Upskill Workforce

The modern workforce is constantly on the move thanks to technological advancements. The Great Resignation, post-pandemic, is also exacerbating digital skills shortages across industries.

Aiman Ezzat CEO of Capgemini SE said at the World Economic Forum 2022 that companies need to "massively reskill the digital economy to meet the demand."

Companies around the globe need to quickly upgrade their workforce in order to remain competitive and relevant. Digitally mature companies with employees who can adapt to the new technology will be more agile.

Employees also want to work for companies that are forward-thinking, provide digital skill training and promote career advancement. There is a pressing need to identify not only the skills that you require internally, but also the gaps in the delivery of knowledge and skills.

We'll look at six ways that you can upskill workforce and a business that will be able to leverage digital technology to drive revenue and growth.

1. Continuous Professional Development

Continuous professional development is more than just skill training. It allows your employees to receive certifications at any time in their careers.

Why not focus on professional qualification for your employees instead of the more traditional training programs?

Staff who have completed widely recognized training courses will be able to compete with your competitors. Professional certifications will transform your digital abilities and provide a level of education that is not possible with other learning methods.

Many people mistakenly think that a certification is meant to be generic and give everyone a broad range of digital abilities. The benefits of continuing professional development are that your staff will have customized skills for your business.

We helped IBM, for example, create a specialized process of certification for its sales staff. The certification process, instead of offering a generic program, taught IBM's employees how to overcome specific challenges. IBM's digital team saw an increase of 7% in their win rate and a reduction of 37% in the days it took to close.

2. Microlearning

Microlearning is more focused than CPD. Microlearning involves providing your employees with short bursts about specific skills.

You can use this to identify key areas for concern and solve any skills gaps in your workforce without having to invest too many resources, or have critical staff spend too much time off duty.

It is a flexible way to learn. You can choose from a range of microlearning courses which are relevant to a specific role in your company. Marketers, for example, may require social media training to be able to use platforms and engage with prospects.

You can increase productivity and save time by having your employees learn the essentials for their jobs. You can give employees training whenever they need it with microlearning. Employees can access new modules as they gain more responsibilities as a result of upskill workforce.

3. Retraining

You may need new employees to help you with your new business or technology.

You may find that when you go to hire them, there aren't many technically skilled people. Gartner stated that "technology skills are no longer rooted within IT but must be incorporated across all organizational functions and businesses, and combined with soft skills in order to achieve transformational success."

There are probably talented individuals in your company who have not been given the training necessary to fill your new skills gap. You can get more technical talent by retraining these employees. They are already part of your culture and possess valuable knowledge.

Retraining employees to fill positions within your organization has many benefits, including avoiding competition, attracting digital or technical talent, and maintaining loyalty. You can't focus only on the least talented employees.

4. Update Your Experts

Some employees are already adept at digital skills and pursue training to learn new and relevant skills. They are valuable employees, but according to research you could lose them if they don't have the chance to further improve their skills.

LinkedIn's report on 2022 Workplace Learning shows that employees who believe their skills aren't being used effectively in their current position are 10 times as likely to look for a job than those who think their skills have been put to use. This shows the importance of valuing staff to keep them in your company.

In the same report, it was found that in 2022, learning and development programs will be focused on three main areas: leadership and development; upskilling/reskilling; and digital upskilling/digital transformation. Your HR or L&D department should also be nurturing your most experienced staff. It will boost employee loyalty and sharpen their skills, which is to your advantage.

5. Peer Support Programs

You shouldn't ignore internal training in your plans to upskill workforce. Make the most of your digitally-savvy employees by implementing a peer support system.

Your employees can not only swap skills but also make training relevant to your business because they already know your workplace.

Another reason is that peer support programs are smart. Capterra's survey of HR leaders revealed that 49% of companies plan to increase their learning and growth budgets in 2022, up from 41% of organizations in 2021. This represents a 20% YOY increase.

If you are under budgetary constraints, this may not be an option. A peer support program could be the right solution for you. It is cheaper to use your current workforce to train employees than invest in external training.

You can upskill workforce by bringing your least-experienced staff to the same level as your other employees. This will reduce your overall costs.

6. Offer New Career Paths

Technology changes and advancements, such as automation or artificial intelligence, may cause some career paths to dry up in your company. However, they should also create new ones.

By investing in these paths from the beginning, you can retain your staff rather than letting them leave. As we live in an era of remote and hybrid working, flexibility and career progression should be possible if the necessary training is provided to upgrade employees' skills.

Take AT&T for example, who actively supports and fosters new career paths. In 2021, the company's initiatives in training reached 210,000 workers and fostered a culture that encourages continuous learning and skill development. AT&T University offers customized training, career development and mentoring programs. It invested $158 millions in direct employee and professional development program and delivered 15,000,000 hours of training by 2021. That's 43 hours for each employee.