Identifying skills gaps within your organisation

The foundation of a successful learning and development strategy is understanding the current level of knowledge and competencies within your organisation. The latest figures from BusinessLDN highlight the urgency: its survey of over 1,200 London business leaders and HR Managers by Survation found that more than a third (38%) reported skills and capacity gaps (up slightly from 34% in 2023).   

If you relate to the 73% of firms who plan to increase their investment in training this year, you’ll want to make sure those resources are spent wisely. Conducting a skills audit will allow you to map out where your employees are now, where they need to be and how your organisation can help bridge that gap.

The findings from your skills audit will provide a solid foundation for creating a continuing professional development (CPD) strategy that is tailored to increase productivity, improve employee retention and drive business success. Here are our top tips to help you conduct a thorough skills audit that will highlight areas where additional training and upskilling is required:

1. Review existing learning programmes
Start by evaluating the CPD activities already in place within your organisation. Review each piece of training to ensure it’s still up to date, fit for purpose and relevant to your organisational aims. This review will reveal areas where current training is underperforming or where new initiatives are needed, while avoiding duplication of content.

2. Analyse employee assessments
Performance reviews and assessments can provide valuable insights into the strengths of your teams, as well as the workloads, challenges and aspirations of your employees. Look for recurring themes in these reviews to help identify specific areas where further development is needed.

3. Consult with your teams
Employees often have a clear sense of what they need in order to grow, but they may not have the resources or opportunities to do so. Take the time to ask senior leaders and managers what additional skills or knowledge would allow team members to perform more effectively in their roles. Engaging stakeholders from across your organisation will help secure buy-in from all levels when it comes to implementing your improved CPD strategy.

4. Look ahead to future trends
Skills gaps aren’t just about the present – they’re also about the future. To remain competitive, organisations of all kinds must keep their employees up to date with industry trends and technological advancements. Consider how the emergence of new technologies such as generative AI could indicate the need for upskilling within teams. Additionally, workplace training must keep pace with the broader societal shifts that are reshaping industries, such as the net zero challenge and the demand for sustainability skills and green technologies.

5. Consider soft skills development

While sector and role-specific skills might be top of your list, soft skills are equally important for building a productive, collaborative and resilient workforce. A comprehensive CPD strategy should include training in areas such as teamwork, task management, communication and leadership. Integrating soft skills development with technical training creates well-rounded professionals who can adapt to evolving workplace dynamics and contribute to organisational success on multiple levels.

Upskilling opportunities 
CPD plays a key part in allowing staff to progress and maintain their role. According to the LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report, 90% of organisations are concerned about employee retention and providing learning opportunities is the number one retention strategy. In the same report, 8 in 10 people said learning adds purpose to their work, so you should aim to provide ongoing training opportunities that keep your employees engaged.

Ready to start building your own custom CPD strategy?
Tailoring your CPD programme to meet the specific needs of your organisation and workforce can significantly enhance its effectiveness. From conducting a skills audit to setting targeted objectives, a bespoke approach will ensure that your training initiatives deliver meaningful results.

If you’re ready to take the next step, we’ve created a helpful resource to guide you through the process of creating your own bespoke learning programmes. Download our free guide today and start building a CPD strategy that will have real reach and impact on your organisation.