Hybrid working has become widely accepted in many organisations across the world. The UK Office for National Statistics reported in February 2022 that 84% of workers are planning to adopt a mix of working from home and the office, after previously working from home due to the pandemic. With this change in the working model, employers must keep up and strategize how they can further contribute to employee development as well as maintain a productive and efficient workplace – whether it is online or offline.
Although hybrid working has brought various benefits for both employer and employee, there are still challenges that exist with this working model. Concerns about collaboration and employee relationships are some of the issues faced by hybrid working organisations. However, it should be noted that employee engagement has always been an issue within various organisations – with a survey from Gallup reporting that only 9% of UK workers feel enthused in their work.
Many of these issues and concerns surrounding hybrid working can be addressed by upskilling hybrid workers.
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Upskilling Hybrid Workers
Upskilling is widely known as the capacity organisations have to train and develop employees. This should be a priority for any organisation as it is key to staying relevant in competition and innovation. A report done by LinkedIn in 2021 shows that the current era now focuses on resilience and digital literacy, which has 59% of firms in their report prioritising upskilling to engage with the transformations within their industries.
Organisations usually run upskilling programmes for their employees through active steps. Typically, an initial assessment is done to gain an understanding of which skills are lacking and in need of improvement. By having the information from the assessment, it can then be reflected in trends and forecasts of the industry to see which skills will be necessary to develop within the organisation. Goals are then set, which will be used to reflect upon in the evaluation process of the upskilling programme.
Why is it Needed for Hybrid Workers?
Hybrid working comes with its own set of challenges. As mentioned before, lack of collaboration and team building are some of the concerns that come with hybrid working. Providing upskilling programmes and opportunities for hybrid workers can help organisations combat these issues and to maintain and grow productivity and efficiency.
- Increasing Employee Engagement
With a comprehensive upskilling programme, issues surrounding employee engagement can be addressed. Collaboration and team building can be improved by creating opportunities for hybrid workers to increase their skills. It can also be done by encouraging employees to share skills with each other. Providing a platform for development can help hybrid and remote workers engage more with each other, as well as show employees that the organisation is there for their improvement.
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- Creating a Prompt and Capable Workplace
One of the downsides of having people work from various places is that communication lines may be disrupted from time to time. As a result, issues may not be handled as quickly as they would if everyone were working in the same office. However, providing upskilling programmes that focus on efficiency and productivity – such as digital skills – can go far toward creating a strong and capable workplace. Empowering employees with more skills and improving them can boost their confidence further, allowing them to be more proactive in their work.
- Keeping Talent in Your Organisation
Improving the employee experience can significantly improve employee retention. With the incorporation of upskilling, employees are more likely to stay with the organisation when they feel like they are being supported and motivated. Having the commitment to invest in employees can be a very attractive factor that encourages employees to stay. Remember, people are more likely to stay if they feel valued in their workplace.