for superior performance. To be future strong, you need to remove common biases that are often associated with the retention and development process. Instead, make your decisions based on factual data based on job requirements so that you can create a solid plan for building and maintaining a workforce that is poised and ready for the future.
How to make your workforce future strong:
Take a fresh look at your job needs. What do you need your jobs to do? What skills do you need for the job? What behaviors would align with the job requirements? What is the level of business acumen required? What values align with the job’s purpose?
Assess your workforce. Evaluate where your employee’s skills level are today so that you can to make the best decisions. Do you have someone currently in that role that is demonstrating success? If so, identify what it takes to be successful in that job position. Not in a way that creates a cookie cutter approach but rather to disseminate the talent that serves the role best.
Compare the two. Use an evidence-based approach to lining up what the job requires against the talent you have. Where there is not an exact match, use this an opportunity to create a training plan for growth. Best yet. Are there multiple people who require the same training needs? This is where to invest your training dollars.
Finally, use this process as a playbook for managers to best coach their employees to what the actual job requires not based on biased assumptions. Encourage a culture of continuous learning within your organization.
Other skills to ensure that your workforce is future strong:
Adaptability and resilience – cultivate adaptability and resilience as core skills. Encourage employees to embrace change and find solutions to new challenges.
Develop a growth mindset. View things from a possibility vs. “judger” perspective.
Embrace and foster a diverse and inclusive culture.
Increase communication and teamwork skills, especially in remote work scenarios.
Promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills
Encourage employees to analyze complex situations to find creative and innovative solutions.
Get good at implementing regular feedback. Recognize and reward employees who actively contribute to their own growth.
Learn more about Job Benchmarking. Contact us today!