How To Utilise Your Staff’s Skill Set Effectively

It’s often said that your workforce is your company’s greatest asset, but if you’re to get the most out of your employees you need to utilise their skill set effectively. Whether your workers have specific industry-related qualifications, whether they have topped up their education with an online course such as those offered by NCC Home Learning, or whether they simply have natural abilities that could prove useful, ensuring that these skills are put to use is key to improving motivation and boosting productivity.

One of the oldest quotes in the book is “there is no I in team”, however when it comes to maximising your workforce’s productivity, this is especially pertinent. Every member of staff brings something unique to the table, and each individual skill contributes something important to the effectiveness of the business as a whole. The key, however, is to know how to exploit that potential.

According to the jobsite Monster, 54% of British workers feel under-appreciated at work, while 41% report feeling unmotivated during their working lives. It’s clear, therefore, that something needs to be done to rectify this situation.

An article in Forbes Magazine points out that the essence of being a strong leader is being able to enable the full potential of their employees, so here are some pointers about where to begin in your workplace.

Identifying Skills In Your Workforce

The first step to utilising the potential in your workforce is to identify the precise skills that each of your employees possesses. This is most easily achieved by listing each employee together with their role in your organisation, and the skills that they can offer. It is important to work in conjunction with each employee’s line manager to ensure that a true picture is being built up of their abilities as they are most likely to have a better insight into each staff member’s areas of strength and weakness.

Approaching Employees

It’s important for managers to give their employees the chance to voice their own opinions about their own skill set. In which areas do they feel that they excel, and in which others could they benefit from more support or training? By communicating with staff in this way, you can obtain the most accurate picture of each employee’s qualities so that you can use those abilities more effectively to your firm’s advantage whilst also helping your workers to improve themselves and develop their skills even further.

The Importance Of 360 Degree Feedback

360 Degree Feedback is the term used to describe an anonymous workforce survey which asks for comments and opinions regarding the skills sets of their colleagues. Obtaining this vital information will give you yet another piece in the jigsaw, potentially revealing abilities that you were previously unaware of. It is, however, essential to point out that this exercise should not be seen as a chance to comment on a co-worker’s competency, only an opportunity to point out their peers’ best skills.

What To Do With The Results

It’s all very well to collate this information, but it’s the way in which it’s used that really counts. Once you’ve identified where each of your employees excels, you should develop ways for them to utilise those abilities within their day to day work, or to advance their career in that particular direction. Conversely, if you discover that some staff members have limited skills in a particular field, this could be an opportunity to offer additional training to boost their knowledge in that area.

With around a third of employees in the British workforce reporting to CIPD that they currently feel unable to achieve their own personal career goals within their present position, it is essential that company managers begin to think hard about how they can make their staff feel that their skills are being valued and utilised effectively whilst also offering them professional development opportunities that will motivate and inspire.

An important note:73% of workers say this has an affect on their work while only 30% of employers recognise this. Looking after the financial wellbeing of employees is critical in getting the best out of their skills.

Exciting companies like Fairquid are pioneering these financial wellbeing perk programs and they are transforming the way HR looks at employee benefits. These programs not only improve worker engagement and happiness but also produce real returns in productivity.

NCC Home Learning specialises in offering home learning courses, with 10 years of experience in the industry. To find out more, visit our website.

Parts of this article are brought to you by Fairquid via Presscast.io