Before the pandemic the digital revolution and the subsequent transformation of the great American workplace was an elitist dream. Today it’s SOP. 

COVID-19 fractured many things in our lives including standard corporate business operations, and digital technology became the glue that held everything together. That is until “the great resignation” of 2021 when nearly 48 million workers, both remote and on-site, quit their jobs. 

Lack of child care, toxic management, and low pay were among the top reasons for this record-breaking stampede. The result: lots of job openings and lots of  overburdened workers left to carry the load in the interim.

 Love the one you’re with

Don’t be angry, don’t be sad

Don’t sit crying over good times you’ve had

….Love the one you’re with…

Stephen Stills wrote this song in 1970 and it still has the ring of truth today. After all, fresh new talent would be great, but what about the folks who’ve hung in there for the duration? Upskilling current employees is a logical way to maximize the productivity of your current crew while rewarding them for their loyalty at the same time. 

Forbes.com reports: “Perhaps one of the most dramatic impacts of the pandemic has been the unprecedented numbers of furloughed or laid-off employees and high unemployment rates. However, in a time when even major industries cannot afford to hire new talent, it is crucial to invest in a workforce adaptable to market changes…upskilling… programs can improve employee engagement and retention, attract new talent, increase collaboration between departments and speed up the adoption of new trends within the company.”

Upskilling benefits and strategies

According to Gloat.com “Upskilling is focused on helping employees become more knowledgeable and develop new competencies that relate to their current position….”

And Lorman.com reports that “Upskill training helps identify the strengths and weaknesses of your workforce so you can fill knowledge gaps. Your employees can also explore various skills beyond their average roles and expertise which helps grow their abilities to work together….8 out of 10 employees say that upskilling makes them more productive. And it’s not just employees who feel that way. 91% of companies say they have seen an increase in employee productivity due to their upskilling efforts.” 

Benefits:

1. Employee recruitment-the promise of professional growth is a carrot few prospective employees can resist. 
2. Employee engagement-when you invest in a worker’s career, your ROI soars.
3. Employee retention-upskilling inspires company loyalty and that means lower turnover.

Strategies:

1. Feed the need-Recognize areas that need new techniques and technologies and give your team a professional upgrade.
2. Resource your humans-Provide retraining opportunities. Use them as benchmarks, and incorporate them into individual performance evaluations and team development assessments.
3. Team skilling-Use highly skilled employees to mentor colleagues who are eager to improve. 
4. Cultivate healthy culture-Instead of encouraging ruthless competition, create teams in which collaboration makes everyone a winner.
5. Lengthen the learning curve-Mistakes happen. Give employees the freedom to learn and innovate without the pressure of short deadlines and unrealistic expectations. 
6. Heed the feedback-Pay attention to each worker’s upskilling experience. Check in frequently to provide support and pay attention to feedback that could make things smoother for the next worker. 
7. Celebrate milestones-Acknowledge growth. Even a small step forward can be a big morale booster for a staff member who wants to improve and become a more valuable asset to the company. 

Planned and executed properly, upskilling can be transformative for your company and uplifting for your staff. If you need help getting started, Magnovo is up to the challenge.