Top HR trends for 2022 – #2 learning, upskilling and re-skilling your workforce to fill the skills gap
Following on from last week’s blog on hybrid working ; this week we are looking at the second biggest challenge in HR in 2022 which is around recruitment and retention.
COVID 19 had a dramatic impact on the labour market; many sectors having to put their people on furlough. It is likely that the pandemic will continue to have an impact in the next few years.
An article posted on LinkedIn talks about some of the top recruitment challenges facing companies in 2022:
Talent shortage – attributed to a shortage of skills. Research conducted by Korn Perry estimates that more than eighty-five million positions might remain empty by 2030 because there will not be enough qualified people to fill them. Companies are trying to deal with this shortfall by re-skilling and upskilling to enable internal hiring.
In HR today these terms are defined, as:
- upskilling – the process of learning new skills or teaching employees’ new skills
- reskilling – the process of learning new skills so you can fill a different role (i.e.training employees to do a different job)
The same article sets out that these will not only be useful attributes during and post pandemic, but overtime they will help improve retention, attract new talent and even collaboration across your organisation.
Linked to upskilling and reskilling is career pathways.
A career pathway is different from a career path. It is a series of development steps designed for an individual in order to move them from their current role to a job description that is more in demand in the job market. Career pathways do not just benefit the individual, it also benefits the organisation too.
Equip your people to meet future demand – career pathways help the organisation to identify skills and capabilities that are already present in order to address the skills gap both for the present and the future.
Hidden skills – when an individual is able to assess their skills this may reveal potential capabilities that you may not be aware of.
Talent mobility – by having a culture that allows people to grow and stretch themselves they are more likely to stay in the organisation. The skills gained can then be mobilized wherever they need to be at the time, allowing both the organisation and the individual the flex they need to flourish.
In short, to succeed in this new world you need to invest in your people. Not only of course will this help manage the skills shortage, but people will feel valued which will improve their experience at work and also their engagement.
