Reaping the Benefits of Skills
One of the ways organisations can improve their performance and productivity is to make better use of the skills of their workforce. That is when they can reap the full benefits of the skills resource that is potentially available to them.
Training is vitally important, but so too are workplace environments that enable staff to also use their skills effectively. Making better use of skills is about:
- confident, motivated and relevantly skilled individuals who are aware of the skills they possess and know how to best use them in the workplace
working in
- workplaces that provide meaningful and appropriate encouragement, opportunity and support for employees to use their skills effectively
in order to
- increase performance and productivity, improve job satisfaction and employee well-being, and stimulate investment, enterprise and innovation .
KEY MESSAGES
It is an issue that is also important beyond the current economic situation. A low growth economy is a concern for each and every one of us because it will dramatically affect the way we will live in the future. It affects our job opportunities, our incomes and the aspirations of our people. Making the best use of skills and our people is of fundamental importance in driving the high skill, high productivity workplaces that we seek.
With the right encouragement support, and in some circumstances, additional training, staff may be able to use their skills more effectively.
Employers and employees (and their representatives) need to work in partnership to deliver sustainable meaningful change. Equality issues are also an integral feature. The main enablers of better workplace practices are leadership and management and employee trust and motivation.
The impact of new skills training can be maximised if off-the-job training is effectively managed to ensure that what is learned is actually transferred to the workplace.
Ambitions for effective skills use
BETTER WORKPLACE PRACTICES
Actions to Make Better Use of Skills in the Workplace
Making better use of skills in the workplace is about working smarter in ways that increase productivity, enrich jobs and improve job satisfaction. It can be done by pursuing actions that facilitate more effective use and by overcoming barriers that hinder full and creative use. It is an issue that encompasses many elements, including, among other things, how well learning is transferred to the workplace setting, the quality of leadership and management, human resource practices, job design, organisational ambitions and workplace organisation.
WEB RESOURCES
talentmap 
The talentmap™ framework has been developed to help employers meet their talent and s kills needs. By providing a simple single view of the education, employment & skills system, it can help employers, brokers and educators work more effectively together to improve the competitiveness of UK business.
Leadership and Management/Employee Trust and Motivation
Having the right leadership and management in place to create a workplace culture that encourages and supports staff to use their skills is key, as is having high levels of employee trust and motivation.
The Leadership and Management search facility gives information on Leadership and Management courses and providers available in Scotland.
Investors in People Interactive
Investors in People Interactive is an online support tool designed to guide employers through development activities and help transform their business.
The tool is built around five key management practices drawn from the Investors in People framework.
- Strategic Planning
- Effective Management
- Culture and Communication
- Developing People
- Managing Performance
It is available for all organisations to access, irrespective of involvement with Investors in People. You will have to register (for free) to use the tool.
Quality Scotland Business Matchmaking
Business Matchmaking is one of a number of a free services available to Quality Scotland members to share best practice. (This includes organisations signed up to a Public Service Improvement Framework agreement.) If your organisation is struggling with a particular business issue or you would like to speak to another organisation that has been involved in similar experience, Quality Scotland can help you get in touch.
High Performance Working
High Performance Working practices are centred on effective people management and development. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has published research and a factsheet.
Charities, Social Enterprises and Voluntary Organisations
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) provides a range of support services to support a well qualified and skilled third sector workforce that uses its skills effectively.
Policy Background
Background Information on Making Better Use of Skills