The skill bridge – A global qualitative analysis of skill gap management

Disruptive technological development and new evolving business models are changing the strategic scenarios for most companies. Companies need to handle new technology while still responding to environmental, economic, and societal challenges. Thus work and work requirements on managers and workforces are changing. New skills are needed across industries, domains, and positions, resulting in increasing skill gaps among companies worldwide. These challenges are intensified by demographic realities in Europe, China, and the USA, where declining birth rates lead to shrinking and ageing populations. Political and industrial leaders are questioning how the skill gaps can be managed to retain competitiveness. The research community is searching for a deeper and more prescriptive understanding of skill gap management, but in previous literature, conclusive strategies seem so far to be scarce, diverse, and often lacking empirical foundation. This paper identifies practices that successfully bridge skill gaps in organisations and highlights challenges faced by companies. Empirical data was gathered through interviews with 23 leaders from companies globally and analysed qualitatively. The study concludes with a set of directions for organisations to develop skill gap strategies. The paper describes how empirical findings converge into the Skill Bridge, consisting of five priority areas, i.e. Skill development initiatives, Knowledge empowerment, Impact and business results, Leadership and culture, and finally Learning technologies and innovation. • Industry faces massive skill gaps, caused by shifting demographics and a rapid green and digital transformation. • Organisations and leaders are increasingly committed to investing in closing the skill gaps. • However, a lack of understanding and effective solutions for managing skill gaps exists. • This study, based on interviews with 23 company leaders from industries globally, identifies key practices for managing skill gaps. • The findings propose a Skill Bridge with five priorities: Skill development initiatives, Knowledge empowerment, Impact and business results, Leadership and culture, and Learning Technologies and Innovation.