Skills gap survey for managers: A step-by-step guide

Creating a skills gap survey is crucial for identifying areas where your team needs development. This guide will help you design an effective survey to pinpoint skills gaps and develop targeted training programs.

Step-by-step guide to creating a skills gap survey

Here's a detailed breakdown to ensure your skills gap survey is thorough and effective:

Step 1: Define your objectives

Clearly outline the purpose of the survey. Identify what you hope to achieve, such as understanding skill deficiencies, planning training programs or aligning team capabilities with organizational goals.

Step 2: Structure the survey

Organize your survey into clear sections. Here’s a suggested structure:

Section 1: Demographic information:

Collect basic demographic information to understand the context and background of the survey responses.

• Department
• Team size
• Years in management

Section 2: Core competencies

Rate proficiency in core competencies like building trust, creating alignment and motivation.

Section 3: Technical skills

Identify and rate the top three technical skills essential for your team. (Scroll down to learn how to determine what technical skills to include.)

Section 4: Soft skills

Identify and rate the top three soft skills critical for your team’s success. (Scroll down to learn how to determine what soft skills to include.)

Section 5: Training + development

Identify barriers to training and preferred training methods.

Section 6: Future needs + recommendations

Identify emerging skills and future training needs.

Step 3: Choose the right questions

Ensure your questions are clear and concise. To gather comprehensive data, use a mix of rating scales, multiple-choice questions and open-ended questions.

• Use rating scales for quantitative data: Rating scales (e.g., 1-5) allow you to quantify proficiency levels and easily identify improvement areas. They also help compare responses across different teams or time periods.
• Include multiple-choice questions for specific insights: Multiple-choice questions help streamline responses and make analyzing specific preferences or barriers easier. They also provide structured data that is quicker to analyze and interpret.
• Incorporate open-ended questions for detailed feedback: Open-ended questions allow respondents to provide more nuanced and detailed answers, offering insights that might not be captured through structured questions. They encourage honest and open feedback, which can uncover underlying issues or unique perspectives.
• Order questions strategically: Start with general questions to ease respondents into the survey, gradually moving to more specific and detailed queries. Group similar topics together to maintain a logical flow and make it easier for respondents to follow. Place demographic and less sensitive questions at the beginning, leaving more reflective or opinion-based questions for later.

Step 4: Selecting technical skills

Identify the most relevant technical skills for your team by following these comprehensive steps:

• Review job descriptions + requirements: Analyze job descriptions for required technical skills. Consider both current and future job descriptions.
• Consult with subject matter experts (SMEs): Engage with technical leads and team members to identify critical skills. Include perspectives from various levels.
• Analyze performance data: Analyze performance reviews and project outcomes to identify skill gaps. Use both quantitative and qualitative data.
• Consider industry standards + certifications: Research relevant industry standards and certifications. Update regularly to keep pace with changes.
• Evaluate tools + technologies: Identify tools and technologies your team uses or plans to implement. Include skills related to these tools.
• Review training + development records: Look at past training programs to identify ongoing needs.
• Assess future trends + innovations: Stay informed about emerging technologies and trends. Engage with industry publications and conferences.
• Gather team input: Conduct interviews or focus groups to gather team input. Use anonymous surveys for honest feedback.

Examples of technical skills by industry

Here are some examples of technical skills across various industries to help you get started:

• Healthcare: Electronic health records (EHR) systems, medical coding and billing, patient care technology, diagnostic equipment operation, telemedicine platforms, data analytics in healthcare, health informatics, genomic data analysis
• Information technology: Programming languages (e.g., Python, Java, C++), database management (e.g., SQL, NoSQL), cybersecurity practices, network configuration and management, cloud computing (e.g., AWS, Azure), system administration, DevOps practices, AI/ML development
• Marketing: Digital marketing tools (e.g., Google Analytics, SEMrush), SEO/SEM techniques, content management systems (e.g., WordPress), graphic design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite), email marketing platforms (e.g., Mailchimp), social media advertising, data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau), marketing automation platforms (e.g., Hubspot)
• Finance: Financial analysis and modeling, accounting software (e.g., Quickbooks, SAP), investment management, risk management, tax preparation and planning, regulatory compliance, blockchain technology

Step 5: Selecting soft skills

Identify the most relevant soft skills for your team by following these comprehensive steps:

• Assess organizational goals: Identify soft skills that align with your organization’s goals. Consider both current and future aspirations.
• Consult with key stakeholders: Engage with leadership to understand critical soft skills.
• Analyze job descriptions: Review job descriptions for common soft skills requirements.
• Conduct a team survey: Ask team members about essential soft skills. Use both quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Review past performance data: Analyze performance reviews for recurring themes in soft skills.
• Consider industry trends: Research industry trends to identify important soft skills.

