Increase Productivity and Retention: 5 Questions to Guide Workforce Upskilling

Upskilling strategies can improve productivity and boost retention within organizations.

August 10, 2023 | By David Fulle

This year, many organizations have had to reduce the size of their workforce. You may have been one of those leaders whose team was impacted. But do you still face the same growth margins and performance expectations? Chances are you likely do. How can you drive productivity and ensure retention? By zeroing in on upskilling.

Our research shows that 77% of digital leaders say they are well-positioned to reskill/upskill the workforce to be productive using digital technologies, but the same digital leaders say that creating a culture of continuous learning is a top challenge when it comes to digital transformation.

So how do you foster a culture of continuous learning and ensure your investment in workforce development strengthens your business? Ask yourself the following questions to help you determine a path forward.

Start Small, Think Big: The Benefits of Workforce Upskilling

The most vital investment you make is in your people. They are your innovators. They drive results. But what’s in it for your people besides a paycheck? When people work for a company that values continuous learning, they feel more empowered and confident. And they are more likely to stay.

Here are five questions to consider when taking inventory of your current upskilling strategy:

1. Are your training practices aligned with your mission and values? Training programs often lack big-picture perspective. Give employees what they want: skills training that will further their personal and professional growth.
2. Do your employees find it challenging to find time for training? Consider implementing bite-sized learning experiences personalized to individual roles and look for learning moments that are embedded into the flow of the existing work.
3. Which roles or departments need learning initiatives? Digital skills are crucial for every employee, yet many workers don’t have the digital skills needed by organizations. And not many are participating in training programs today. One in 5 organizations say it takes 10-plus months to fill mission-critical IT roles, according to our State of Digital Transformation report, and we break down the most critical skills gaps. Every employee needs to leverage technology in their daily work, so it’s crucial for employers to offer skills training across the organization. 
4. How will you scale your learning initiatives? Determine the most important skills and pick a small group within the organization to act as a pilot test. Conducting a pilot allows companies to tackle short-term needs while keeping spending modest and promoting a culture of learning. 
5. Do you have the resources needed to implement effective training? Seek a training partner and program that can keep you on track with mindfully investing and aligning with your customers’ needs. A trusted partner can empower your business to connect learning experiences back to business goals. Weaving your values, work dynamic and business goals into learning or competencies is crucial. Competency building is directly tied to business growth.

Close the Digital Skills Gap, Foster Continuous Learning, and Drive Business Growth

Investing in your people is good business. If your people are gaining value through engaging learning experiences, they are more likely to stay with your organization and drive productivity. As many workforces have been reduced, it’s important to ensure your investments around workforce development align to your mission, prioritize critical digital skills and ultimately drive business growths.