Upskilling and reskilling have been significant factors for every organisation with a robust growth strategy. While companies traditionally favoured hard skills in their employees, recent industry and market trends have shifted towards the demand for soft skills.
Additionally, there’s growing interest in general IT skills as organisations experience large-scale digital transformation in response to new normal disruptions. While upskilling and reskilling should remain a workplace priority, the training and development landscape has changed.
There are various professional training opportunities for employees, but leaders should narrow down to the ones that yield the best options for career growth and personal improvement.
Quality should always precede quantity when it comes to skills, and there should be practical considerations for the short, mid, and long term advantages with each investment.
Upskilling and Reskilling Considerations
Upskilling refers to specific training measures to help employees reach required industry standards and function at their best at a competitive level. The process involves upgrading existing knowledge, which is especially crucial in rapidly changing industries such as IT and cybersecurity.
Similarly, reskilling keeps employees well-prepared for their roles by retraining and equipping them with a new set of skills according to changing workplace demands and job scopes.
Aside from shifting technical demands, upskilling and reskilling provide valuable soft skills that keep employees efficient and versatile in their careers.
The Most In-Demand Soft Skills
Professional soft skills are equivalent to personal skills that employees can apply throughout their careers, regardless of the company they serve. While hard skills change drastically over time according to external market and economic factors, soft skills usually stay relevant with minimal changes.
Growth Mindset Towards Upskilling
Employees with a growth mindset believe in lifelong learning. They’re usually self-driven and engaged in contributing their best work.
Additionally, individuals with a growth mindset constantly study and adapt to industry trends to stay ahead of the curve. A growth mindset essentially signals an employee’s drive for success and the progress of the organisation.
Active Listening
Active listeners are masterful communicators. Employees with this soft skill can skillfully detect the essence of a conversation, concentrate on verbal and nonverbal cues, and establish rapport with any speaker.
SoundWave Workshops offer immersive sessions that introduce and familiarise participants with their varied voices and effective methods of becoming active listeners.
Adaptability
An increasingly VUCA workplace calls for high adaptability to uncertain situations. The new normal and Industry 4.0 challenge individuals to adapt faster than ever, with exponential changes that require employees to stay alert and versatile at all times.
There’s a pressing need to replace binary mindsets (i.e., black or white) with fluid perspectives that consider various shades of grey. Organisations should still maintain SOPs for routine operations while encouraging employees to trust their best judgment in unconventional scenarios.
Regular upskilling and reskilling provide organisational leaders with a win-win situation. Employees will be more likely to stay engaged in their jobs while improving their organisation’s overall ROI. And soft skills will lay at the forefront of it all regardless of the unpredictable future.
StrengthsAsia has helped many individuals and corporate clients empower leaders throughout the region by enabling breakthrough experiences for both leaders and followers. If you wish to learn more about the Strengths Leadership Program, please reach out to us here.
A devotee at the altar of language and a celebrant of expression. Laurenzo has written for various SMEs, MNCs, startups and international brands over the last three years. He specializes in topics of psychology, lifestyle, employee management, and digital trends.
Maalikka is the latest addition to StrengthsAsia’s team of marketing and content extraordinaries. As an avid reader, writer and learner, she’s always on the lookout for new information online or interesting conversations to inspire her. Her other passions include gaming, Netflix and cats.
