HR and Skills Gaps

More recently, disruption of the workplace by the pandemic, has given rise to intense competition for top talent. Scarcity of key resources continues to increase as academic institutions struggle to keep pace with technology advances. Combined with growing skills obsolescence in the organization and grappling with IT transformation, HR is tasked with the responsibility for a human resource strategy that must align closely with corporate strategy and goals.

Skills inventory management has become one of the most important tools for enabling large organizations to more closely track and monitor alignment of HR strategy with corporate goals. Engaging external contractors, freelancers, remote and the gig-economy workers is now a necessary means to minimize organizational skills gap and maximize organizational velocity. The playing field for skilled workers continues to change as career progression is giving way to workplace flexibility, freer lifestyle and independence.

The burden rests with HR to meet these current challenges while keeping an eye on leadership development in the longer term. The role of HR, like every other sector of the organization, is evolving, as it seeks to adapt to these challenges.