AN INTRODUCTION TO SKILLS INVENTORIES Skills Inventories maybe defined as a comprehensive database of information of the company’s workforce focusing on, amongother aspects, employee’s skills, abilities, knowledge, work preference and other items of information. These essentially indicate the value of the employee to the company. Some of the data included in the skills inventories are: 1. Knowledge, skills and abilities ratings. 2. Previous Work Experience. 3. Education Degrees and major fields of study 4. Work Histories and accomplishments 5. Trainings Completed 6. Geographical Preferences 7. Career Aspirations and Objectives 8. Anticipated Retirement Dates. NEED FOR A SKILLS INVENTORY: A skills inventory can be a useful tool in human resource development programs since it brings into focus the present level of technical ability and the achievements to date of all employees who might be considered for participation in education and training programs. It is a tool through which the employees recognize the fact that they are working for an organization which values their skills and competencies and where his contributions are appreciated. Certain factors to which the design of skills inventories may be attributed to are: 1. Most organizations today lack complete, accurate and a comprehensive database regarding the capabilities of the employees. There always is a feel of a certain skill level that the workforce possesses but lack of more precise information handicaps ability to project potential and impending future requirements/shortages in certain skill areas. This in turn undermines the ability to plan for necessary employee training and education, as well as the ability to determine future directions for the recruiting, selection and placement of employees and if required purchasing contracted services from outside the organization. 2. If certain individual position openings occurred within the organization that require a unique combination of skills and experience it is difficult to readily identify the best qualified individual. It happens that employees who are “most familiar” tended to appear as potential candidates. This negatively affects management’s ability to move employees periodically to different positions so as to capitalize on their varied talents, as well as to afford employees opportunities for job variety and development of new skills. The inventory should be flexible enough to serve as a source of information for manpower research purposes. and be moved about the organization. Workers in future are likely to perform a wide range of tasks or jobs. This points out to the fact that staffing decisions will occur more frequently and require skill information for determining “who goes where”. It can provide a ground for studies of selection. Turnover rates. The data arrived at maybe used for a variety of purposes including making transfer and promotion decisions. To follow up on employees who possess these skills is a task which maybe accomplished using this tool. accession rates. developing needs skills training. Two trends which may be responsible for this aspect are: 1. there is an increased tendency for jobs to require a greater number of as well as more complex skills. If the data about present employee’s backgrounds and capabilities is readily available. and rates of skills development and upgrading should be available as a base for manpower planning and projections for other analyses and reports as well. Their primary function is to help the firms understand the makeup of their workforces. 2. The inventory should serve as an important audit function and thus promote better manpower management. based on needs. Given the dynamic nature of most organizations today. The inventory should be a source of data for calculating and evaluating manpower trend data over time.A skills inventory serves some important functions within an organization. and for evaluations of staffing standards. 4. INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE SKILLS INVENTORY . However the need for these inventories will continue to rise even in future. Over and above there are five organizational needs that can be met by this system. it should lead to better selection of employee’s to fill the vacancies that arise. and improving the recruitment and selection process. They are: 1. Inventories are being used in organizations world over for quite sometime now. belong to several team projects. It should also ensure that no candidates are overlooked for promotion or for optimum manpower utilization. Firms have felt their importance and are increasingly using them as a valid and authentic source of information about their employees. 3. or from organization to organization. The basic objective is to consolidate information about the organization’s manpower resources into a flexible format which can serve a wide variety of needs. 2. The skills inventory should serve as a manpower search and placement function. of the factors contributing to or blocking success and mobility. Recruiting: Tracking the skills and abilities of your current employee population can focus your recruiting efforts. The basic skills information. 1. experiences and training acquired within the present company. Special qualifications of the individual such as patents. We also should lay emphasis on the capacity of the individual. 