Factors Employers should consider while upskilling their teams

In today’s business environment where change is constant and qualified, experienced talent is in short supply, companies need long-term strategies to maintain a dynamic workforce capable of excelling.

A contributing factor to the current hiring issues being faced by industries at large is the slow progress of upskilling conducted by employers in the past. With the increased need for digitisation and automation, critical skills are required by dynamic professionals to both cater for and progress through the existing impact of the pandemic. To this end, here are some key factors I believe should be foundational when employers are considering Upskilling opportunities for their employee base:

Grooming Talent: In my opinion, one of the key drivers for Newj’s growth has been our ability to hire driven individuals from diverse backgrounds. Some of them have lacked environments which widen the scope for them to discover their own talent. We often cycle younger employees between multiple departments during their probation for them to understand overarching business objectives as well as identify where they would want to fit in the system. We then train them within that sphere while tracking their progress keeping future Upskilling in mind to mold them into their professional personas.

Providing Security: Once an employee identifies their interests and talents, Upskilling is an excellent tool for them to hone their skills and improve efficiency. It also provides a great deal of security as they are able to visualize their growth within the company. The employer’s job is then to simply lay the path before them.

Look for Curiosity: I believe it is often better to hire passionate and curious individuals when ranking attributes for a prospective employee. They come with a productive mindset and an untethered desire to learn. This enables them to be more involved in the day to day activities within the company as well as keeping an eye out for opportunities to tweak processes and increase efficiency. On the job skilling opportunities, especially from online platforms, is an invaluable tool to use in such situations.

Avoid Conformity: As a proud MBA from a prestigious university, I urge employers especially within the Indian startup ecosystem to break free from the generalized consensus to predominantly hire talent with masters degrees. While there is a great deal of value to be found with MBA recruiting with the addition of networking opportunities, employers should first focus on the functionality required for the role. If there are individuals within the organization who have learnt on the job and carved a niche for themselves, Upskilling will enable greater returns for their potential. MBA Certification, albeit important, is not the only driving factor.