Large language models, such as ChatGPT, Jasper and Llama, illustrate the recent disruption in the skills sets demanded from modern workers. Today, knowledge workers are acquiring timely skills like, engineering and critical thinking. It’s inevitable that soon we’ll see even more broadening of skills sets as a vital task for businesses and employees. It doesn’t matter what industry you’ve spent the most time in — there has never been a more critical time for people to upskill.
Technology is driving significant changes in all industries globally. We have yet to determine how the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), automation, cloud computing and even quantum computing will fully impact work. Additionally, U.S. employers added 209,000 jobs to the labor market in June, and fewer people are leaving their roles — albeit some employees are finding themselves suddenly in the job market because of a layoff.
We may not know what’s on the horizon. However, if employees had access to skills development training whenever new skills emerged due to a shift or innovation, workers (and therefore your business) could have a head start over the competition. For example, ChatGPT is a recent disruption that caused a widespread shift in the capabilities needed by organizations. Nearly overnight, everyone needed to learn prompt engineering and critical thinking skills to assess the output of the evolving generative AI tools. In a Resume Builder survey, almost one-half of business leaders say they’re using ChatGPT.
With these new innovations and emergence of critical skill needs, employers continue to grapple with a widening skills gap. For long-term business success, business leaders know they need to hire great talent with the potential to learn new skills continuously. But what can you do if the talent for the skills you need doesn’t exist? For example, according to the Future of Jobs 2023 report, cybersecurity is among the top strategically emphasized skills for the workforce. Yet, a shortage of 3.4 million cybersecurity experts is needed to support today’s global economy.
In other words, you cannot hire these experts. No amount of bonuses or high salaries can make it happen — they don’t exist! Therein lies the secret recipe to closing specific skill gaps: You must build the talent you cannot buy.
Assess the Skills in Your Organization, Team and Self
Take the time to understand your team’s existing skills and levels and where they can be improved. Then look at the work you need to complete aligned with the business strategy and goals, and how your learning needs can evolve to meet those goals. This can give you clear targets on how you should upskill your own skills as a leader.
Clear career goals can help you understand what skills are needed and guidelines for job proficiency. These goals may include specific roles or industries but can also cover passions and mission and values.
Modernize Your Skill Development Approach
Not all upskilling is equal — as many employers are now discovering. The World Economic Forum predicts that 44% of workers’ core skills can be disrupted by 2027 because they lack practical training to refresh and rebuild their skills. Yet, only one-half of workers report getting access to adequate training opportunities, and this number could continue to increase as automation, AI and other digital transformations disrupt more roles. Not to mention, training and employee retention go hand in hand — inadequate employee training accounts for 40% of resignations.
So, what’s going wrong? For a long time, learning and development (L&D) leaders have relied on content and more engaging experiences to upskill and reskill their people quickly, with completion or hours as the metric for success. While often generic, this type of learning can help build skills but tells us nothing regarding whether workers can apply those skills correctly on the job. What’s required now is a way for people to build the skills they need to suit each learning need for their specific role. This should also include a way to validate workforce readiness and job competency.
Building Skills in Our New World
Performance-based upskilling goes beyond simply consuming content and ticking a box to say you’ve completed that assessment. It extends beyond job titles, outdated lists of skills in the applicant tracking system and college degrees to help an employer understand an individual’s competency. Focusing on performance-based metrics to assess and build skills is the premier way organizations can ensure their people are developing the right skills at the right level to execute the tasks and projects the business needs to succeed.
Working Alongside AI
While AI and machines may potentially replace some roles, most will evolve to have specific elements taken over by machines and AI. This will change the skills employees need to work alongside those machines. It could also make work more fulfilling and satisfying as people will be more challenged during their workday. They won’t have to do as much manual or repetitive work, which AI is currently good at and instead will spend their time managing and maintaining machines, plus assessing and actioning any insights.
To thrive in this new world of work, you must keep up with recent trends and developments in AI, understand how they will impact your chosen career path, and learn new skills quickly when needed. Let AI be your co-pilot and use it alongside your work as a productivity tool — so you can dedicate your time to strategy and personalization — tasks that AI can’t do. Getting into the habit of learning, even for just a couple of hours weekly will make it easier to adapt if automation impacts your current role. Consistency builds results, so the more regularly you learn, the greater range and depth of skills you’ll have to offer your employer.
Business leaders are still learning how to respond to hybrid and remote work, automation and AI, multiple generations with very different expectations in the workforce, changing societal demands, economic volatility and more. It’s not just about accepting the change, but responding to it quickly, over and over again, as more trends and demands arise. And then turning that disruption into an opportunity for growth.
Skills development can play a key role in navigating uncertainty for both employers and employees. L&D can help prepare people for the future. To embrace change, you need to feel ready for anything, and a consistent upskilling and reskilling program can enable your people to get there.