5. However. Organizations use these inventories to assess their ability to meet certain company goals. marital status. That is to say his psychological test scores and significant health information. Another factor of importance to be included in the skills inventory is the data about the employee’s job and location preferences as well as any other special interests which he could have and which could have a bearing on his employment and occupational utilization. sex. and other kinds of recognition. Understanding the company’s pool of current skills/talents and its future skill requirements can aid an organization in its strategic planning efforts. publications and honours. The salary here would include both present as well as past salaries and this information would also include the advancement in the individual’s career. The employee’s salary and occupational progress history. retirement information. hobbies. Neither is the type of information rigid. Skills . benefit plan records etc. for the inventory maybe structured to suit a particular organization in a manner which the organization feels appropriate. seniority and service dates etc. As already mentioned above. certain other data useful to the company like benefit plan data. These sources might include participation in training programs. results of periodic performance appraisal. 3. previous work experience and training. 6. number of dependants etc. membership in professional or other relevant organizations and any record of special assignments completed. 7. on a broad scale every firm would have the following data in its manpower skills inventory: 1. An important aspect to be taken note of is that the amount of information included in the skills inventory in not a parameter which is fixed. 2. 4. education and experiences of current employees.First and foremost the various sources of information to be included in the skills inventory must be tapped in order to keep the skills inventory current. Uses & Implication of Skill Inventory: A skills inventory is a compilation of the skills. familiarity with foreign languages and other special areas of competence. including formal education. Personal history data such as age. and the major problem faced by the organization is that person is also not aware of the culture of the organization so he really requires lot . money (cost of hiring). OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY OF SKILL INVENTORY In today’s competitive era every organization wants to be and to remain at the top most position and everyone is doing very hard work to attain this.and long-term goals. 3. training and experience of its current employees and can help identify skills gaps.at the right time according to their talent is a very tricky task . For attaining this firstly we have to manage our all the resources according to the needs.To manage people at the right place . employers can help ensure the success of their strategic plans and achievement of their company’s short. To manage all the resources like money.inventories provide an accounting of the abilities. when it is internally stronger so to attain stability outside firstly we have to maintain ourselves internally. Succession planning: Succession planning ensures that an organization has the right personnel to function in the event of an employee’s departure. machinery. 4. It is not an easy task and. Customer satisfaction is the most important one among these . These all provides internal stability to an organization.So if we want to grasp top most position in the market than we have to manage our internal talent accordingly. time and among these the most important asset is human resource. Professional Pointer: Regularly update your company’s skills inventories to identify new and/or hidden employee talent. By doing so.we can also recruit talent externally but there are lots of wastage of resources takes place in this case like time.But we don’t forget that everyone is capable of fighting externally. Training: Skills inventories can identify skills gaps for employees and allow employers to budget for and determine appropriate training programs. it is the most important factor that provides maximum stability or act as a scaffold for any organization . To manage human resource according to their capabililities and the requirement of the job. means we have to acquire stability from inside . 2. These inventories can help guide hiring decisions that will ensure employers have the manpower necessary to meet the current and future needs of the organization. skills. 5. Creating and maintaining current skills inventories allow employers to develop succession plans based on current employee skills sets and identify key employees for future openings critical to the company’s leadership and business success. Skills inventories should be reviewed on an ongoing basis and employers should take steps to ensure employees keep their own skills inventory current and updated. Thus the role played by staff training and development can no longer be over-emphasized. it can make the right decisions which will enable a greater return on its human capital investments. The differences between the existing and expected conditions determine the skills gap. Once this is mapped. So the main task is to assign right task or job to the right people at the right time to maintain the standards of the organization. may help organizations achieve these corporate objectives and enhance their overall corporate culture. qualifications. that can help a company determine whether it can deliver a particular product on time or service the client efficiently. INTRODUCTION Listing of abilities. Staff training and development are based on the premise that staff skills need to be improved for .Bryce's Laws The need for improved productivity has become universally accepted and that it depends on efficient and effective training is not less apparent. (technical and management skills etc)." . and career goals of the employees to identify suitable candidates for internal recruitment or promotions. it is necessary for an organization to know its competitive strength.of