As the advancement of new technologies continues, employers are facing challenges in areas like talent retention and skills obsolescence. Frustrated by a “tug of war” between economic pressures and talent pressures, employers are recognizing that upskilling and reskilling their workforces can improve employee retention and agility and elevates high-potential talent. They’re tapping into the potential of the talent they already have on board.

But to begin and sustain an upskilling-reskilling process, managers and skilled talent need to work together to build a culture of continuous learning. Where to begin? Our downloadable guide is designed to help talent leaders and managers get those conversations started.

As legacy skills become increasingly obsolete, the demand for new skills is not being met by members of the available workforce. This creates a gap between current competencies and future market needs. Providing clear pathways to career advancement may help to improve retention, narrow skills gaps, increase productivity and reduce costs.

Research by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reveals that upskilling or reskilling the current workforce is a top priority for 53% of organizations, and HR professionals believe their firms have more important work to do in this area:*

Discussions about upskilling or reskilling can take place during any one-on-one meeting or performance review.  Another approach is to clearly separate this engagement from the performance evaluation context, which may offer the chance to take a fresh approach to the conversation.

How to get the conversation started? Begin by asking team members for feedback. In one-on-one discussions, ask them questions like these:

•  What skills or trainings would help you become more productive or improve your efficiency on the job?

•  Can you identify any technologies or programs that would improve our operations?

•  Are there any new skills or areas of knowledge you’re interested in developing?

From there, you can transition into a discussion about the skills you know are going to be in demand and how each team member’s existing skills can be built upon to fill gaps.  

Upskilling programs and the curated learning pathways within should be discussed in the context of your company’s tuition benefits program. It’s important for team members to realize how valuable these benefits can be, and how they can be leveraged to develop new skills while taking on very little debt or, in some cases, no debt at all.

Many workers prefer a formal degree, certificate or industry-relevant certification as an upskilling outcome but have legitimate concerns about tuition costs. Inclusive tuition assistance policies that boost employee participation and encourage a culture of continuous learning will help to close the skills gap.

Once an effective and equitable program is in place, employers should be motivating and communicating, as often as possible and at every managerial level, about the importance of upskilling and continuous learning.

DeVry University and our DeVryWorks team can help your team break through upskilling/reskilling barriers by:

At DeVryWorks, we believe motivated and well-informed managers are the key to employee participation in upskilling and reskilling programs. It all begins with a conversation. Our new Managers’ Guide can help you get those conversations started with practical tips to show employees the way.