Why upskilling should be your priority

Upskilling your team is the new hiring in 2019. Find out why upskilling in HR is leading to better career investments and business growth for the future.

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Upskilling your team is the new hiring in 2019. Find out why upskilling in HR is leading to better career investments and business growth for the future.

With the constant evolution of digital experiences and new technologies having an influence on customer’s lives, the same development must occur within employee skill sets. Deloitte’s 2019 survey on Global Human Capital Trends showed that 90 per cent of respondents were having employers redesign jobs, highlighting that upskilling is now the new standard.

HR teams are a key factor in driving such change, creating a more innovative and organic culture that focuses on learning. This continuous education and skill growth, which HR fosters, empowers employees to be engaged and more successful in their work environment. This new focus on upskilling has created a variety of benefits for not both employees and employers.

Employee benefits

By creating a thriving workplace that’s constantly learning, HR teams are able to provide a number of opportunities for employee growth, building the strength of a business.

1. Increased value and confidence

By attending in-house or external opportunities for skill building, employees are able to diversify their knowledge and grow their confidence. Morale is increased with employees having new exciting challenges in learning the latest technological breakthroughs, empowered by HR’s ability to provide upskilling opportunities.

2. Defined and secured career paths

Technological advancements can be exciting, but they can also provide fearful moments for employees who feel as if their position is at risk. By upskilling your team, HR can provide reassurance that their existing skills and experiences are valued and that they will not be replaced.

Gartner reports that 85 per cent of customer interactions will be handled without a human agent by 2020, meaning HR needs to ensure that employees are upskilled to collaborate with automation processes, not be in fear of replacement.  And this upskilling can come in new and different ways. As an example, RMIT Online now offers a suite of courses, from short, bite sized learning to traditional degrees which can all be tailored around the working professional’s schedule.

3. Opportunities to discover new passions

Upskilling is a chance for employees to discover new areas of interest or talents. Rather than having a team member who undertakes the same defined tasks, upskilling into new topics and techniques can unlock interests that employees didn’t know existed. As they go to learn about new skills with like minded individuals, they’re able to connect on LinkedIn and build their online professional network.

Employer benefits

These personal benefits often translate to major business success, with upskilling providing similar benefits to employers.

1. Retain employees for the future

With the help of a new learning environment cultivated by HR teams, employers are able to better retain employees. Studies from Culture Amp revealed that people who believe their job ties into personal development are 21 per cent more likely to stay at their current workplace.

With more empowered employees with advanced skills, employers are able to develop succession plans, grooming team members for leadership. With job hopping every two to three years becoming more of the norm – due to better opportunities elsewhere – upskilled employees now have a more clearly defined career path to follow at their existing workplace, growing into advanced roles.

2. Attract top talent

In LinkedIn’s 2018 Workplace Learning Report, the number one reason employees feel held back from learning is because they don’t have the time. This highlights HR’s importance in creating an environment that encourages learning for not only existing employees but future ones as well.

This desire to learn and have available upskilling opportunities will mean employers will gain new employees eager to learn and grow, leading to growth for your business.

Originally published as Why upskilling should be your priority