How Organizations Can Ensure the Success of Their Upskilling Strategies
The World Economic Forum estimates that over 1.1 billion jobs will undergo a significant change over the next ten years because of advancing technology. Some jobs would be handled entirely by artificial intelligence, automation, and digitization models across industries. At the same time, others would necessitate significant upskilling to match the current hue of how organizations want to work in this rapidly evolving environment.
According to LinkedIn’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report, 89% of learning and development professionals believe that upskilling the workforce will aid in navigating the evolving future of work.
As it stands, upskilling is a two-way street. On the one hand, employees are looking for organizations that encourage personal development. On the other, employers are looking for individuals who are not afraid to try and learn new aspects at work. Such requirements necessitate comprehensive upskilling strategies that actually work.
Here are a few ideas to consider as you work to improve your organization’s upskilling strategies.
Enable Agile Learning Models
If you ask your employees to attend a training session at a specific time, half of them might not show up for one or the other reasons, and the other half will only attend half-heartedly. Being agile with learning initiatives increases employee motivation to upskill and accrues many other benefits, such as increased employee engagement and possibly lower attrition.
According to LinkedIn’s budget forecast, over 41% of L&D leaders will have more spending power in 2023, demonstrating how leaders are increasing their appetite when segregating the overall budget and setting it aside for workforce development and upskilling.
Consider Opinions Before Starting
Understanding where the actual need exists is critical for the upskilling strategy to work for your organization. This can be accomplished by soliciting feedback before launching any upskilling strategy. Employees will be more engaged in the initiative if they have a say in how the strategy for their upliftment is implemented in the model.
The above-mentioned LinkedIn report reveals that 31% of employees between the ages of 18 and 34 are looking for opportunities to learn and develop their skills. And, because the upcoming workplace will be driven by the Gen Z workforce, it is critical to focus on what they look forward to for staying and performing to the best of their abilities at work.
Evolve the Basic On-the-job Initial Training
A lot can happen in the first few days or weeks of on-the-job training. An employee can form a lot of assumptions about the current organization’s learning and development initiatives.
The right upskilling begins on the very first day. One of the most effective ways to evolve basic on-the-job training modules is to identify and address employees’ skill gaps from the start and nurture innovative learning models. These can be inclined towards either soft or hard skills.
The e-learning market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 20% up until 2028. This clearly indicates how e-learning can power up the entire upskilling strategy via a variety of learning modes, such as gamification, virtual reality, mobile learning, and more.
Monitor the Progress and Provide Support
A leader must be present throughout the entire life cycle of the upskilling strategy for it to work effectively. From developing the appropriate platform to enabling personalized learning models that work for all, they must assess everything. The work does not stop there; feedback and surveys are also required for the upskilling strategy to work and produce results.
Thus, maintaining employees’ current progress and supporting them where there are gaps is a vital component of an excellent upskilling strategy. An effective leader understands the power of feedback and how to use it in this framework to achieve great results.
Foster a Culture That Promotes Learning
When it comes to providing excellent upskilling opportunities and platforms, the importance of leaders in the process can’t be overlooked. No upskilling strategy can succeed unless the leader fosters the right culture from the start. This can take the form of leaders attending sessions on effective leadership and team management to demonstrate that learning never stops and that upskilling is an integral part of the entire organizational pyramid.
According to LinkedIn’s Leading by Learning report, managers are leading by example, as their learning time has doubled since 2020 – fostering a learning culture that adds more value than simply providing the right tools for upskilling.
Switch Projects for Better Exposure
Leaders must understand the importance of shifting gears to drive efficiently toward the end goal. Breaking the monotony and working on diverse projects and unique tasks at work leads to automatic upskilling.
There is an urgent need to recognize the value of allowing employees to work on diverse projects for increased exposure and value-added learning. This also helps improve employees’ soft skills, such as cross-functional collaboration and problem-solving abilities – as these are associated with broader business understanding.
In a Nutshell
Because technology is changing the way we see the world, businesses must keep in mind how quickly the entire spectrum is evolving. According to a Gallup poll, more than 48% of American workers were willing to switch jobs if their potential employer offered skill-building opportunities. The priorities are clearly displayed. Leaders must be on their toes to fill the skills gap and stay ahead of the rising expectations of the future workforce to support employee morale and mental well-being.
Pierian Services has been assisting leaders and organizations in channeling their upskilling efforts through effective strategies. Get in touch with us to discuss more.