time to fit within the organization that causes adverse effect in the growth of an organization So it’s better to promote employee internally within the organization . and requirements. It is also very much important to promote any employee within the organization that reduces all the extra costs like recruitment cost. In a globally competitive business environment. It is the skills and competencies developed by the organization that determines how it does its business and whether it will succeed. companies can then look at the ideal profile of employees that it must have to remain competitive and work towards building this. for this firstly every organization has to make database or plan in which information of the capabilities like technical skills and management skills must be present and according to that. By creating its own unique inventory of human capabilities. "You cannot capitalize on your workers' talents if you do not know their skills and proficiencies. It is the responsibility of line managers and the HR department to analyse the skills gap and provide the necessary training to bridge it. Managing employee skills and competencies lays the foundation of any organization. they can also hire people with the requisite skill sets to build a skills inventory. an organization is better equipped to compete. Every job has its specific job requirement of skills. often a target of budget cuts. Alternately. turnover cost because it provides motivation to an employees and reduces the possibility of leaving the job. capacities. “The first step in this process is to measure the “as-is” status. particular job is given to the particular person after analyzing the skill gap and requirement of the job . because it provides carrier opportunities to an employees within the organization. Skills development and training programs.” The fact of the matter is that when an organisation is aware of its strengths and weaknesses. It has further become necessary in view of advancement in modern world to invest in training. This is where skills inventory and measuring the existing skill sets of employees come into the picture. A skills inventory is essentially a checklist or database of organizational capabilities. It has further become necessary in view of advancement in modern world to invest in training. enhance the use of tools and machine. materials and even the money. Whether you are a human resource generalist or a specialist. The effectiveness and success of an organization therefore lies on the people who form and work within the organization. LITERATURE REVIEW Skill-based human resource management is a relatively new and underdeveloped approach. with the machines. improves the quality of work. nothing gets done without man-power. The training needs assessment is a critical activity for the training and development function. Staff training and development are based on the premise that staff skills need to be improved for organizations to grow. skills and attitudes required by employees to perform adequately on a given task or job. It follows therefore that the employees in an organization to be able to perform their duties and make meaningful contributions to the success of the organizational goals need to acquire the relevant skills and knowledge. understanding and attitude. technologies. the role played by staff training and development can no longer be over-emphasized. inefficiency and ineffectiveness. These are the functions of training which are as follow: increase productivity. Training and development are required for staff to enable them work towards taking the organization to its expected destination. New entrants into organizations have various skills. Thus. Absence of these programme often manifest tripartite problems of incompetence. turnover. It has further become necessary in view of advancement in modern world to invest in training. capital management etc. Skill as an Organizing Principle The concept of skill and the capabilities of individuals are basic to human resource . methods. The need for improved productivity has become universally accepted and that it depends on efficient and effective training is not less apparent.organizations to grow. Human resources. products. the need for organizations to embark on staff development programme for employees has become obvious. are the most valuable assets of any organization. Thus the role played by staff training and development can no longer be over-emphasized. improves skills. The effectiveness and success of an organization therefore lies on the people who form and work within the organization. though not all are relevant to organizational needs. absenteeism and other overhead costs. knowledge. The need for improved productivity in organization has become universally accepted and that it depends on efficient and effective training. It follows therefore that the employees in an organization to be able to perform their duties and make meaningful contributions to the success of the organizational goals need to acquire the relevant skills and knowledge. eliminates obsolesce in skills. accidents. reduces waste. lateness. However. you should be adept at performing a training needs assessment. Training is a systematic development of knowledge. Implications of a Skill-Based Approach Instead of the fundamental building block of the human resource management system being the job. selection system. . the training manager must determine the who. • Existing and desired competencies and skills. of course.practice. To do this. now and in the future. needs to reflect the core competencies of the organization and the way the organization wishes to operate from a management style point of view. instructional objectives. • Current