Upskilling refers to the process of providing workers with the training they can use to build their skill sets and grow their careers. And, it can have far-flung effects on your business and its employees.
With upskilling, your business can help its employees become key contributors across all departments. Meanwhile, upskilling also fosters trust and loyalty, to the point where employees can thrive within your business. In the long run, upskilling can boost employee retention. It may help your company attract and retain top talent, too.
Furthermore, upskilling gives your employees opportunities to learn. Thanks to upskilling, your workers can gain skills, without having to worry about the costs of enrolling in certification or degree programs. Plus, your employees can take advantage of in-house training programs to obtain the skills they need to accomplish their career goals.
Ultimately, it pays to start upskilling your team right away. If you capitalize on upskilling, your business and its employees can reap the benefits for years to come.
How to Upskill Your Team
Here are five tips to help you upskill your team.
1. Establish Goals
Determine why you want to upskill your team. From here, create upskilling goals. Oftentimes, it helps to make goals that are specific, measurable, aspirational, realistic, and time-bound (SMART). That way, you can track your team’s progress as it works toward achieving these goals.
2. Give Employees Time for Training
Provide your team with sufficient time for training. You can allocate time within the workweek that workers can use to complete training. Or, you can give your workers time each day to upskill.
3. Promote the Use of Personal Development Plans (PDPs)
Encourage your workers to use PDPs, so they can determine which skills they want to develop. Then, your workers can complete training programs to advance these skills over time. PDPs ensure your employees can gain the skills they want and track their progress.
4. Set Up a Dedicated Learning Space at Work
Give your workers a dedicated spot where they can engage in upskilling programs. This space should be separated from all other areas of your work environment. Here, your workers can focus on what’s most important: getting the most value out of their upskilling.
5. Plan for Life After Upskilling
Develop a plan that allows each employee to put the skills they learn from an upskilling program into action. Monitor the progress of this plan and request feedback from your workers. Next, you can ensure your workers are well-equipped to leverage all of the skills at their disposal and realize their full potential.
The Bottom Line on Upskilling Your Team
Upskilling can provide tremendous value, particularly for businesses that want to build productive and efficient teams. In addition to upskill programs, you may want to partner with a professional staffing agency, so you can identify, recruit, and retain top talent.
Techneeds is a professional staffing firm that can connect you with qualified professionals across your industry. To learn more about our staffing services, please contact us today.