Change is difficult—we all know that. But there’s something about change in the workplace that has the power to spark all sorts of fears within us. That’s because our jobs hold the strings to our livelihood. So, when there is a perceived threat to that, it can understandably trigger concerns, anxiety, and stress, especially following a period of mass layoffs and job loss.
As employees re-enter the workplace, they will likely seek a sense of stability and direction communicated from the top down, with demonstrated buy-in from executive leaders. They will also look to their managers to effectively prepare them to manage any immediate and future changes.
During this time, it is important for employees to have a sense of ownership and control over their ability to succeed. In the short term, one of the best, most direct ways to address that is through learning—providing employees with opportunities to improve their skills and competencies. Sustaining this in the long term requires a broader change—preparing your workforce to adopt an agile learning culture.
Why Skills and Competencies Matter Right Now
I’m sure you’ve heard the terms “reskilling and upskilling” flying around in the L&D world and how important they are during this time. But what do these terms mean for your organization specifically?
Reskilling is the process of learning new skills so you can do a different job or of training people to do a different job. It involves finding people with skills that align with the new skills your organization requires. Upskilling is the process of learning new skills or teaching workers new, advanced skills to close knowledge gaps while involving them in ongoing learning to help them advance in their careers.
Developing skills and competencies is becoming increasingly important in the United States and across the globe. For example:
● In the report, Learning and Skills at Work 2020, released in June by CIPD and Accenture, 36 percent of respondents listed “addressing skills gaps” as their number 1 priority for their organization.
● Of the top 10 threats to organizations’ future growth, “availability of key skills” ranked number 3 in PwC’s 22nd Annual Global CEO Survey in 2019.
● MIT Sloan’s assessment of a yearlong in-factory training program on communication, problem-solving, decision-making, and stress management found that the training resulted in a 250 percent ROI within eight months after it ended.
Planning for Re-Entry
The case is clear that businesses should be focusing heavily on closing skills and competency gaps as they plan their reopening. A great way to get started is by building a competency framework. Using a skills and competencies template to guide you through this process will save a lot of time and effort as you work to identify the skills and competencies your workforce has, the ones they need, and where to fill the gaps with learning.
I recommend leaning on skills and competencies that will enable your workforce to be agile amid change—and remain that way—so they are prepared to pivot when another disruption or crisis occurs. Skills that can effectively facilitate short-term change while mobilizing your workforce for long-term agility include:
● Flexibility—Being willing to “meet others halfway” when working in an atmosphere of frequent operational and procedural changes
● Adaptability—Being able to change based on what happens around you, whether that involves customers’ needs, changing technology, or a rapidly changing workplace environment
● Communication—Being able to quickly, accurately, and effectively communicate changes in strategy or approach amid several changing factors
● De-Escalation—Being able to “dial down” one’s anger and the anger of others in times of confusion, change, or stress
For more information on why learning and development is critical to the success of your business both for the short and long term, download our free e-book Four Reasons to Lean on Learning as You Move Beyond COVID-19.
Editor’s Note: This is adapted from the Schoox Corporate Learning blog.