Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2024 - 31

O
rganizations are constantly in need
of skilled talent that can meet the
changing demands of projects,
stakeholders and entire industries. With
so much change
occurring
regularly,
it is easy for organizations to blindly
follow methods of bringing new talent in
because it's what they have always done.
In fact, organizations with 1,000 to 2,500
employees reported an average recruiting
budget in 2022 of $143,000, according to
a NACE report, with larger organizations
spending even more. This, on top of
onboarding costs, is a steep price to pay
for changes when it's not the only answer
to this growing problem.
If organizations want to find talent
for new ventures, they should start
internally. Utilizing employees who
already understand the mission to
support new functions is a huge benefit
to organizations looking for time, cost
or turnover reductions in their recruiting
practices. While looking internally is an
important starting point, the question
soon becomes: How do you prepare
employees to grow, learn and develop the
skills needed to take on new projects? The
answer lies in how you support upskilling
in your organization. Learning functions
have the unique opportunity to develop
strategies around this key concept in the
employee learning lifecycle.
What is Upskilling?
Upskilling is " the process of building upon
employees' existing skills and strengths
to enhance their skill sets. " Put simply,
it is giving employees the chance to be
the best they can be in their roles. This
is a very flexible definition as upskilling
is an individual journey employees take
based on their personal motivations and
organizational support.
This concept drives value within
organizations as well - with an average
skill lifespan of roughly 2.5 years, the need
for employees to consistently improve
their knowledge, skills and abilities to
do their roles with increased efficiency is
essential to continued growth. However,
with significant enhancements in digital
technologies and responsibility shifts
in recent years, the idea of upskilling
has become a buzzword that can leave
organizations confused about where
upskilling efforts should be focused.
TRAINING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE - WINTER 2024 I WWW.TRAININGINDUSTRY.COM/MAGAZINE
Work with
organizational
leaders to integrate
upskilling into your
existing structures.
At its core, upskilling is an employeedriven
initiative with the organization's
backing. Leaders cannot force
employees to prioritize their own skill
development, which is a common pitfall
of failed learning and development (L&D)
initiatives. When designing upskilling
programs, it is crucial that all resources
are streamlined and made clear for
employees. These resources can include:
* Job shadowing opportunities.
* Mentorship programs.
* Formal educational offerings/discounts.
* Microlearning sessions.
* Partnerships with other organizations.
* Webinars.
There are many other options that give
employees the ability to enhance their
skills and become the best they can be
in their roles. By providing a " one-stopshop "
for upskilling, organizations put
actionable items behind their programs
that allow learners to get involved at their
own pace, which is a clear sign of their
commitment to supporting employee
development. When L&D functions
emphasize these commitments in their
various programs, the entire culture of
the organization shifts in a beneficial way.
31

https://www.naceweb.org/talent-acquisition/trends-and-predictions/as-employer-recruiting-budgets-grew-in-2022-their-overall-staffing-numbers-fell/#:~:text=The%20smallest%20companies%E2%80%94those%20with,of%20more%20than%20%242.6%20million https://trainingindustry.com/glossary/upskilling/ https://www.ibm.com/blogs/ibm-training/skills-transformation-2021-workplace/ https://www.trainingindustry.com/magazine

Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2024