Reskilling is a term used to describe an employee who is learning new skill sets to allow them to perform a different job. Upskilling involves learning additional skills to improve your work performance and allow you to be better equipped when performing your job.
If you are looking for a new job role, then you will need to upskill to learn new core skills that will benefit you in your new career. However, you may need to reskill if you are required to train others or if you are promoted.
Throughout this article, we will be discussing the differences between upskilling and reskilling and how to start. Read on to find out more!
What Is Upskilling and Where Do You Start?
Upskilling is something a company may do to prevent them from looking outside the company for a candidate to fit the job role they are looking for. Instead, the company may offer people the opportunity to undergo more courses to expand their skills and knowledge.
More often than not, employers will increase the employees’ pay if they agree to upskill and learn new things. Upskilling closes skill gaps, offers a range of benefits regarding professional development, and saves companies hassle when it comes to looking for the perfect candidate.
Upskilling comes with a range of benefits, as it opens doors to new careers, boosts satisfaction, allows you to progress to the next level and future-proof your career.
There are many different ways that you can upskill yourself to allow you to take on new roles and learn new skills.
Taking a course is a great way to do this. There are a range of e-learning courses available for all types of job roles, all you have to do is search ‘upskilling courses’ on Google and find the best course for you.
Another way you can upskill is through work experience. This is because it is a great way to learn new soft skills and knowledge regarding the job role. A good way to gain work experience is by asking your manager if you can shadow other employees.
If your business has requested that you upskill, then they may assist you throughout this process. Make sure you keep a lookout for industry events or conferences, as they could help you improve your existing skill set and knowledge.
What Are the Benefits of Upskilling and Reskilling?
There are many benefits of upskilling and reskilling, such as increased earning potential, increased productivity and more. Keep reading for more benefits of upskilling and reskilling!
- Confidence: Upskilling allows you to master future skills and boost your self-esteem
- Cost efficient: Upskilling your employees is much more cost-efficient compared to hiring new members of staff.
- Enhanced reputation: Companies that are known for investing in their employee’s development tend to maintain a positive reputation in the industry.
- Job security: Staying up-to-date with the latest trends and skills means that you will be a valuable asset to the company, therefore, enabling employees to have job stability.
- Flexibility: Employees with a diverse skill set can take on multiple roles within an organisation, which provides greater operational flexibility.
As you can see, upskilling and reskilling your employees can come with a range of benefits for your business. Upskilling opportunities also allow for career advancement within your current job roles.
It is a way to work on your skills gap and technical skills and work on the skills needed to be promoted in your business. To sum up, upskilling and reskilling are both essential strategies that can help individuals and organisations stay relevant and competitive in their industry.
What Is Reskilling and Why is it Important?
If you are looking to change your job role at your current company, then you will need to reskill. This is a good alternative and saves businesses time and money when it comes to hiring new employees with different skills.
Reskilling is important as it allows the business to keep the same employees in their company and prepares workers for different job roles. There are many benefits to reskilling, as it reduces costs, attracts new talent, and helps to keep talented employees in the organisation.
If you are looking to reskill, then you can do this by asking your manager to design personalised reskilling plans. This program could include shadowing, CPD training and peer-to-peer learning.
However, if you are a business owner and are looking into reskilling your employees, there are also a range of ways you can do this. Firstly, you can encourage a growth mindset. Most employees don’t completely agree when they are told they need to reskill. This is because they may take it the wrong way.
However, by allowing your employees to understand that learning is an ongoing process and making them aware of the benefits that may come with upskilling, you can help encourage a growth mindset.
How Do You Incorporate Upskilling or Reskilling In The Workplace?
All businesses have their own strategies when it comes to upskilling and reskilling, however, the standard method for both of these strategies is to study the requirements of the business.
The reason behind this is so that you have a thorough understanding of the skills required and new positions your company needs.
Next, you can complete an assessment of the existing skills and knowledge in the workplace. This is so you can identify which employees would benefit from upskilling or reskilling.
Another way you can implement upskilling and reskilling in your workplace is by designing an online training system so that training is made easy through digital tools. Last but not least, you can complete a regular assessment to keep track of employee’s progress.
These are just some of the many ways you can implement upskilling and reskilling in your workforce. However, if you have your own method for this, then that’s great; you can use this blog for some extra tips!
Key Takeaways
You should now have a better understanding of upskilling and reskilling, the differences between the two, and the benefits they offer. However, if you still feel a bit confused, here are some key takeaways for you to remember:
- Upskilling involves teaching employees within the company new skills
- Reskilling involves learning new skills to move into a different job role or career
- Reskilling is important because it means the business can keep the same employees
- Upskilling is important because it improves employees existing skills
Personal and Professional Development at Move Online
Here at Move Online, we are an award-winning business that provides networking and relationship-building support. We are passionate about coaching and supporting business owners and professionals through a range of different services. Our business coaching service can get you and your employees exactly where you need to be in your business.
We also host mastermind groups for those who enjoy working with others, as well as online business and personal support meetings. This can be extremely beneficial in terms of development.
We believe that when you own a business, whether it is a small business or an established one, you are responsible for all aspects of it, which is why we work with our clients to help them thrive within themselves and their companies.
For more information on the services we offer, or to speak to a member of our team, contact us today. We are more than happy to help!
Mark is a multi-award winner in business networking and relationship building. He is passionate about coaching and mentoring business owners and professionals through 1-1 & group coaching, team performance workshops and group mastermind sessions.