Upskilling is an integral part of talent retention within organisations. With technology advancing rapidly and industries evolving at an unprecedented pace, the need to continuously learn and adapt has never been more critical. Organisations are facing a talent shortage, and 90% say there will be a meaningful skills gap in the coming years.
For businesses, upskilling their workforce isn’t just about staying relevant; it’s about thriving in a constant state of change. One effective way to upskill talent is by creating engaging content that attracts, educates, and inspires individuals to enhance their skills.
A strong culture of people development can mean the difference between attracting new talent and them going elsewhere, as well as retaining existing talent. Organisations that make L&D a priority can improve their odds in the talent market.
Some ways you can upskill are through:
Engaging content is the key to attracting talent and making them excited about the prospect of upskilling in their roles. But this doesn’t just apply to the organisation's courses or resources. The advertisement of additional, non-mandatory training needs to be enticing to employees.
This can be done through various methods, such as emails explaining the content and the potential benefits of completing the course. These shouldn’t be bland; adding personality and personalisation can help motivate and engage employees with the content.
Take advantage of employee’s wealth of knowledge. Ask employees in different departments to record themselves talking or doing something they enjoy (that part’s key). User-generated content (UGC) is a way to get employees excited about the organisation’s growth instead of being a spectator.
UGC also empowers employees, from creating learning pieces to partaking in discussions; it helps transform L&D from passive to active creators. Another benefit is that UGC fosters a sense of community and inclusive culture within the organisation where employees can share, connect, and support each other.
A mentoring programme is an excellent way to introduce upskilling to the workforce. An experienced employee shares their knowledge, skills and abilities with someone less experienced. Mentoring helps to incorporate theoretical knowledge with the practical side of things.
With most workforces being time-poor, implementing bitesize learning to your L&D can help give them concise knowledge they can complete at a time that’s convenient for them.
Another crucial part of mastering talent upskilling and creating an inclusive culture is identifying skills gaps and filling these by providing training. As industries develop and businesses grow, skills gaps can be costly, so upskilling existing employees reduces the need for external hires.
Nowadays, more employees are looking for professional development within their roles. Upskilling can help retain employees by giving them skills they may need to advance their careers. Moreover, by providing more training opportunities, employees can learn new skills, which can also help encourage their personal growth and give a greater sense of self-fulfilling and satisfaction within their roles.
Upskilling can help improve employee productivity. Employees will be more efficient and productive in their roles. With the additional learning, they are able to adapt more quickly to business changes, which results in improved work quality and output.
Organisations can use UGC, mentoring, and bite-sized learning to upskill their workforce in many ways. All of these allow for improved communication and an inclusive workplace culture. Moreover, the benefits of upskilling can’t be ignored, such as filling skills gaps, which can be costly, providing professional development that can help attract new talent and retain existing employees, and boosting organisational growth.