and desired job performance. The resulting job descriptions are used for defining jobs and setting pay rates. Job evaluations typically rate job value on the basis of skill level as well as other factors. • Problem solving or productivity issues. in a skill-based approach the basic building core block needs to be the individual. The human resource management subsystems. and the career development systems need to be aligned with the development of individuals so that the organization ends up with the right skill profile for each individual employee. It plays an important role in strategic approaches and it is particularly important in the competency based approaches to strategy. • Jobs and related tasks that need to be learned. Long before any actual training occurs. The design task in the organization concerns to develop the model of what skills each individual in the organization needs. design. when. Gaps can include discrepancies/differences between: • What the organization expects to happen and what actually happens. Overview of Training and Development The first step in designing a training and development program is to conduct a needs assessment. The assessment begins with a "need" which can be identified in several ways but is generally described as a gap between what is currently in place and what is needed. such as the training system. The skill mix that is identified for each individual. Needed skills are discovered by analyzing the jobs in the organization. what. where. Designing a training and development program involves a sequence of steps that can be grouped into five phases: needs assessment. To be effective and efficient. why and how of training. • Individuals who are to be trained. After the analysis of skills training will be planned accordingly. the training manager must analyze as much information as possible about the following: • Organization and its goals and objectives. implementation and evaluation. • Competencies and skills that are need to perform the job. Job Descriptions and Skills The most common approach to human resource management is based on job descriptions. all training programs must start with a needs assessment. the appraisal system. A needs assessment can also be used to assist with: • Competencies and performance of work teams. Demonstration Teaching by example. The results of the needs assessment allows the training manager to set the training objectives by answering two very basic questions: who. Apprenticeship A method of training where an unskilled person understudies a skilled person. how much participants learned and how well the participants transfer the training back on the job. The final phase in the training and development program is evaluation of the program to determine whether the training objectives were met.). videos. etc. • Select and design the program content. • Select the appropriate setting (on the job. | | | | Methods of Training and Development 1. On the job training/coaching This relates to formal training on the job. role play. ethics. simulation. arranging consequences. the training is ready for implementation: • Schedule classes. Sometimes training is not the solution. • Select the materials to be used in delivering the training (work books. the design phase of the training and development process is initiated: • Select the internal or external person or resource to design and develop the training. The information gathered from the training evaluation is then included in the next cycle of training needs assessment. Some performance gaps can be reduced or eliminated through other management solutions such as communicating expectations. etc. providing a supportive work environment. After completing the design phase. • Identify and train instructors (if internal). classroom. facilities and participants.). • Prepare materials and deliver them to scheduled locations. training objectives. values. Once the needs assessment is completed and training objectives are clearly identified. • Schedule instructors to teach. 2. It is important to note that the training needs assessment. • Conduct the training. needs training and what training is needed. design. if anyone. . 3. A worker becomes experienced on the job over time due to modification of job behaviors at the point of training or acquisition of skills. • Select the techniques used to facilitate learning (lecture.• The need to prepare for and respond to future changes in the organization or job duties. Induction/orientation This is carried out for new entrants on the job to make them familiar with the total corporate requirements like norms. etc. removing obstacles and checking job fit. 4. The evaluation process includes determining participant reaction to the training program. whereby the skilled worker performs the job and the unskilled closely observes so as to understand the job. implementation and evaluation process is a continual process for the organization. rules and regulations.). that can help a company determine whether it can deliver a particular product on time or service the client efficiently. This is where skills inventory and measuring the existing skill sets of employees come into the picture. fax. The effect is the acquisition of practical and specialized skills. Input • people (researchers and other partners staff-time) • equipment ( office) • Services (phone. A skills inventory is essentially a checklist or database of organisational capabilities. Managing employee skills and competencies lays the foundation of any organisation. If the skills required for the next higher level is not matched with the current skills of the person then that person will not be promoted and this can be identified through skill gap analysis. In a globally competitive