4 Keys to Digital Transformation with Upskilling Your People

The concept of artificial intelligence, or AI, has been part of the engineering and tech landscape for a long time. Recent technological advancements have been so rapid that the dawn of GenAI applications available to everyone is already old news. But the need for digital transformation inside organizations is more urgent than ever before. One of the fastest growing roles in the C-Suite has been the Chief Digital Officer. This individual is tasked with many initiatives, including possibly overseeing plans to upskill existing workforces critical to meeting digital transformation goals.

If you believe that merely enrolling employees in upskilling courses is enough for bridging skills gaps in digital and tech, you’re not alone. This approach is built on the assumption that enrollment in an online course equals readiness for new digital roles, except it leaves many organizations far short of meeting their urgent and emerging demands.

Navigating these challenges requires a more nuanced and embedded approach – one that aligns upskilling initiatives with employees' career aspirations while ensuring training content is both relevant and engaging to each employee. In particular, it’s imperative to equip managers with the ability to join up the skills employees are learning with business priorities.

1. Align Upskilling with Career Aspirations

Engagement with training programs is driven largely by how personalized they are to the employee’s career goals. To make sure these programs are relevant, take the time to understand the ambitions of your workforce. Provide career pathways that serve both the employee’s aspirations and the company’s goals.

When an employee sees their career trajectory aligned with the future of their company, it builds a sense of motivation and commitment to transformation initiatives.

We caution against a one-size-fits-all approach to upskilling. It’s often a guaranteed way to fail to meet digital transformation goals. Instead, create personalized learning paths.

A targeted approach ensures employees gain new skills and are also prepared to apply them in meaningful and impactful ways within the organization. According to Gallup, engaged learners are 2.5x more likely to acquire new skills and 4.5x more likely to be hopeful about the future than disengaged peers.

2. Tailored, Hands-on Learning is Best

The uptake of a training program relies heavily on the quality and relevance of its content – it isn’t enough to simply publish a list of courses.

The program needs to be tailored to the employee’s current skills and future goals and include interactive and hands-on learning experiences.

For example, simulations, project-based learning, and real-world problem-solving activities help employees apply new skills in a context that mirrors their actual work environment.

Engaging and relevant content empowers employees to confidently transition into new digital roles.

3. Course Completion Does Not Equal Readiness

Course completion and test scores are completely inadequate for actually indicating an employee’s readiness to take on new roles. True readiness is the employee’s ability to apply their new skills effectively in real-world scenarios.

Organizations should instead consider more robust assessment and feedback mechanisms after each course is completed. Then, ensure managers follow up in subsequent coaching or career conversations.

This ongoing approach to upskilling will help employees become more adaptable in the face of digital transformation and ensure that they’re ready for new opportunities as they arise.

4. Let Go of the Fear of Investing in Employees Who May Leave

This fear is a common concern when it comes to investment in employee development. Ask yourself – what happens if we don’t invest in our employees’ professional development? While the fear of losing employees you’ve invested in is valid, the costs of stagnation, decreased competitiveness, and a lack of innovation far outweigh this potential loss of talent.

Part of mitigating this risk is in managers getting to know each employee – their performance and their potential to grow within the organization. By investing in individuals who demonstrate both capability and commitment, companies foster a more loyal and engaged workforce.

This approach also supports employee retention. When employees see a clear pathway for their growth within the organization, they are more likely to want to contribute to its success. Remember, a sense of purpose and belonging are powerful mechanisms for employee retention.

A culture of growth and advancement, even non-linear career paths, increase employee engagement and helps strengthen your employer brand.

Put these fears to bed in the knowledge that, ultimately, investing in an effectively run training and development program creates a committed workforce who are far less likely to look for opportunities with other organizations.

Conclusion

Meeting digital transformation goals require just that, transformation. Organizations need to build more effective internal training and upskilling programs that align with each employee’s career aspirations, rather than investing in overly expensive recruitment campaigns.

In running these programs, always remember to challenge the notion of checkbox training assessments and instead take a more holistic approach; one that provides relevant, engaging and personalized opportunities.

Curious about how to develop a sustainable talent strategy combining recruitment, professional development, and internal mobility? We’re experts in the full talent lifecycle and ready to help you plan the best course of action for your people. Let’s talk.