How to get the most out of your employees through upskilling.

As a self-confessed „HR Passionista upskilling is a topic that has been on my mind for a long time. Why? Demographic change, the ever-declining birth rate and the shortage of skilled workers on the market influence my work with companies on a daily basis.

Now the situation has been exacerbated by the arrival of the Coronavirus pandemic: processes need to be digitised much faster than predicted. As I mentioned in another article, according to the World Economic Forum predicts, approximately one third of the skills currently in demand will be replaced by automation and digitisation. This means that certain jobs will no longer exist in the future, which sounds bleak – but is it really that bad?

It sounds dramatic at first glance, but I disagree. Jobs that are disappearing will be replaced by new positions that do not yet exist. In short, the person who currently operates a production machine may be replaced by a robot – but someone will still b needed to operate and maintain it. As a company, you could simply dismiss the production worker. Alternatively, you could start thinking today about retraining and further educating your existing staff in case this scenario occur.

This is where the topic of upskilling comes into play. But what does that actually mean?

Upskilling means acquiring new new and relevant skills that are needed today and in the future. Examples of this would be learning digital and/or analytical skills. Digitalisation is already underway, so these skills are urgently needed now. In a world of information overload, AI is already being programmed to sort data and analyse the most relevant information. However, this must be programmed by humans.

Another important aspect will be learning to deal with change. Change management, also known as „organisational transformation“, will be needed more than ever.

How can upskilling contribute to this?

It helps companies develop their existing employees ensuring that the so-called „skill gap“ does not wide further. (The skill gap is the difference between employees‘ current knowledge and the skills they will require in the future). The key is recognising what you will need and want from your employees in the future. What can they already do and what more do they need to learn?

How can this gap be closed?

The first and most obvious step is to conduct an analysis – a so-called „training/skills gap analysis“. In short: what skills do I currently have and which ones am I missing?

I then use this information to build my learning and development programmes, adapt content and methods, and evaluate whether I am on the right track. Developing complex programmes like this is, of course, expensive, and not every company has such a large budget.

For those waiting for an insider tip: an analysis can also be carried out using an Excel spreadsheet with the help of an expert.

Once the analysis is complete, it’s time to implement the findings.

What are some simple ways to upskill my workforce? Here are five recommendations that can be implemented even on a small budget and have a big impact.

1. Job rotation

A tangible example: sales & marketing

A sales manager is aiming for a management position. Analysis has revealed a gap in marketing skills (e.g. preparation of marketing materials for customer appointments). A marketing manager realises that sales pitches are not their strong point and that they are not always able to „sell“ their ideas effectively. Swapping two positions could lead to the development of the missing skills.

The purpose of job rotation is to expand one’s knowledge of other areas of the company. Employees tend to move to other positions at the same level to broaden their experience. In most cases, this is only short-term with employees returning to their original job. In my experience, it is also frequently used by HR departments. Here, HR professionals can gain a better insight into the company enabling them to fulfil their role as business partners more effectively.

2. Job enlargement

As an employee, I take on a task or project to broaden my horizons. To achieve further development, it is important to take on responsibility in a completely new area.

I have had very positive experience of this. For example I  took on the project management of the office renovation, even though it was not actually part of my responsibilities as an HR manager. I gained knowledge of project management, understanding office environments and infrastructure, and I still benefit from this today.

3. Peer coaching

This involves learning from a colleague. You are assigned a „peer“ (someone at the same level but with a different skill set). You can approach this person directly with questions, observe their working methods and learn from them.

For example: a colleague might support a new employee during their onboarding by answering questions such as who needs to talk to whom so that decisions can be made, where relevant information can be found etc. The aim here is to overcome everyday working challenges with the help of colleagues‘ practical experience.

4. Working Out Loud (WOL) Circles

WOL is very similar to peer coaching, but more formal and goal-focuesed. For 12 weeks, you meet with at least four group members and, with the help of predefined instructions, also known as „guides“, you work together to achieve your goal. This may sound very time-consuming at first, but one hour per week is not much in relation to an entire working week.

The added value of WOL lies in the mutual exchange of ideas and input from external parties on a given topic, which fosters innovation. On the other hand, you learn how to build and expand your network and understand the importance of contacts for achieving your goal.

WOL circles can be held either publicly or within a company.

Bosch has already demonstrated the success of this approach, using targeted internal WOL circles to support innovation in digital transformation, for example. Further information is available here.