In today’s digital age, we are surrounded by innovative technologies that were unimaginable even a decade ago in our personal and professional lives. Because the world around us constantly evolves, upskilling has become an increasingly important investment for organizations.
Studies show that 92 percent of leaders say their employees are happy at work, while only 30 percent of individuals and 65 percent of managers agree. While there are many challenges facing the workforce today, lack of adequate upskilling and closing the growing technology skills gap are significant factors affecting employee experience.
So, what does this mean? At a high level, leaders must prioritize upskilling as a means to use technology to empower their workforce to be more effective and efficient and to make better business decisions. And while every organization has a different definition of what it means to be “digital-first,” leadership at enterprises across industries are at a tipping point when it comes to investing in training and development.
Evaluating the benefits and challenges
When defining the term ‘upskilling,’ many leaders might argue that this is the art of teaching an employee the skills needed to execute their job function properly. However, digital upskilling is much more than that. If we take this one step further, leaders should be asking not only whether their employees are able to do their current jobs properly but if they have been adequately trained to grow in tandem with technological evolution. As technology advances, is your workforce not only equipped to handle the tools and techniques of their current roles, but will they be prepared for how their roles change and grow as technology shifts?
Industry spotlight – pharmaceuticals
One of the sectors in which upskilling needs are most persistent is pharma. The main functions across the pharmaceutical industry – bringing drugs to market, managing fulfillment, etc. – require employees to operate complex systems that have their own enhanced capabilities. This means that strong digital literacy is necessary for an organization to be successful – and yet the skills gap remains quite large.
Beginning your upskilling journey
For leaders looking to define their enterprise learning journey, begin by assessing what digital upskilling means to their organization. This includes:
- Evaluating needs and existing skills gaps: what do your teams need to be able to do that they currently are unable to? What about 5 years from now?
- Determining where your organization stands today: does the existing talent possess some level of the necessary skills already, and in what capacity?
- Prioritizing an organizational approach: what skills are needed for what departments, and how can training be specialized across the organization?
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