Why Skills Matter More Than Ever
In today’s fast-paced, compliance-heavy environments, businesses can’t afford to guess whether employees are qualified for the work they’re doing. It’s not just about access, it’s about capability. That’s where skills come in.
What Are Skills?
Skills are not just about experience or time spent in a role. They are a defined set of qualifications, certifications and clearances that prove an individual is capable and allowed to perform specific tasks. These can include:
Industry-specific certifications (e.g., COSHH, RPE, Forklift license etc.)
Mandatory clearances (e.g. SC, DV, CTC, ITAR etc.)
Formal qualifications and training modules
Without structured tracking, it’s impossible to know at scale who can legally or safely carry out certain work.
Compliance and Quality
Skill tracking isn't optional, it’s a compliance requirement in many industries. When only qualified and certified employees are assigned to specific tasks. Maintinaing these controls also brings in multiple benefits:
Stay compliant with regulatory standards
Avoid costly fines and audit failures
Maintain high quality and consistency
Reduce the risk of accidents and liability
It also gives clear audit trails: who worked on what, when and with what level of qualification. This is critical in regulated sectors like defence, nuclear and aerospace.
Employee Retention and Happiness
Tracking qualifications and training helps you develop your workforce by identifying opportunities to upskill employees and address labour shortages within your team.
Replacing a skilled employee is costly, typically 30–50% of their annual salary, including recruitment fees, advertising, onboarding, training, and lost productivity. Even then, there is no guarantee the new hire will succeed.
In comparison, retaining an employee usually costs less than 10% of their annual salary. Investing in their development, renewing certifications, and providing clear career progression not only saves money but also improves morale and engagement. Employees who feel valued tend to stay longer and perform better.
Permissions vs. Skills
Permissions control where a person can go or what actions they can perform. Skills control what a person is allowed and qualified to do based on the specific task rather that the process.
Example: An employee may have permission to scan operations on the shop floor, but if they are not qualified to perform the NDT operation, they will not be able to clock on to this.
Skill Shortages and Bottlenecks
Without tracking skills, bottlenecks are unavoidable. Often, companies only discover shortages in key qualifications when work comes to a standstill. While many focus on machine capacity for planning, they frequently overlook whether they have enough qualified operators to run them. Common issues include:
Not enough qualified operators for critical machinery
Shifts being short-staffed due to expired certifications
Project delays caused by unavailable specialist skills
By proactively tracking qualifications and clearances, you can plan for redundancy, shift cover and cross-training before it’s a crisis.
Expired Qualifications or Clearances
Certifications and clearances don’t last forever. When they lapse, the employee is instantly non-compliant and so is your business.
A proper skill management system should:
Track expiry dates across all staff
Trigger timely notifications to employees and managers
Allow for easy scheduling and budgeting for training
Avoid downtime, stay compliant and ensure that every role is filled with someone qualified to do it.
Final Word
Skills aren’t just HR fluff. They’re operational currency. Businesses that treat skills as a core asset—tracked, maintained, and deployed with precision—run more efficiently, stay compliant, and retain talent longer. The data is clear: managing skills isn't just smart, it’s essential.
TL;DR
Tracking employee skills, certifications, qualifications, and clearances is essential for compliance, safety and efficiency. It prevents bottlenecks, reduces costs and supports retention by ensuring staff are properly qualified. Managing skills isn’t just HR, it’s critical for business success.
Want to find out more, talk to one of the team and we can help you improve your process.
