How do we reskill employees for jobs that are still being defined?

Professor Fiona Robson, Head of the School of Business, Design and Social Sciences & Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University Dubai

OPINION PIECE

Professor Fiona Robson

10/28/20263 min read

We are now in a world which could be described as exciting or terrifying as the pace of change is high and continuous. This provides challenges for organisations and their HR teams as they need to prepare team members for roles and tasks that may not yet exist.

So what can organisations do?

1. Provide clear and timely updates to their staff about forthcoming changes

2. Ensure there is wellbeing support for employees who may face anxiety when there is uncertainty or where lots of changes are expected to take place

3. Provide reassurance about how staff will be supported to learn new ways of working or skills etc so that they can be reassured that there is a plan.

Whilst initially there was widespread concern about AI replacing roles, there now seems to be a much stronger acceptance that rather than directly replacing them it may lead to some roles being transformed. There are also likely to be the creation of new roles in organisations who will be using technology in a different way.

How will training be affected?

Traditionally when organisations undertaken training needs analysis, they are based on a review of previous performance and data. The focus is therefore usually what can be done to increase and enhance them. In our increasingly changing world, it needs to be more future-facing than ever before, this can mean preparing them for skills that they may not need immediately but are likely to need them in the near future. This also means having to find or train trainers so that they are equipped to deliver events that will support the organisation in moving forwards.

For many organisations this may mean moving away from training matched precisely to job roles and instead developing people to learn to be agile and able to pivot in line with the changing external environment. The delivery teams will need to try and develop adaptable and agile people who aren’t scared of change and are open to learning new ways of doing things and accepting some ambiguity.

It may be sensible to consider moving more learning and development opportunities online where it is appropriate to do so. This will allow the organisation to have access to resources which can be updated regularly. Another key advantage of online resources is that it makes it easier for employees to curate their own personalized learning journey by focusing on their specific areas of need. The utilization of online ‘sandboxes’ also provide valuable opportunities for employees to practice new skills in a safe environment.

Of course if online provision is a significant shift from the way that training is currently delivered, there will need to be communications to staff to explain why the changes are happening. There will also need to be quality assurance oversight of the materials and any associated activities or tests.

The changing role of HR

The HR team will need to be quick in providing training for new trends and opportunities, which may mean reducing their normal lead time for designing programmes. Learning will need to be more continuous rather than always being able to publish a calendar a whole year in advance. There will also be associated work with evaluating these new programmes and ensuring that they are fit for purpose.

HR also have a great opportunity to help their Managers spot potential in employees who would be open and suitable to carry out different roles in the future through internal mobility/ a talent development programme. Openness to new roles and responsibilities could be explored through the annual PDR process and even at the recruitment stage, to identify those that could make a positive contribution in the future.

Don’t forget the line managers!

Managers will also need to be supported for a few reasons:

1. Their role may be changing too

2. They will have to support members of their team who may find the change challenging

3. They will need to ensure that members of their team have the appropriate skills and knowledge and this will have time and resource implications

4. They are likely to need to upskill themselves

Importantly, they will need to create an environment in which people continue to feel motivated and have trust in their manager that they will receive the required support and guidance.

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