business environment.) For identification of skill gap analysis the project need skill Resource profile and the skill description of the employee who is going to be promoted from lower level to higher level . Formal Training A practical and theoretical teaching process which could be done within or outside an organization. Off-house training is carried out in professionalized training areas like: Universities. Vestibule This is done through industrial attachment for the purpose of skills and technology transfer. The difference between the existing and expected conditions determines the skills gap. etc. an organisation is better equipped to compete. it is called an in-house training.” Above problem can be solved with the help of following steps: In an organisation for promoting an employee from lower level to higher level firstly we need to analyse the skills of particular employee whether that skills matched to skills required in higher designation or not (level in which person is going to promote). It is therefore achieved through placement of an individual within another area of relevant work or organization. companies can look at the ideal profile of employees that it must have to remain competitive and work towards building this. and initiating remedial action. When training is carried out inside an organization. 6. “The first step in this process is to measure the “as-is” status. e-mail. By creating its own unique inventory of human capabilities. Once this is mapped. Polytechnics and Professional Institutes RESEARCH METHODOLOGY An inventory of skills helps in identifying gaps in competencies.5. it is necessary for an organisation to know its competitive strength. then It will be analysed that what are the critical skills which is present in that individual required in the higher level in which he/she is going to promote..g. matrix will be constructed on the basis of proficiency level or rating.within the organisation. Marketing. Speaking/presentations. |Could qualify as an INSTRUCTOR or EXPERT in this area | |B.. If the proficiency level is below 5 (avg. Manufacturing. |Has had formal training or some sort of experience (STUDENT) | | |D. E-Mail.score) than it indicates that person is needed training to achieve level of score 10. ➢ Business Functions: knowledge of a specific corporate function. and trade certifications. |Could act as an ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR | | |C.e. Writing. than skills Rating will be done by the person who is going to be promoted means self-rating is done. Interviewing. Sales. Associates Degree. and then score of average proficiencies will be calculated. Score 1. secondly rating is done by their subordinate and also by the person under whom the supervision of whole work is to be done. Masters. e. French. |Is unaware and needs training | | | | 10 6 3 1 | | These are the some important categories of skills that must be developed by Telecom organizations: ➢ Basic Business Skills: e. Doctoral. ➢ Languages: foreign . conducting a meeting. Italian. etc. etc. Bachelors. knowing its level of proficiency is another”Rate :These reports are needed to construct matrix for skill inventory management as discussed above: ➢ Resource profile ➢ Skill description Report After getting all the above details or information about an employee who is going to be promoted to next higher level.. German. Japanese.g. Word Processing. Inventory. Resource profile of an employee who is promoted or recruited within the organisation . Activities: |A. Score 8 and 9 means person is having knowledge of their work but he needs training of 2 to 3 days. etc. Spanish. “Knowing a resource's skill is one thing.g. 2 and 3 indicates that person requires depth training.g. ➢ Degrees & Certifications: e. Statistical Process Control (SPC) 7. able to transfer| 1.able to lead her |organize group well| organize group well| | |2.able to transfer |1.able to lead and | | | |2. ASSEMBLER PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE 2. MICROSOFT OFFICE 6. HYPER TEXT MARKUP LANGUAGE 4. | | |2. unable to lead her|group but with the |group well although| | | 3 5 9 7 9 5 6 . Data interpretation Soft skills or Management skills rating chart: |Soft skills |1-very poor |2-poor |3-average |4-qualified |5well qualified | |Leadership |1. ADOBE PAGEMAKER 5. able to transfer| | |instruction of her |instruction of her |transfer |instruction of | instruction of | | |superior to her |superior to her |instruction of her |superior correctly | superior correctly | | |members but |members but with |superior correctly |to members |to members | | |incompletely and with|some errors |to her members | | | | |some errors. able to transfer|1. able to lead her|2. BASIC PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE 3.able to lead and |2.Step I: CONSTRUCTION OF RESOURCE PROFILE OF AN EMPLOYEE Date on which present evaluation of the employee is taking place ( / / ) RESOURCE: (Name of employee) ALT IDLAST EVALUATEDTYPEDATE HIRED// SKILLSPROFICIENCY RATING (These are imaginary values) 1. -able to |1. upon |concisely and |concisely and | concisely and | | |frequent follow-up by|request from |timely on working |timely on working |timely on working | | |superior and with |superior but with |process.able to report |1. able to plan but|1. able to plan. |work. etc. |working process.able to report | | |working process. | | |and events and needs |and events but |sparingly needs |organize and |organize and | | |superior's constant |frequently needs |superior's |carry-out work. results. |correctly.able to plan and |2. |correctly. able to plan. | correctly.able to prepare |2. etc. results. |2.able to prepare | | | | | |2. results.able to report on|1. even without | | |lacking information |lacking information|from superior |the request from |the request from | | | | | |superior |superior | | | |2. etc. etc.able to prepare | | |considerable errors |errors |with least error |various reports | various reports | | | | | |with least error |correctly and | | | | | | |completely | |Planning |1. | carry-out work.able to prepare | | | | |various reports with |with considerable |various reports |2.able to prepare |various reports |2. new system.able to plan and | | | | |2.able to report |1. | . |process. | | | |and follow-up |organize and | | | | | | |carry-out work.able to plan work|1. | events.