It’s 2022. We have arrived in a time period where there are more vacancies to be fulfilled than people available to do the jobs. This makes it very difficult for businesses and organizations to fill open positions that desperately need to be filled. Let alone to hire someone that is truly qualified for the work that needs to be done. But should companies always strive to bring new knowledge and experience from the outside to within? Not if you believe in the power of upskilling. (As you should!)
What is upskilling?
In essence upskilling is the act of increasing the knowledge and experience of employees who are already working within the company, enabling them to take on work they would otherwise not be able to do. Upskilling makes it possible to get more work done with the existing workforce and thus decreases the need for hiring new talent. Upskilling may very well prove that the solution for that one specific vacancy that can’t seem to be fulfilled, was present within your existing team all along.
Not only can upskilling put an end to the difficult hunt for new talent, but it can also motivate existing employees to stay with the company for longer than they otherwise would. Most likely the process of upskilling is also more cost-effective than recruiting and training new people.
How to start upskilling?
But as with all HR methods the question arises: where do I start with upskilling my existing employees? We think a good start is to let it be known that upskilling is an option within your organization. Chances are that people in the workforce are willing to learn new skills, though they may not tell you until you offer them the opportunity to do so.
Of course you will also have to assess which positions need to be fulfilled within the company – and which education would bring about the necessary skills to get the work done. (We can help you decide if you’re having doubts!)
Keep in mind that it’s probably smart to not offer the same education to everyone within your company, but rather to a group of key employees that you would like to obtain a specific skillset in order to do a specific job.
Need more advice on how to implement upskilling within your business or organization? Please contact the HRhelp team and let us know what you need:
Michael Thurkow
+31 (0)6 536 006 76
Cornelis Leerlooijer
+31 (0)6 556 947 10
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