Training Industry Magazine - May/June 2021 - 19

this demand. Some of the most critical
skills for these times are:
* Communication: Strong communication
creates stability in the face of uncertainty
by keeping teams and managers on
the same page, uncovering barriers,
and encouraging team members to
contribute their insights and solutions.
* Critical and creative thinking:
Employees that remain curious,
have a high tolerance for ambiguity
and are able to view problems from
multiple angles will be well equipped
to tackle the challenges of the postpandemic workplace.
* Well-being: Training that improves
the physical, mental, emotional and
occupational wellness of employees
can decrease stress levels, prevent
burnout, strengthen resilience, and
boost creativity and productivity.
* Technology use: The transition to
remote work and online business has
made technologies, such as automated
systems, artificial intelligence and
information security, more important
than ever. Helping employees become
more tech savvy is one of the most
important ways training can ensure
they are prepared for the future.

Strategies and Best
Practices
Whether planning to upskill or reskill
their workforce, it's essential that L&D
professionals begin with a clear program
strategy. The following five steps can
be tailored to the specific needs of any
team, group or industry:

Conduct an analysis to...

* Determine the budget, timeline and
scope to place parameters on the
project.
* Identify critical roles and responsibilities,
performance benchmarks and core skills.
* Focus on the most valuable skills and
attitudes that key groups will require
to be successful both now and in the
future - such as technology use, rapid
learning and emotional intelligence.

* Take stock of current skill levels and
existing resources
and technology.
Not having to start from scratch saves
time, money and energy.
The data gathered in the analysis
phase feeds into other aspects of the
upskilling and reskilling mission. Having
more information up front provides
meaningful insights needed to plan and
execute successfully, which can foster a
sense of certainty in an otherwise new
and uncertain endeavor.

Set learning objectives and
define how they'll be measured and
assessed.
Employee performance will
ultimately be the evaluative focus and
lead to the achievement of business
goals. With this in mind, start all reskilling
and upskilling initiatives with clear,
performance-based objectives. Doing so
will align the entire process from design
to evaluation. Moreover, it will ensure
that the instructional focus remains on
learner behaviors and application of
skills - not just content.

Prioritize

training

deliverables

based on immediate need, potential
impact and ease of delivery, and build
them. Accurately identifying what
matters most can be difficult in times
of rapid change. To overcome this
challenge, begin by differentiating
which deliverables are most urgent.
Then, assess which of these urgent
tasks will have the greatest impact on
employee needs and business goals.
Finally, estimate which of the most
urgent tasks will require heavy lifting
and which can be developed and
delivered with ease. As you set your
priorities, keep in mind that it's often
most productive and efficient to tackle
the difficult work first.

4. Consider a beta test or pilot program,
and modify your plans as needed based
on the results. Conducting a smallscale launch of reskilling and upskilling
programs provides valuable data about
their feasibility and efficacy before
implementing on a large scale. Think of it
as a dress rehearsal or soft opening. By
revising your plans based on your beta
test data, you'll increase the chances of
employee adoption and the project's
overall success.

Forward-thinking analysis
builds resilience and
ensures preparation for
the next disruption.
5. Deploy training and evaluate for
refinements. Once upskilling and
reskilling initiatives are launched,
conduct evaluations and generate a
lessons learned report. Remember that
training evaluation should focus on
multiple outcomes. To do so, be sure to
use an established evaluation training
model. Though the Kirkpatrick Model
is one of the most common, there are
many good models to choose from.
Whichever model you choose, the
data gathered during evaluation will
enable you to finesse your program
and ensure it's best-in-class.
A Final Consideration -
Collaboration!
As trainers develop, design and deploy
their upskilling and reskilling programs,
it's a good idea to forge cross-functional
partnerships.
As
the
pandemic
fundamentally and continuously shifts
industries, solutions will require ongoing
communication and collaboration across
teams. When employees work together
to solve problems, it fosters engagement
and teamwork, increases proposed
solutions, distributes the workload, and
enhances a commitment to continuous
improvement - all of which increase the
chances the initiative will be a success!
Chapin Brinegar, M.S., is the director
of instructional design for Encompass
Communications and Learning, with
more than 16 years of experience in
education, corporate training and
instructional design. Hollace S. Masino,
M.S., is a senior instructional designer
at
Encompass
Communications
and Learning, with over 15 years of
experience in training, education and
leadership. Email Chapin and Hollace.

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Training Industry Magazine - May/June 2021

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