Empowering Your Team: Four Steps to Upskilling and Reskilling for Small Businesses

Take advantage of the start of a new year to reflect on your business goals. This is a great time to focus inward on the people behind your business. As hiring slows, companies are embracing the benefits of upskilling and using this as an opportunity to take advantage of their current workforce. Use the new year to evaluate from within and ensure the right people are in the right roles. Aligning people and positions is a great way to optimize performance and efficiency.

If you ARE hiring, use these recruiting and hiring tips to reach your ideal applicant pool and hire your best-fit candidate.

According to the Entrepreneurial Operating System® model, a successful company has the right people in the right seats. You can reach your best possible results by:

• Trusting front-line leaders to know what those seats are
• Knowing and emphasizing your company’s values and culture
• Taking a collaborative approach to align people and their skills with the work

Interested in maximizing your team’s potential through upskilling and reskilling? Here are four steps you can prioritize to make the most of your current team.

1. Identify the Need for Development

Begin by assessing your team’s skills and pinpointing the gaps. What does your team lack that could enhance their performance and contribute to business growth? Consider tools like Kolbe Assessments to better understand how your team operates in getting tasks done efficiently.

2. Set Clear Goals for Skill Enhancement

Include upskilling and reskilling in your plan for the year and incorporate workforce development into your yearly calendar. A successful 2024 starts with careful planning and consideration. Try these month-by-month tips to set specific skill-related objectives.

Think through these questions as you evaluate professional skill development:

• What skills are critical for your evolving business?
• Where are the gaps on the team?
• What soft skills are equally important to your company and culture?
• How can you foster a working environment that celebrates skill development?
• In what ways can leadership set an example for the entire organization?

3. Implement Comprehensive Training Programs

Craft a robust training or personal development program. Remember, it’s not just about learning new skills, but also about nurturing talent, especially among leaders. Approaches to leadership can evolve, and coaching and mentoring skills are crucial, especially for the post-Covid workforce who missed critical elements of socialization skill growth.

Leadership skills significantly influence company culture, employee engagement, and overall results. Invest time in cultivating effective leadership traits to help foster a positive work environment and increase employee retention. Leadership shouldn’t view these as one-and-done skills, but as ones that evolve and shift each year.

Training and skill development can be incredibly beneficial when thinking about succession planning. Talk with leadership to determine the necessary skills for certain roles and begin nurturing talent early. This ensures that when the time comes for transitions, your organization is a step ahead and there won’t be a large learning curve.

4. Cultivate a Learning Environment

Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional growth. Allocate dedicated time for learning opportunities, extending this initiative from both top-down and bottom-up. Help team members find appropriate learning experiences or online courses. Embracing a learning mindset ensures everyone remains adept in the ever-evolving professional landscape. Regular one-on-one sessions can help evaluate and support the team’s progress by identifying needs and opportunities.

For small businesses looking to adapt and thrive in 2024, upskilling and reskilling strategies are pivotal in this dynamic market. These initiatives not only bridge skill gaps but also elevate your team’s collective competency and help foster career growth from within.

Interested in other current employment trends? Click the link to view the recent blog: Remote Work Revisited: What Your Business Should Know in 2024 or check back for more on human resources, payroll, insurance, and benefits.