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UPSKILLING
UPSKILLING
As technology creates new opportunities and job positions within the workplace, it
becomes increasingly important for companies to fill these new roles with candidates
who possess the relevant, specialized skill sets. Upskilling allows organizations to close
the digital talent gap and fill these open positions while maintaining their current
workforce and creating employee strengthening and learning opportunities.
Through upskilling, companies can save money by increasing the abilities of their
current employees, instead of spending time and budget on hiring new workers. In
addition, the current workforce is expecting more from their job than guaranteed pay
and a comfortable workplace environment. Employees now anticipate perks such as
paid holidays, affordable healthcare and professional training. By providing employees
with upskill training opportunities, organizations can make workers feel that they are
valued and have a dedicated future within the company.
job roles and their requirements are changing faster than ever;
employees expect more opportunities for growth within their companies;
it helps an organization stay more competitive by closing skill gaps;
it decreases the need to recruit outside the company to fill skill gaps;
it increases employee satisfaction, boosting motivation, performance and morale; and
it increases employee retention.
Additionally, companies that choose to upskill rather than fill skill gaps with outside
talent save money and time by reducing the need for hiring, onboarding and training
processes.
Next, companies must consider both the short- and long-term impacts of the upskilling
efforts. For example, it can be easy to focus on the newest tool on the market, however,
this development may not help the business long-term. Therefore, an organization
should focus on how it can improve its core skills to increase long-term value.
However, it is still necessary to stay up to date with industry trends and to leverage
new technology so the company can maintain a competitive edge.
Once the skill gaps have been identified, a business can begin to build and select the
training programs that make the most sense for the organization. The key is to set up
training and development in a way that makes sense for the company. In this step, an
organization determines factors such as:
Job-specific upskilling and credential programs. This strategy offers employees training
specific to their jobs which can enhance their current skill sets, such as with lessons on a
specialty software used by only a small portion of the organization. Credential
programs -- which result in a professional certificate -- are also great opportunities for
employees to improve upon their current skill sets.
Devote time during the workday. Employees with personal development plans should
be allowed time during the workday to dedicate to their upskilling efforts.
Some specific upskilling opportunities include:
Virtual and online courses. Use training software and an online training platform to
allow employees to train from home, at a time that works for them, rather than forcing
workers to attend inconvenient, on-site development sessions at specific times.
Mentoring and shadowing. Most companies have experts on specific subject matters
already included in their workforce. Use these experts to train other employees with
real-world experience and advice that can't be taught in a classroom setting. In addition,
the experts receive an opportunity to improve their leadership skills.
This upskilling opportunity focuses on training in quick bursts -- such as short videos
followed by fast exercises and quizzes that demonstrate understanding. Microlearning
sessions typically last between five and 10 minutes, allowing employees to make use of
them at almost any time, such as during short breaks throughout the day or during a
lunch break.
Pitfalls of upskilling
When creating an upskilling strategy, organizations must recognize that training
programs and upskilling opportunities can be expensive. Furthermore, there are several
risks that should be avoided when designing the strategy. This includes:
Offering old-fashioned training. Old-fashioned training -- such as in-person
presentations and lectures -- can be ineffective. The training available to employees
should be relevant, convenient and engaging. A learning management system (LMS)
allows an organization to choose from different types of content delivery, various
assessment features and specific analytics that assess the success of the training. In
addition, the ability to offer mobile learning compatibility makes committing to training
easier and more accessible. Furthermore, an LMS can help a company track its
employees' completion and performance analytics, which can then be used to improve
training for better future results.
Upskilling benefits
Upskilling helps current employees learn new job skills, makes the company more
attractive to job applicants and improves the employee experience. Furthermore, while
upskilling programs are expensive, they generate a strong return on investment (ROI).
Creating ongoing training opportunities for workers is often cheaper than addressing
workplace problems. Providing free training also increases employee retention rates,
thus decreasing turnover and lowering hiring and onboarding costs.
Increased customer satisfaction. Happy employees often directly impact and improve
the customer experience. Furthermore, employees are able to use their new skills to
better solve customer issues with more efficiency, creativity and innovation.
Keeping up with the industry. Learning new skills is often necessary to remain
competitive. Upskilling is an effective way to ensure organizations maintain and
increase their competitive market standing.
Differences between reskilling and upskilling
Upskilling refers to providing current employees with additional skills. On the other
hand, reskilling refers to replacing an employee's outdated skills with new skills that
meet the needs of the changing market. Reskilling often requires an employee to be sent
back to college or a trade school to earn a degree or certification in a different field.