| | | |group and needs |frequent assistance|still needs some | |assistance from | | | |constant assistance |of superior | | |of superior | |superior when | | | | | | |organizing | | | |Reporting |1. even without |etc. upon request |etc.able to plan and |present new ways of|present new ways of| | | | |present new ways of|work.unable to plan work|1. | | |some errors and |some errors and |etc. | | | | | | |events. etc. new system.able to report on |1. | | |guidance |superior's guidance|assistance to |events. |process. upon |results. |1. | | |results. able to control |1.able to judge |1. | | | | |upon request from |request from |considering various| | | | |superior |superior |aspects and | | | | | | |viewpoints | |Managing |1.able to judge the| .unable to judge any|1.|negotiate.able to judge but|1. explain.totally unable to |1. etc. upon |rules.able to partially|1.able to judge |1. new system |rules.| | |persuade or convince |persuade or |persuade or |persuade or | persuade or | | |others to proceed to |convince others to |convince others to |convince others to |convince others to | | |realize what is being|proceed to realize |proceed to realize |proceed to realize |proceed to realize | | |thought of or |what is being |what is being |what is being | what is being | | |intended to be done |thought of or |thought of or |thought of or | thought of or | | |at work |intended to be done|intended to be done|intended to be done|intended to be done| | | |at work with the |at work with the |at work with the |at work with the | | | |assistance of |assistance of |assistance of |assistance of | | | |superior and |superior |superior |superior | | | |colleagues | | | | |Judgement |1. explain. personal | | |financial matters in |purpose |management purposes|control financial |and financial | | |order to achieve | |with the guidance |matters in order to| matters in order to| | |management purposes | |of superior |achieve management | achieve management | | | | | |purposes |purposes | |negotiations |1.| | | |work.|negotiate. explain.able to control |1. explain.totally unable to |1.|negotiate. |negotiate.able to | | |negotiate.able to |1. explain.able to totally | | |control all elements |personal matters |physical and |physical and | control all | | |such as physical. etc.able to control |1.able to | 1. |only in order to |personal matters |personal matters |elements such as | | |personal and |achieve management |in order to achieve|and partially |physical. if any organisation don’t know about their employee skills and proficiencies than no organisation can capitalise on their talent.| |acceptable solution |sometimes |limited but |good solution for | best solution for | | |for the company |unacceptable |acceptable solution|the company |the company | | |according to |solution for the |for the company |according to | according to | | |circumstances |company according |according to |circumstances |circumstances | | | |to circumstances |circumstan | |-makes correct | | | | | | |judgment generally | Conclusion can be drawn on the basis of the rating and the scores acquired by an employee in management or soft skills rating chart and in resource /skill description or operating skill matrix analysis of skill gap becomes easier and according to that gap training is provided. ➢ It helps in employee engagement and to retain employees within the organisation that is very much essential to maintain its productivity level. Beneficiaries and impacts : It is very much essential for any organisation to do skill gap analysis it is advantageous for both organisation as well as for the employee.so with the help of project it is easier to analyse the skill gap difference. because. Possible beneficiary groups: ➢ Employee of an organisation ➢ Management . if we hire new employee than he/she requires supervision in his work so work of that supervisor is also affected which in turns affect the productivity level. ➢ It prevents cost of hiring and training of new employee. If any organisation does not know about the skills of their employee than how it can be align towards the achievement of the objective . ➢ It helps to maintain the productivity of an organisation. Output: It helps to identify the skills of the employees which are present in an organisation and to identify the gap in their skills if they want to be promoted to the higher level with in the organisation. ➢ It gives carrier opportunities for the employee within the organisation. Training and Developmet”. Ronald B.➢ Organisation ➢ Customers Budget On the basis of difference between skill gap we can easily determine whether that person is doing their job efficiently or not . Ford Motor Company 4.larger the difference between current and required level . pp.1987 . References 1. Robert V Lorenzo. Morgan and Jack E. Jr. Thomas H Pattern. 400 2. Selection. “Staffing the New Workforce”. pp.greater is the requirement of giving training to do better job and for promoting to the next higher level. 1971. “Manpower Planning and the Development of Human Resources”. “Manpower Planning. 237 3. Dharma Vira Aggarwala. Smith. 1996. A Computer Based Employee Skill Inventory System..