More than 50% of current jobs will require new skill sets by 2027.
As talent demand continues to outstrip supply and digital skills shortages are exacerbated, it’s unsurprising that businesses report their number one impediment to growth is a lack of skilled talent.
Training to build and enhance a workforce from within can pay off. However, it takes a well-planned approach to get there.
Employers who invest in training and upskilling find it easier to retain staff
Effective reskilling relies on outcome-based solutions that work towards a purposeful goal, not a loose idea of improvement.
In this section, we’ll share the thought and planning that should go into a successful reskilling programme to help get you started.
A successful training programme gives businesses the skills they need at the same time as reskilling, motivating, and invigorating employees.
Enhancing the skills a business needs is inefficient without first knowing what talent the business already has and will need in the future.
Make an inventory of the skills the business already has and what may be lacking, plus the skills the company will need to achieve its long-term organisational goals.
The inventory will reveal which workers show a basic understanding of missing skills, or those who show the most potential for career progression through their work ethic and productivity results.
Training programmes that set out to deliver a predetermined outcome (for example, create a new business unit with specialist skills) will always produce better results than programmes that are implemented based on loose and inconclusive ideals of improvement.
The goal of the training should determine the scope and type of training deployed.
Career progression is a powerful motivator for programme participation. Rewards may be presented as ‘milestones’ (complete the programme and you will gain something) or as ‘licences’ (if you want to move forwards, you must first complete this).
Organisations must give careful thought to the goals they are looking to achieve with their reskilling programmes. The outcome will shape the approach used and the type of implementation model employed.
Reskilling programmes provide greater opportunities for career progression. In a time where purpose and a clearly defined path for career progression have become vital to employee motivation, reskilling will play a large role in employee retention.
Worker support is essential for programme success
Workers will need time to readjust and pivot when taking up a new role or assuming different job responsibilities after reskilling.
Organisational support during and after training is essential to ensure programme achievements are not lost through impatience to increase productivity or overloading the worker’s newly developed skills.
Support means covering incomes that may be reduced during training (common to roles where commission or bonuses comprise a large part of compensation), as well as emotional support and training encouragement (programmes with intermediate milestone rewards may produce stronger results than those that simply drive towards a final goal).
Now that we’ve shared the theory and some practical steps to help get your reskilling started, why not take a look at our comprehensive Reskilling Guide? You'll find more on taking action to safeguard your organisation's growth and future success.
Download our Reskilling Guide
