Organizations seem to recently have become acutely aware of how skills are critical to their success. It’s not as though they weren’t important before. It is just that today’s business environment has exposed a vast array of existing skill gaps, as well as a concerned outlook on the skills that will be required in the future.
This is why we see such a focus on upskilling and reskilling the current workforce. Organizations need the strategies and tools that can quickly and accurately close skill gaps, as well as adjust along with the needs of the business. Traditional, one-size-fits-all, event-based learning cannot get this done and is, in fact, a big reason why we are where we are.
Taking a more personalized approach to learning is allowing companies to become much more agile in how they address skill gaps. There is a lot that goes into personalization, but ultimately, it can deliver much, much more. There are simple elements, like aligning the learning opportunities presented to employees with key information about them. Are they in a technical role? Or are they more in need of soft skills? What is their experience level? Their background? By pulling together everything we know about learners, we can deliver them what they need, rather than blanketing them in learning that could be redundant or irrelevant.
From there, personalization requires a fresh look at learning technology to ensure we are able to deliver the right training to the right people at the right time. An effective strategy will leverage a technology ecosystem consisting of multiple solutions and modalities. A huge part of personalization is that the learning is available and accessible in a medium and in a timeframe that meets the learners’ needs. A series of classes and courses alone cannot accomplish this.
Within this approach, if companies truly want to effectively build skills, there must be an element of collaboration within the learning experience. Especially in today’s hybrid on-site/remote work environment. Sharing knowledge and experiences with peers helps contextualize learning and further adds to its relevance and personalization.
This strategy makes learning more targeted, effective, and impactful. It reduces wasted effort on both sides of the equation by giving people what they need when they need it. To learn more about a personalized approach to learning and its impact on the business, download the report, Upskilling and Reskilling: Delivering Personalized Learning at Scale.
– David Wentworth, Principal Analyst, Brandon Hall Group
