Talent Development 101
TALENT DEVELOPMENT 101: HOW TO UPSKILL AND RESKILL YOUR WORKFORCE IN THE AGE OF AI
By Madiha Mubarik
In today’s AI-dominated landscape, upskilling and reskilling have become indispensable for organisational growth. As the business environment evolves rapidly, complacency is not an option. According to Forbes, investing in upskilling and reskilling prepares companies for ongoing changes and equips them to navigate future developments with agility.
Recently, we hosted an industry roundtable, collaborating with HR and technology leaders to identify key strategies for implementing successful upskilling and reskilling programs. In this blog, we’ve highlighted the top recommendations to empower employers in fostering a skilled workforce ready for the challenges of AI-driven industries.
TOP RECOMMENDATIONS
1. MAKE IT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY LEADER
Upskilling and reskilling efforts need HR leaders to really commit to them. However, shared responsibility is vital to get the consistent and widespread effort needed for them to work well.
2. GET SENIOR LEADERSHIP BUY-IN
Regardless of how resistance shows up, senior leaders must lead by example to support these initiatives. Involve managers in the design and delivery of these programs and provide sensitivity and unconscious bias training for those involved.
3. THINK ABOUT SKILLS OF THE FUTURE
Lead with skills taxonomies and skills mapping, understanding which jobs need to be developed in order to keep your workforce relevant and productive in their field.
4. PUT EMPLOYEES AT THE CENTRE
Think about how your employers want to learn and harness employee involvement from the start. Build in time for them to focus, and manage their workload so that they are not overwhelmed.
5. CHOOSE YOUR PARTNERS WISELY
Harness the potential of your widespread ecosystem and partner with organisations who can conduct joint training efforts, help you measure impact and scale your program up or down depending on need.
NEW TALENT ACQUISITION: HIRING RE-SKILLERS INTO YOUR WORKFORCE
- PREPARATION
- Get hiring manager buy-in and prepare for thorough onboarding for re-skillers
- Prepare mentors and allow them ramp-up time to embed properly into the business
- PROGRAM DELIVERY
- Harness their superpowers including soft skills, managerial experience, and enthusiasm
- Put re-skillers onto projects together and encourage knowledge sharing and community
- MEASURING OUTCOMES
- Key metrics include time to productivity and the standard re-skillers are able to cut code
- Focus on retention, progression and track NPS score of engineering core function
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: NATWEST
HOW DOES NATWEST HIRE RE-SKILLERS WITH CODE FIRST GIRLS?
→ HIRED 100% RE-SKILLERS
Educated and hired a diverse mix of women coders, including 100% re-skillers. Utilised the entire candidate acquisition funnel to hire into multiple locations across the UK including London, Edinburgh and Bristol.
→ X6 PROGRAM SINCE PILOT
Since their pilot launch in 2021, NatWest has increased its impact by 6x and has now sponsored over 5000 women how to code, including sponsoring displaced Ukrainian women on the CFGdegree in 2023.
In the era of AI, investing in talent development is paramount for organisational success. By embracing inclusive practices, strategic partnerships, and a forward-thinking approach to skill development, businesses can thrive in an ever-evolving digital landscape.