When organisations invest in the training and development needs of their workforce, they empower them to add value to the business which ultimately translates to increased productivity, reduced employee turnover, and other positive brand advantages. Besides, top talents prefer to work at organisations that create skill-enhancing opportunities. On an individual level, amongst other benefits, employees who are constantly trained experience increased job satisfaction which is an important goal for organisations should strive for.
However, since new models of operations, market trends, and technology sprout every other day causing disruptions in business flow, managers keep seeking out ways to thrive. One of the ways they can ensure continuous growth is by accessing the impact of these changes on human capital, and work towards closing potential gaps in knowledge and skillset created by these shifts. In light of this reality, the question for executives remains whether to adopt a hire new people or to upskill or reskill employees who have great potentials so that they can successfully transition into new roles. How do these changes apply to our business? What is the strength of our workforce? How do we realign our people to prepare them for these changing roles and responsibilities? These are other questions organisations need to address.
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Some managers may prefer to hire if the new employees already have the skillset, connections, and experience. Yet, although new employees bring fresh perspectives and solutions to the table, growing existing talents and enforcing policies that will encourage employee retention may be a better alternative. According to a study by Harvard Business Review, when a highly rated employee moves to a new company, there is a likelihood that their performance may decline. The reason for this is because asides personal capabilities, other external factors such as an organisation’s internal systems contribute significantly to employee competence. An employee that was thriving in a company whose work environment played a substantial role in their success may not deliver as expected in a reverse environment. New employees may struggle with transitioning to a new workspace, having to adopt new work styles, work with new personalities, or even adapt to new work cultures. And while the study highlights that these classes of workers are likely to leave the company, existing workers whose skills have been up (reskilled) tend to show loyalty. More so, an existing workforce already knows the peculiarities of an organisation, thus training efforts will be more effective as they will be targeted to meet specific company needs.
Before embarking on a reskilling program, a defined objective should be set. Managers need to research extensively on how their industry is changing and identify how these changes apply to their organisation. What trends are being introduced in the market place? How is customer behaviour changing? What soft and hard skills would be in high demand? Would the nature of business change that more freelance workers will be required as against full-time workers? Would there be a need to shut down a particular unit if the introduction of certain technology displaces operations from that unit? Would there be a need to create an entirely new department to fill critical roles? By defining these trends as it relates to their scope of business, managers are better positioned to define crucial roles which are needed to map out a suitable reskilling strategy. It is equally important for the lower cadre of staff to be fully involved in the design of the plan, especially if they are the ones who will be changing roles.
Before embarking on a reskilling program, a defined objective should be set. Managers need to research extensively on how their industry is changing and identify how these changes apply to their organisation
Once clarity has been ascertained on the new skills to develop, learning, and development initiatives should be tested and adjusted alongside before launching out full time. While some workers are open to the idea of reskilling, others will be resistant. On the other hand, some managers may not know how to identify candidates to reskill. Start with team members who are high-achievers, take initiative, go out of their way to develop themselves, and who have performed exceptionally well in their current roles. These make the best candidates for your test run. You want to select people who will make a complicated process rather easier. Staff who are resistant may need some time to come around, hence forcing them to change may make them resentful. Supervisors should capitalise on the work behaviour of each team member to decide on how best to buy them in.
By offering incentives, strengthening positive learning behaviours, and giving constructive feedback, organisations can and should encourage a work culture of continuous learning and development. Leaders should lead by example. Skill upgrade is easier when everyone sees the need to constantly reinvent themselves.
