The world of work is changing. AI-focused tech is emerging, industries are evolving, and the skills needed to succeed are constantly in flux. Today, upskilling is essential for organizations and people to stay current and competitive.
What is upskilling?
Upskilling is the process of equipping your workforce with the knowledge and abilities they need to thrive in the face of change. It can involve skill development like learning new software programs or developing soft skills such as communication and teamwork.
Why does upskilling matter?
Upskilling allows companies to bridge skill gaps, keeping their teams relevant and adaptable. It fosters innovation, boosts employee morale, and even helps with recruitment and retention. In short, a commitment to upskilling is an investment in the future of your organization.
The limits of generic upskilling
Upskilling is a powerful tool for staying relevant in the workplace, but it isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. Here’s why:
- Different goals: Employees have unique career aspirations. A generic program might not target the skill development needed for an individual's desired career path.
- Learning styles: People learn best in different ways. Some prefer hands-on experience, while others thrive with lectures or online modules. A one-size-fits-all program won’t cater to these variations.
- Time constraints: Everyone juggles work with their personal lives. Generic training programs aren’t flexible enough to fit into busy schedules, leading to low completion rates.
- Employee engagement: When employees feel like an upskilling program doesn't address their specific needs, they’ll likely be disengaged and less motivated to learn.
Effective upskilling requires personalization. If you want to create an effective upskilling strategy, you should offer multiple learning options that match different employee preferences and needs. According to a report by Deloitte, learners who participated in training that addressed their preferred learning styles reported 70% higher engagement.1 This highlights the importance of offering a diverse toolkit of upskilling approaches.
7 different approaches to skill development
By providing a range of options, your organization can cater to unique employee preferences, fostering a more engaged and effective upskilling experience. Let's look at examples of different approaches:
1. Peer-to-peer learning
With peer-to-peer learning, employees can learn from each other's experiences, skills, and knowledge. Your company can set up forums, discussion boards, and group assignments, encouraging employees to share their insights and collaborate on learning tasks.
2. Mentoring
Mentoring involves pairing experienced employees with less experienced peers and providing guidance, coaching, and support. You can set up mentorship programs (even remotely) through messaging and video conferencing features, making it easy for mentors and mentees to communicate and collaborate.
3. On-the-job training
Learning by doing is a solid training approach. On-the-job training allows employees to gain practical experience and skills by engaging in real-world projects and tasks. Project management tools and training resources like guides, checklists, and performance tracking systems can support this type of upskilling.
4. Simulations and gamified learning
Interactive simulations and gamified experiences provide a safe and engaging environment to learn new skills. Tools like badges, leaderboards, and rewards can motivate participation. Gamified learning also fosters a sense of competition and motivation among employees, boosting levels of engagement.
5. Instructor-led courses
Instructor-led courses, delivered in-person or virtually, allow your workforce to learn from subject matter experts. Web conferencing tools can facilitate live training sessions, webinars, and Q&A opportunities. This type of corporate learning gives participants real-time answers, addressing topic confusion and keeping learners interested.
6. Webinars, podcasts, and videos
Webinars, podcasts, and videos offer a flexible learning experience that employees can access at their own pace. With an online training platform, your company can host and manage a wealth of multimedia resources, including pre-recorded webinars, podcasts, and LMS videos.
7. Online courses
Online courses provide a scalable, cost-effective method for delivering upskilling initiatives across large teams and dispersed workforces. Robust course creation tools available in many learning management systems (LMSs) allow organizations to develop and deliver high-quality training content for easy access.
How Absorb LMS supports upskilling
Upskilling your workforce is no longer optional, it’s necessary. However, according to Brandon Hall’s 2023 Learning Benchmark study, 47% of companies cite upskilling as one of their greatest challenges. Here's how our platform is a powerful ally for enterprises looking for a better way to upskill employees:
Upskill in one place
You don’t need multiple upskilling systems – you just need one. Absorb Skills is an end-to-end solution for upskilling as part of our LMS. Setting the standard from individual goal setting to self-assessment to personalized learning, Skills is where companies offer custom career paths and employees control their training. It's a win-win for both learners and organizations.
Curated training courses
Amplify Max, our most extensive course content library, powers Absorb Skills with over 20k expertly curated training courses – all of which are tagged to specific roles and competencies. What this means for you: our pre-curated content approach takes the stress out of creating content for your L&D team. This content portfolio meets you where you are – delivering courses for different skills and in varying formats. These courses ever cover important topics beyond upskilling like compliance, safety, and diversity and inclusion (DEI).
Watch our webinar: Build, Buy or Both: The Ultimate LMS Content Library
Actionable data that delivers continuous improvement
Don't guess if your upskilling efforts are working. Let the numbers inform you. Absorb Analyze provides real-time insights into employee engagement, performance, and progress. Use this data to identify what's working and what needs adjustment. Continuously refine and optimize your courses to ensure employees get the training they need to excel in their roles.
Learning through a gamified LMS
Absorb integrates social learning and gamified LMS features like discussion forums, messaging, and leaderboards to create a community where learners can interact, share knowledge, and answer each other's questions. This fosters a collaborative environment where peers can learn from each other's experiences and perspectives.
Build a rich corporate learning environment
Upskilling efforts thrive in an environment that encourages ongoing learning. Here are a few quick tips on how to cultivate a culture like this:
- Encourage employee input: Actively solicit employee feedback on training programs. Demonstrate a willingness to adapt and improve based on their suggestions. This fosters a sense of ownership and engagement.
- Garner leadership support: Visible support from top management champions growth. When leaders advocate for upskilling initiatives, it sends a meaningful message about your organization's commitment to learning.
- Recognize and reward efforts: Celebrate employees who embrace upskilling opportunities. Formal recognition programs, casual acknowledgments, and incentives can go a long way in motivating continuous learning behavior.
Read the white paper: The Future of Work: An Upskilling and Reskilling Revolution
Invest in upskilling with Absorb
The takeaway is clear: upskilling isn't a perk, it's a necessity. By adopting a multi-faceted approach that meets individual needs, you give your employees the resources to make major career strides and your company the fuel to grow.
Absorb LMS helps organizations to do just that. Our LMS platform provides the tools and data needed to design, deliver, and optimize skill development initiatives. Ready to see how? Contact our team for a demo and see how we can help you win the future of work
