Why Skill-Building Should Be a Core Part of Change Strategy

Organizational change underpins growth. Growth, in turn, keeps businesses current and competitive. But organizations can’t adapt and grow unless their people grow too. And here’s where the chain breaks down. Most companies invest heavily in processes and technologies to manage transformation. But they often overlook a critical component: investing in people.

Our TalentLMS Organizational Change Report confirms this. It shows that 45 percent of employees needed to learn new skills to adapt to a recent organizational change. Yet 47 percent say their company didn’t provide enough learning and development (L&D) opportunities during the transition.

This disconnect rings alarm bells on several levels. Without skill-building, change initiatives fall flat. But there are broader and deeper risks, too.

The Risks of Ignoring Learning During Change

Change without capability-building is predominantly white noise. It causes disruption but rarely fosters anything meaningful from that disruption—quite the opposite.

When learning is sidelined, confidence in change efforts quickly diminishes. Employees are left without direction and the skills or clarity they need to navigate transformation. This, in turn, leads to confusion, frustration, and resistance. It also leads to a lack of confidence in the wider learning landscape.

According to our survey, 43 percent of employees weren’t confident that change would lead to career growth opportunities. And one in three doubted it would result in meaningful L&D opportunities.

That level of uncertainty and skepticism doesn’t just affect morale on the ground. It also undermines retention, engagement, and internal mobility. Simply put, if people don’t see a future for themselves during or after change, they’re more likely to disengage or leave.

This is especially troubling when organizations already face capability gaps.

Accenture reports that 42 percent of C-suite leaders cite a shortage of skills as one of the top three obstacles to responding to change. Yet, Gartner data shows that 64 percent of employees already possess the core capabilities needed to adapt successfully.

Which means? Untapped potential is a real risk here. A solid foundation for people-powered change exists. But without a commitment to L&D and opportunities to build on existing skills, growth is stunted and progress stalls.

Support Behavior Change, Not Just Process Change

That word—opportunities—matters. Skill-building alone can’t guarantee success when it comes to business transformation. According to research from McKinsey, employees also need regular, practical opportunities to apply what they’ve learned.

Because the truth is, real change doesn’t happen when people know something new. Rather, it happens when they do something differently. And then keep doing it differently.

Which is why skill-building needs to be more than a tick box in your change checklist. It needs to support a long-term behavioral change in how employees work, interact, and think.

So, what’s getting in the way?

Change typically starts with a new process that affects roles, tools, workflows, or goals (sometimes, it’s all of the above). And attention, naturally, focuses on the practicalities of implementation.

But, while explaining the practicalities matters, real behavior change requires more than communication plans, implementation guides, and operational updates. It demands a deeper understanding of not just what’s changing, but how employees should adapt and why. It also calls for targeted, ongoing skill-building that equips people with the capabilities they need from the start of the change journey through to the end.

Embed Learning Into Every Stage of Change

If change is a journey, skill-building can’t be a postscript or one-time intervention. It must be embedded from the outset and viewed as the engine that keeps driving it forward. To nurture a skills-based workforce means positioning L&D as a strategic partner in transformation initiatives. And ensuring that learning is integrated proactively across every stage of the change lifecycle.

Roland, a TalentLMS customer, is a great example of this commitment. During their transition to remote and hybrid work, they factored learning into every stage of the change journey, launching 178 courses and completing nearly 10,000 training sessions.

So, what does that kind of skill-building approach look like in practice? Let’s break that lifecycle down.

1. Start with a skills snapshot. Begin by identifying the new tasks and behaviors the change will require. Ask questions such as: What new tasks will this change introduce? Which teams will feel the shift most? What skills are missing today? Carrying out an initial assessment sets the stage for intentional, focused development.

2. Pair every change with (easy-to-access, easy-to-digest) training. Segment learning to sync up with each new initiative. Provide accessible training such as short, role-specific modules, explainer videos, and “before vs. after” visuals. And use an LMS platform with adaptive learning paths to personalize development at scale.

3. Balance short-term wins with long-term growth. Set up “just-in-time” resources for immediate changes affecting new systems or workflows. But follow up with longer-term development goals aligned with your organization’s new strategic direction. For example, offer leadership programs following a reorganization, or digital upskilling after a tech upgrade.

4. Make learning visible and mark its value. Celebrate learners and tie progress to performance metrics. Recognition reinforces behavior change and shows employees that growth is not just encouraged but expected.

The Power of a Skills-First Mindset

Skill-building isn’t just a vital strategy for supporting one-off organizational transitions. It’s a powerful and future-focused mindset that supports a landscape defined by uncertainty. There are roles within organizations that don’t yet exist. There are technologies that haven’t been invented yet but will soon redefine how we work.

Investing in skill-building as a core part of workplace culture (not just as a reaction to change) puts people first. It creates a sense of purpose and possibility. Which, in turn, gives employees the capabilities and commitment they need to take on the unknown. It allows them to pivot with confidence and keep growing, contributing, and thriving.

And, for businesses, it means building a workforce that’s not only prepared for change but ready to lead it.