Before you Break Up with “Skills-Based,” Consider the Execution

“It’s not you, it’s me,” said every HR professional to the sexy Skills-Based approach.

We gave it a red-hot crack, and despite our best efforts, we got the “ick,” as the kids say. But before we get too ahead of ourselves and dump a really good initiative, let’s consider that it’s not “Skills-Based” that’s the problem—a solid execution was missing from the get-go.

We’ve all been there, diving headfirst into a new and exciting relationship, only to realize later that we missed some crucial steps. In this case, we overlooked the importance of discussing “tasks” and “task allocation.” Grasping the specific work and tasks required is essential because it directly informs the skills needed to complete that work. Without this understanding, we can’t effectively match-make the skills to the people holding those jobs.

We can’t blame Skills-Based; that’s on us.

One of the other biggest issues we encounter during implementations is that companies often lack visibility into the work and jobs within their own organization. No one has a clear understanding of the work being done, and the job architecture and job descriptions don’t provide this context. As a result, we end up trying to apply skills labels without truly understanding the work involved.

So, let’s course correct and not break up with Skills-Based just yet. It’s time for a relationship reset - get to know the tasks, understand the work, and then we can truly appreciate the skills that make the magic happen.

Bold Take: Until you understand what tasks are required, your Skills-Based approach is useless.

It sounded great on paper: identify the skills needed, find the people with those skills, and voila! You have the perfect team. But without a thorough understanding of the tasks at hand, your skills-based strategy is nothing more than an empty promise.

Tasks are the foundation upon which skills are built. Work has Tasks > Tasks need Skills > People have Skills. They are the specific actions that drive your business forward, the gears that keep the machine running smoothly. Understanding your business’s Work Ontology™, a comprehensive framework which unbundles traditional job architectures into atomized components, ensures that every task is identified, understood, and allocated accordingly.

Take Reckitt, for example, a global leader in health, hygiene, and nutrition products. In a recent Fireside Chat we did with them, Reckitt’s leadership discussed their approach to workforce strategy. They highlighted how a thorough task analysis allowed them to pinpoint the exact skills needed for specific roles, leading to a more efficient and motivated workforce.

Unlocking our people’s potential is vital for every organization to thrive. But let’s not get lost in the buzzwords and shiny new strategies. A skills-based approach can only succeed when grounded in a solid understanding of the work at hand. It’s our responsibility to ensure new and existing roles are clearly defined and aligned with the tasks that drive our businesses forward.

Responsible Take: Don’t let all the hard work and energy invested in a Skills-Based approach go to waste - course correct.

It’s leadership’s job to do the legwork to establish their organization’s Work Ontology so all of that effort in taking a Skills-Based approach wasn’t for nothing. Consider how you can unbundle the work being done, understand the tasks that need to be accomplished, and effectively reskill people to do the work they are good at, want to do, and find meaningful. Understanding tasks and reskilling is essential for future-proofing our teams.

The time, energy, and resources invested in creating a skills-based approach are valuable. By integrating the task piece now, we can make all that hard work worth it. Developing a common language for work ensures that we align tasks with skills effectively, leading to a more engaged, efficient, and future-proof workforce.

Let’s lead the charge in building a skills-based workforce that actually works.

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