7 Steps to Implement Skills Framework

Widening skill gaps is a significant challenge that companies face today. According to a recent study, nine in ten English organizations face issues filling skills gaps. This is more specific to entry-level positions, creating 32% of the shortage.

Considering this, implementing a well-crafted skills framework is essential for businesses to address the challenges easily. This framework closes existing gaps and creates a culture that encourages consistent learning.

In this article, let's navigate through seven important steps to implementing this framework. 

What is a skills framework?

It is an organized system that assists companies in discovering, evaluating, and developing skills required for diverse job roles. It offers a systematized method to determine skills. With this, businesses ensure that their workforce aligns well with organizational objectives.

Components of an Effective Skills Framework

A practical framework must include these essential components: 

• Skill Taxonomy: Classifying job roles and mapping necessary skills to bring transparency in workforce planning.  
• Skill Levels & Proficiency Mapping: Defining skills and competency levels from beginner to expert to structure career progression.  
• Assessment & Validation: Using real-world assessments, certifications, and tests to evaluate and verify employee skills.  
• Learning & Development: Discovering gaps, recommending relevant training programs, and ensuring consistent upskilling.  
• Real-time Skills Insights & Analytics: Using AI-powered analytics to monitor trends, improve workforce planning, and forecast future skill requirements.  

7 Steps to Implement Skills Framework

Curating a well-structured framework requires a strategic approach to discover, evaluate, and develop skills needed to accomplish objectives. Here are seven detailed steps:

Step 1: Identifying Key Skills and Roles

The first step is to evaluate the objectives of the company and the roles required to accomplish them. Next, important skills for each role should be determined after a thorough discussion with stakeholders from different departments. 

For example, if the organization wishes to improve its digital presence, roles like Data Analyst and Digital Marketing Specialist become important. The employee(s) should possess skills like data interpretation, content creation, and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). 

Step 2: Map Skills to Job Functions, Roles, and Career Paths

Once skills have been identified, the next step is aligning them with specific job functions and mapping possible career paths. This will help clarify expectations and guide the workforce in their career. 

For instance, to get a promotion to the senior level, a junior software developer may need to be proficient in problem-solving skills and programming languages. Additionally, they might also require project management and leadership skills. 

Step 3: Create a Skills Taxonomy Tailored to Your Industry

Next, place skills into a structured category and organize them accordingly. These could be leadership skills, soft skills, technical skills, or more. Once done, define the competency levels required for these skills, such as beginner, intermediate, or advanced, to standardize evaluation. 

Step 4: Using AI-powered Skill Assessments for Benchmarking

Fairly evaluate the workforce's current skill levels using AI-powered tools. These evaluations offer data-driven insights into team and individual skills. This helps with the development of targeted upskilling and reskilling plans.

Step 5: Analyse Skills Gaps and Benchmark

82% of organizations investing in employee development showed enhanced retention rates. This highlights the importance of addressing skills gaps. After completing the skills assessment, companies must compare the results with suitable competency levels to discover gaps. 

Next, a benchmark for these findings should be set according to the industry standards to comprehend where the company stands in the competition. This analysis will help create targeted training initiatives.

Step 6: Integrate the Skills Framework with Learning & Development

Moving forward, now is the time to create training programs that align with discovered skill gaps. Simply offering mentoring programs can personalize skill development. Since mentors will be providing customized guidance, this will efficiently address individual learning requirements. 

Integrate an array of learning methods, such as:

• Mentoring
• Online courses
• Workshops

Companies must ensure that their learning goals correspond with the skills and competencies highlighted in the framework. 

Step 7: Continuously Update the Framework with Emerging Skills

Lastly, consistently reviewing and updating the framework allows the incorporation of emerging and new skills. This ensures the framework is aligned with changing industry trends and business objectives, keeping the workforce competitive and relevant. 

Conclusion

A structured skills framework is essential for businesses to stay competitive. Organizations can close skill gaps by discovering crucial skills, mapping them to job roles, conducting AI-driven assessments, and integrating consistent learning while improving workforce agility. iMocha, an AI-powered skills intelligence platform, helps streamline this implementation through its 3,000+ skills assessments, skills taxonomy and mapping, real-time analytics, and personalized learning recommendations. This platform allows businesses to make data-driven decisions, ensuring employees are future-ready. 

FAQs

How does iMocha help implement a Skills Framework?

iMocha’s AI-driven skills intelligence platform allows companies to develop and implement a comprehensive framework by:

• Providing Pre-built and Customizable Skills Taxonomies: Companies can access skills taxonomies or create personalized frameworks that align with them.
• Conducting AI-driven Skills Assessments Across 3,000+ Skills: iMocha enables organizations to assess employees with various skill assessments, ensuring correct skill validation.
• Offering Real-time Skills Analytics for Workforce Planning: It offers data-backed insights into skills gaps, employees' strengths, and future requirements, resulting in informed decision-making.
• Enabling Automated Skill Benchmarking and Tracking: Companies can set skill benchmarks for roles, monitor employee progress, and evaluate skill improvements.

How is the skills framework used in the organizations?

Organizations can use this framework to define skills specific to roles, evaluate and benchmark workforce skills, discover and close skills gaps, improve workforce planning, enhance learning and development programs, and support internal mobility.