Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2024 - 32

L&D can utilize
business acumen
to justify learning
investment to
organizational
leaders.
as tuition reimbursement, role-specific
classes, massive online open courses
(MOOCs) and dedicated in-role learning
time among many others. Through this
interwoven approach of business and
learning, upskilling becomes a pillar
for
the
organization
that
employees
maintain, improve and bond over as the
program develops.
A critical aspect of bringing upskilling into
your L&D plan through your culture is to
ensure it is equitable in how it is offered.
By promoting a fair approach to learning,
organizational
silos can be removed,
which further demonstrates the value
of upskilling. To do so, learning leaders
should emphasize resources that:
* Offer varying modalities of learning for
similar content.
Incorporating Upskilling
Into Your Culture
When upskilling turns into a normal
part of operations in an organization,
the foundation of a learning culture is
created and cultivated by its most active
participants. Learning cultures speak
volumes to the importance of upskilling
because employees are encouraged to
take control of their own learning.
While upskilling is a uniquely personal
journey that employees take,
organizations can provide structure
in how they upskill. This can include a
wide arrangement of offerings, such
* Provide clear direction on how the
content applies to the learner's role.
* Bring people together for discussion/
group application.
Each of these elements ensures the
upskilling initiative supports the culture
of the organization through connection,
collaboration and content relevance.
This brings about another benefit that
organizations can easily capitalize on
- sustainability. Embedding stable and
consistent upskilling
offerings
into an
organization ensures that despite change
occurring, learning is a priority for your
workplace's people and culture. This
makes investment justifications easier for
learning leaders because the desire for
learning doesn't come solely from them,
but rather it comes from all employees
looking to upskill and improve. However,
this does not mean that learning functions
can stop here.
Utilize Existing
Structures and Systems
Do you already utilize a learning
management system (LMS)? If not, are
there current structures in place for
learners to access required trainings like
compliance? Do you have a resource
bank that learners can turn to for inrole
support? These questions, and
others like them, should be asked when
determining where upskilling is found
in your organization. An obstacle that
turns many learning functions away from
robust upskilling is that they feel they
must bring something brand new to the
table to get people excited about it. But
that simply isn't the case!
Because of the flexible nature of
upskilling, it should not be a standalone
item that employees must seek out to
reap the benefits of. Instead, learning
functions should work with organizational
leaders to integrate upskilling into their
existing structures and systems to create
a streamlined approach that drives
excitement and participation. This has
a significant impact on how upskilling is
viewed and organically grown through
the culture because the opportunity to
learn is readily accessible.
Using Business Language to Communicate the Value of Upskilling
When adding upskilling investments to your L&D plan, communicating their value in a way that stakeholders can
recognize is essential. This presents a common pitfall that many learning professionals face as they speak in a
" learning language " that business leaders do not understand, meaning they do not receive buy-in. To prevent this:
* Demonstrate the employee skill cycle and opportunity costs of lost skills.
* Provide metrics that demonstrate financial value.
* Use your employees as upskilling advocates.
* Offer both structured programs and independently driven options that support in-role needs.
Using these techniques will highlight the benefit of upskilling in a way that all stakeholders will want to take action on.
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https://trainingindustry.com/glossary/massive-open-online-course-mooc/ https://trainingindustry.com/glossary/learning-management-system-lms/ https://trainingindustry.com/glossary/learning-management-system-lms/ https://trainingindustry.com/articles/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/infographic-e-is-for-equity-the-abcs-of-equitable-learning/ https://trainingindustry.com/articles/workforce-development/the-business-of-learning-episode-56-learning-across-the-employee-lifecycle-how-training-can-improve-the-employee-experience/

Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2024

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