Skill Inventories: A Strategy for Building Talent Needs

A skills inventory helps organizations and employees understand the skills they have versus the skills they need. While simple enough in concept, as competitive pressures force organizations to optimize the productivity of existing staff and attempt to retain top talent with reduced budgets, a well-defined and readily-available skills framework and inventory is critical to business survival. Different than a talent review, a skills inventory conversation creates a comfortable environment for managers and employees to discuss knowledge, skills and ability with honesty and without fear of reprisal. An honest view of ‘skills reality’ provides the necessary baseline for business planning and development. Soft skills, technical skills, innovative skills, digital skills – understanding the unique combination of skills required across jobs and how employees measure against them allows HR, managers and employees themselves to understand role fit. Do team members have the required skills to drive success? Whether employees need development or have mastered success, the same skills framework provides a plan for growth – a virtual career GPS to guide them. Join us as experts from Cornerstone OnDemand and IBM Talent Management Solutions explain how to facilitate skills inventory conversations separately from talent reviews, develop skill enhancement plans for today and design skill strategies for tomorrow.