Skill gaps in the workforce are growing with the shifting demands of the workplace, and the lack of appropriate frontline worker training is only causing this chasm to widen. A new report released by Chegg found that three in ten employers spend over eight hours each week to make up for the skills gaps in their workforce. This may not appear to be a big deal at first, but without corrections, it’s possible that workforce readiness to face upcoming challenges in daily operations could further decline over time. Addressing employee training gaps isn’t merely about offering training, but also identifying the key issues that currently exist, both from the perspective of employers and employees, and ensuring those areas are covered by dedicated attention to skill-building.
A closer look at frontline worker training could help businesses better invest in skill-building that both employers and employees approve of. (Image: Pexels)
Training Gaps Faced By Frontline Workers Could Widen Without Practical Support
Chegg’s Frontline Workers Skills Index recently surveyed 1,000 employers and employees from across ten frontline-heavy industries about their experience with operations today. The survey uncovered a slow-growing gap in perception between these two parties on multiple fronts, including skills gaps, AI adoption, and training effectiveness. While it isn’t unusual for workers and those with the power to make hiring and management decisions to perceive things a little differently from each other, differences in opinion on such business-critical considerations can further strain operations in time.
With 30% of employers spending more than a full workday compensating for workforce skills gaps, and 35% of employees considering quitting due to understaffing or skill gaps, these matters cannot go unaddressed. This increased cost to business isn’t just about more hours spent on work. Instead, the employee training gaps make themselves apparent in additional energy expended on reworking tasks, higher levels of stress and burnout, increased workloads, and overtime work to compensate and ensure tasks are completed.
Over 26% of employers, or those with full or partial involvement in hiring decisions at their organization, find these skill gaps in their industry to be “serious” and reaching “crisis levels,” and this is no small matter.
Taking the Time to Train Workers To Close Gaps Is the Ultimate Solutions
Some employers might be quick to suggest rehiring as a solution to this perceived skill gap, but this might be a short-lived strategy. Chegg’s data shows that 56% of employers state that entry-level workers aren’t prepared for their roles, leaving training and upskilling to be the best way to improve workforce readiness. Here, not just any training is sufficient to close these prevailing gaps.
There is a difference in perspective between employers and employees when it comes to the current quality of training. While the former sees their training programs as effective, a smaller number of the latter feel the same. This boils down to the difference in goals and expectations from the training and varying perspectives on where the skill gaps exist.
Frontline Worker Training Can Benefit from Addressing Both Employer and Employee Concerns
Employees desire more hands-on learning, and complain about insufficient coaching and managerial support. They also see areas such as leadership and management, as well as communication and teamwork skills, as needing greater focus.
Employers, on the other hand, have more technical concerns about the skills lacking in the frontline workforce. Aspects like AI and IT capabilities mark their biggest area of concern, and this matches the trends in hiring we’ve seen, where employers similarly perceive a labor shortage of talent with expertise in such areas. Both parties are equally valid in their identification of gaps in the workplace, and for frontline worker training to be effective, all of these areas must be addressed with care.
Acknowledging the gap in skill and training is only the first step. Employers must now take charge of addressing these concerns and ensuring that workers are being trained on capabilities they deem essential, while similarly covering the gaps perceived by workers on the ground.
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