Cartoon Coffee Break: Getting Employees Excited About Skills Development

Editor's Note: This post is part of our "Cartoon Coffee Break" series. While we take talent management seriously, we also know it's important to have a good laugh. Check back regularly for a new ReWork cartoon.

As organizations adopt intelligent automation technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and process automation, what impact is that having on employees? Are they excited? Worried? Prepared? Knowing how your people feel is integral to implementing new technology.

You and your company can help your employees feel good about your new technology initiatives in two ways: provide them with reskilling opportunities and make sure they know how these updates will improve their jobs.

Provide New Skilling Training For Your Employees

Especially over the last year, companies have realized the importance of new skilling programs for their digital transformation projects. But in order for these efforts to work, employees still must invest time and energy in learning new skills and adjusting to new roles.

To encourage your people to be engaged with new skilling, you have to make learning easy. That means you need to make learning accessible in the flow of work, rather than in a separate platform or as part of a time-intensive training course. In addition, allowing employees to self-direct their skills development can improve the pace of their learning.

When employees—rather than managers or HR leaders—can decide what skills they want to learn, they will learn the skills faster and more easily. A self-directed approach also addresses employees’ desire for more control over their careers, making it a win for employee experience as well.

Getting Employees Excited About New Tech

During any kind of change, whether it be technological advancements or organizational restructuring, companies need to remind employees why they’re making changes and delineate how the company’s new vision will line up with each employee’s role and needs.

By reiterating how technological changes will benefit employees, and by giving your people the freedom to align their personal goals or aspirations with what the company needs, you can emerge from digital transformation stronger and more agile than ever before.

How can organizations close skills gaps and improve employees’ confidence in the face of automation? Cornerstone’s Skills Graph can help you take a more people-focused approach to your team’s skills development.