5 Strategies to Promote Upskilling in Your Organization

There is a severe shortage of qualified talent in the technology field. According to a 2019 study by West Monroe Partners, 56 percent of HR professionals surveyed said their organizations’ skills gaps are moderate to severe. That is why many high-profile companies are investing in upskilling programs to give their employees the skillsets they need to help business grow.

 Unfortunately, there is no blueprint for successful corporate training.  However, there are several reskilling strategies that will keep your employees motivated and have a positive, long-term impact on your organization.

 1. Focus on job-specific skills.

A successful upskilling strategy will focus on the skills that employees need for a particular job. Your ultimate goal should not only be to train your talent, but also make sure that the skills they are learning increase their effectiveness.

 When taking this approach, it’s important to ensure your training is tailored to meet both your short- and long-term goals. A good way to start is by looking at the most in-demand skills in your industry. Make sure you are also checking with your team what job-specific skills they are lacking that can benefit them in their workplace.

 2. Encourage your employees to create a personalized upskilling plan.

Although you might have some skillsets in mind when building your strategy, your employee’s goals might look different. Every learner has skillsets that they need to improve their job and their personal lives. Encourage them to have a personal list of certifications and skills they want to obtain and support them when possible. Figure out how you can fill the skill gap by assessing the employee’s current abilities and comparing them to their goals. If your talent feels like they have control over their learning experience, they are more likely to participate and give it their all.

3. Be flexible when it comes to your upskill offerings.

It is important to understand that everyone’s learning style is different. Inevitably, some people prefer to upskill on their own time to take their abilities to the next level, while others prefer more guidance, and like to interact with their peers while they learn. Make sure you are accommodating as much as you can and provide the resources they might need. Videos, webinars, podcasts, and blog posts are all examples of training resources that you can use to make sure everyone’s learning style is covered.

4. Tackle one skill set at a time.

Getting your upskilling strategy started can seem like a big task, but you can take it step by step. A great way to do this is to upskill on skillset at the time. Figure out one of your top priority skills and cater to it. This will help your figure out what works for your organization, and what doesn’t. After that step is done, you can more easily build on it and adapt it for the rest of the skillset you need.

5. Prioritize a culture of continuous learning

A healthy learning culture means that every level of the organization puts a strong emphasis on understanding the best values, practices, and skillsets needed to perform their best and satisfy customers. Fostering a culture of learning is an important message to cultivate in your workplace, it will create a talent pool that is always striving for self-improvement. According to Gartner’s 2021 Priorities report a learning culture means that employees begin their learning sooner and apply 75% of the skills they learn.

These tips can assist you in creating a strategy that will help your talent reach their true potential. Keep in mind it’s not about learning as many skills as possible but mastering the skills that will benefit them and the organization.

 If you need more guidance when building your strategy SkillStorm can help! Shoot us an email at hire@skillstorm.com.