Re-Skilling Your Workforce for Success

Caring  

To begin re-skilling and up-skilling your workforce you must create an environment where these changes are possible. In their piece on Digital Disruption, Entrepreneur states that “to lead your organization through digital transformation and create a culture of this nature, it’s important to take steps that address the people that make up a company’s culture.” 

Booz| Allen| Hamilton suggests that modernization needs to be made with purpose: “Prioritize getting the people, processes, and culture in place. The successful adoption of many emerging technologies requires a certain mindset, culture, and agile environment. Without those elements in place, technology alone won’t support long-term objectives.” 

Below are some effective ways to implement a digital structure into your own environment:  

Communication 

• If you are implementing a new plan for your company, it is imperative that your employees fully understand why these changes are being made.  
• Effectively communicate changes by using tools that are already familiar, if you jump to new technology to implement these changes there could be gaps in your employees understanding.  
• If you communicate your goals effectively to your employees, they will communicate those goals effectively to your consumers or clients 
• Entrepreneur also states in their article that “The more clearly leaders define how the digital transformation will impact each employee and function, the better the organization will be able to overcome obstacles such as skepticism, worries about job loss and performance anxiety.” 

Continuous Learning 

• Creating an agile environment where lifelong learning is at the forefront will put your company in a place where it can more easily adapt to the changes happening in the world.  
• Make it clear to your employees that their current skills are valued but there is always room to learn something new, and make space for them to take those opportunities. 
• The World Economic Forum predicted that “Five years from now, over one-third of skills (35%) that are considered important in today’s workforce will have changed.” Keeping up to date with the necessary skills must begin with fostering a workplace of learning.
  
  

Coding 

Once there is an environment where change is accepted it will be the time to focus on what skills are necessary to see your company and employees succeed. The current business landscape after the pandemic is digitally forward; sending most of the workforce to remote work illuminated the necessity for widespread digital literacy.  

What skills your company will need to succeed may differ in small ways but there are few that are necessary for everyone, regardless of position.  

Tech Literate  

• It is important for everyone to have a basic understanding of technology and its role in the company.  

• When looking at Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and Big Data, Forbes says that “Whether you work in a factory or an accounting office in a post-coronavirus world, you need to be comfortable with these tech tools as well as be able to work with them effectively.” 
• On a large and small scale, each employee should understand the basics of the technology that your company works with as well as the reason they are useful in the scheme of your company goals.  

Digital Etiquette  

• With video meeting and conferences now taking the place of in-person contact, employees should be aware of how to properly present themselves to customers and clients online.  
• Entrepreneur has some must’s and must not’s when video conferencing: “It’s important to remember that video conferences are essentially in-person interactions that allow businesses to communicate more effectively.” 

Data Analytics 

• As more consumers and clients are using digital means as well, data analytics has the potential to give your company the information it needs to succeed. 
• The Digital Marketing Institute expresses that, “done effectively, data analysis can give you essential business and customer insights. It can also be used to inform campaigns and content.” 
• Your employees should understand how to reach their audience and data analytics provides a wealth of knowledge into the demographics, psychographics, and digital habits of your customers and clients.  

Network Security 

• With your workforce now working and keeping data for the company and clients, an increased understanding of how to protect that information is needed.  
• Everyone must understand the mechanisms of the technology they are working with as well the importance before learning how to properly protect that information with this technology.  
   

Next steps: How do you mobilize?  

Take a step back to look at how you can best transform your workplace while the world transforms around you. The best way to move forward is to start by looking at what you have and working toward what you need. Use research and analytics to look at your professional standing point, your audience’s new needs, and your employees ability to meet these needs. Enlisting the help of a media agency to gain insight on this new landscape may be a great way to start understanding the ways in which your company needs to adapt.  

Contact us about our services and how we can help you succeed and grow in this new landscape.