Under-skilled employees could stand as a barrier to the organization’s success. The measurement of employee’s performance against the set, desired performance highlights the competency gap. Using data available to the organization can help you determine whether your employees are under-skilled. Competent employees contribute to a safe, efficient, and cost-effective working environment. These are all metrics that can be captured and measured by collecting data within the business. Performing data analysis processes establishes whether employees are under-skilled.
These are three data-driven ways of telling whether your employees are under-skilled:
1. Increased Accidents and Reduced Observance of Safety Precautions
Employee training informs staff about safety precautions and on how to handle safety threats while at work. According to the Health and Safety Authority, only 20% of injury cases occurring at work are reported. The majority of cases go unreported. Employees are usually blamed for the occurred injuries, which is associated with negligence. However, the reasons behind frequent workplace accidents and injuries go beyond employee negligence. The use of employee data in the workplace environment can identify the accidents attributed to human negligence and those that are not. Employee data further reveals the number of employees with insufficient training in safety measures in the workplace environment. Moreover, data analysis reveals the level of training and skills improvement each employee needs with respect to correctly exercising safety measures at work. Leveraging employee data can help identify areas in need of employee training.
2. Lower Levels of Efficiency in the Business
“Efficiency” is measured by the number of tasks completed in the required way in a specific period of time. The output of employees in the given period is weighed against the resources used to do the task. High levels of efficiency mean on the completion of tasks and work in a timely manner. Employee data shows areas of inefficiency in the business. Let’s say an employee is overworked and fails to meet deadlines on a consistent basis. The analysis of employee data provides pointers highlighting the possible reasons for the employee’s under-performance. The employee might lack adequate skills for completing and managing the given work as per the quality and due date expected. This is how analysing employee data shows which areas specific employees need support in order to produce efficient work.
3. Escalating Costs of Running and Maintaining the Business
Reduced operational costs allow the business to increase investments in the organization and externally. Business costs rising in a consistent manner could indicate a problem within the human resource department of the business. Possible reasons behind the escalated costs of running and maintaining the business include resource wastage in multiple departments and little-to-no return on investment (ROI). Analysis of employee data draws relationships between employee experiences and performance and the overall costs incurred in the business.
Employee data is an invaluable source of information on how employees contribute to the improvement of the organization. Analyzed data is also important in deciding whether or not your employees are under-skilled.
Sources: Health and Safety Authority, 2019. Healthcare Illness and Injury Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.hsa.ie/eng/Your_Industry/Healthcare_Sector/Healthcare_Illness_and_Injury_Statistics/ Hearst Newspapers, 2019. How to Create Efficiency in the Workplace. Retrieved from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/create-efficiency-workplace-22333.html
