The Real Reason Your Team Isn’t Working: Outdated Skills Data

By Nicky Badenoch, Genie Co-founder & Chief Growth Officer

In the fast moving world of work, the way we think about skills is changing. Traditional methods of workforce planning, relying on periodic assessments and static job descriptions, are increasingly failing to keep up with the fluid nature of modern business. As industries transform and project demands shift, the skills required can change almost overnight.

This raises a crucial question: Are organisations really making the most of their people’s skills, or are they simply filling roles with available bodies?

Skills Are Not Static, Nor Should Your Data Be

Think about how skills develop. They are not static assets; they evolve with every task completed, every challenge overcome, and every project delivered. Yet, most organisations treat skills as fixed entities, only occasionally updated when someone changes roles or completes formal training.

In reality, skills need to be captured as they emerge. This means acknowledging that skills data must evolve as work happens, not just at predetermined intervals. When skills data falls behind, it results in mismatches between what a business needs and what its people can actually deliver.

The World Economic Forum predicts that by 2030, many of the skills considered core today will have shifted significantly. To keep pace, businesses need systems that reflect these changes in real time.

Utilisation: More Than Just Filling Seats

Many companies focus on utilisation rates, a metric traditionally measured by how many hours an employee spends working. But the real question should be: Are the right skills being utilised?

Imagine a skilled data analyst spending most of their time on administrative tasks simply because they are available, while critical data projects are outsourced or delayed. This kind of mismatch wastes not just the individual’s potential but also the organisation’s resources.

True utilisation is about aligning the right skills with the right tasks. It is not about keeping people busy; it is about making sure their unique capabilities are being fully used. This means taking a more thoughtful approach to resource planning, one that goes beyond headcount and digs into the real capabilities of the workforce.

Hidden Skills: The Untapped Potential

The irony is that many organisations already have the skills they need within their teams, they just do not know it. Skills can remain hidden because they are not formally recognised or because employees themselves do not see them as valuable.

A Harvard Business School study found that companies who actively identify and use hidden skills are 36% less likely to experience talent shortages. This means rethinking how skills are recorded and continuously updated, rather than relying on outdated competency frameworks.

Real Time Skills Matching: A Business Imperative

If businesses are to thrive in the future, they need to rethink how they capture, manage, and use skills. Real time skills matching is not just a nice idea; it is a necessity. It is about being agile enough to deploy the right talent at the right moment, without being slowed by outdated records or assumptions.

For many companies, the challenge lies in bridging the gap between skills supply (what employees can do) and skills demand (what the business needs). This requires systems that not only track skills but also update them dynamically as work gets done.

The Genie Approach

At Genie, we understand the need for real time skills evolution. Our approach captures both the demand and supply data as work is completed, keeping skills data live and directly connected to ongoing projects. This way, organisations do not just track people, they track the capabilities that drive success.

By embedding skills data into resource operations, Genie ensures that skills are recognised, validated, and used as part of the natural workflow. It is about making sure that no talent goes unnoticed and no skill goes to waste.

In the end, real time skills matching is about building a workforce that is always prepared, always capable, and always aligned with the needs of the business. Isn’t it time to make your skills data work as hard as your people do?