Examples of soft skills

Here are some soft skills that are often critical across various industries and roles:

• Communication: Effective verbal and written communication, active listening, clarity in conveying information, non-verbal communication skills such as body language
• Teamwork + collaboration: Ability to work well with others, sharing responsibilities, contributing to group efforts, cross-functional collaboration and inclusivity
• Problem-solving: Analyzing issues, thinking critically, developing practical solutions, creative problem-solving and innovation
• Adaptability: Flexibility in adjusting to changing circumstances, openness to new ideas, resilience, ability to manage change effectively
• Leadership: Inspiring and guiding others, taking initiative, making decisions, servant leadership and mentoring others
• Time management: Prioritizing tasks, managing time effectively, meeting deadlines, delegating effectively
• Emotional intelligence: Understanding and managing one's emotions, empathizing with others, handling interpersonal relationships judiciously, building strong relationships
• Conflict resolution: Addressing and resolving conflicts constructively, diplomacy, mediation skills, fostering a positive conflict resolution environment

Step 6: Finalize and Test the Survey

• Review the survey for clarity and relevance.
• Test the survey with a small group before full deployment.

Sample skills gap survey

Below is a sample skills gap survey template, which you can adjust to meet your objectives and team needs.

Skills gap survey for managers

This survey aims to identify skill gaps within your team and develop tailored training programs to enhance performance and drive organizational success. Your insights are valuable in creating effective learning and development strategies.

Section 1: Demographic information

• Department:
• Team Size:
• Years in Management:some text
  • Less than 1 year
  • 1-3 years
  • 3-5 years
  • More than 5 years

Section 2: Core competencies

Rate your team’s proficiency in the following core competencies on a scale of 1-5:

1 is “needs improvement” and 5 is “expert”

• Communication skills
• Problem-solving abilities
• Technical skills (specific to your department)
• Time management
• Adaptability
• Team collaboration
• Leadership potential
• Customer service
• Project management
• Conflict resolution

Section 3: Technical skills

Identify and assess the key technical skills essential for your team's success in this section.

Rate the proficiency level of your team in these technical skills:

1 is “needs improvement” and 5 is “expert”

• Skill 1:
• Skill 2:
• Skill 3:

Add any additional technical technical skills that are essential for your team and rate the proficiency level of your team in these skills:

1 is “needs improvement” and 5 is “expert”

• Skill 1:
• Skill 2:
• Skill 3:

Section 4: Soft skills

Identify and assess the key soft skills essential for your team's success in this section.

Rate the proficiency level of your team in these soft skills:

1 is “needs improvement” and 5 is “expert”

• Soft Skill 1:
• Soft Skill 2:
• Soft Skill 3:

Add any additional soft skills that are essential for your team and rate the proficiency level of your team in these skills:

1 is “needs improvement” and 5 is “expert”

• Soft Skill 1:
• Soft Skill 2:
• Soft Skill 3:

Section 5: Training + development

Identify barriers to effective training and determine the most beneficial training methods for your team in this section.

Barriers to effective training:

Check all that apply

• Lack of time
• Limited budget
• Inadequate training materials
• Low engagement in training programs
• Difficulty in assessing training needs
• Other (please specify):
• None of the above

Preferred training programs:

Check all that apply

• Online courses
• In-person workshops
• Live learning
• Team-based training
• Asynchronous learning
• On-the-job training
• Mentorship programs
• Webinars
• Self-paced learning modules
• Other (please specify):

How do you currently assess training effectiveness across your team:

Check all that apply

• Pre- and post-training assessments
• Employee feedback surveys
• Performance metrics
• Observation of on-the-job performance
• Other (please specify):

Section 6: Future needs + recommendations

Identify emerging skills and provide recommendations for future training needs in this section.

• Emerging skills for the next 1-2 years:
• Future training program topics:
• Additional comments or suggestions:

Thank you for completing this survey. Your feedback is essential in shaping effective learning and development programs.

By following this guide, you can create a skills gap survey that helps identify crucial areas for development, enabling you to foster a more competent, motivated and high-performing team. Consider collaborating with external learning partners like Electives for skills assessment support followed by the development of customized and engaging training programs.

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