Closing the Employee Skills Gap: A Framework for Future Success | Webinar 11.20.14
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According to the US Department of Labor July 2014 report, there are more than 9.7 million people seeking work that are unemployed. At the same time, US Bureau of Labor statistic reports there are 4.5 million unfilled job openings in the US economy. Does a skills gap really exist in the American economy? Are there truly open jobs for which there are no qualified applicants or people to fill them? In this webinar we’ll discuss: • Information and research about where organizations are struggling to find talent • Practical advice, best practices, and tips to help find or nurture talent to fill both current and future skill gaps • The business benefits of focusing on three critical areas: leadership skills, technical/professional skills, and IT/computer skills.
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Closing the Employee Skills Gap: A Framework for Future Success | Webinar 11.20.14
- 1. CLOSING THE SKILLS GAP A FRAMEWORK TO ENSURE YOUR EMPLOYEES HAVE THE SKILLS NEEDED FOR FUTURE SUCCESS A WEBINAR BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
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- 4. RECORDING, SLIDES AND FOLLOW-UP INFO. To download the slides for today click the hyperlink in the panel on the right side. Visit www.bizlibrary.com/bizblog.aspx for the Webinar recording, slides and follow-up information. BIZLIBRARY.COM
- 5. This program has been approved for 1 (General) recertification credit hour toward PHR, SPHR and GPHR recertification through the HR Certification Institute. Please be sure to note the activity ID number on your recertification application form. For more information about certification or recertification, please visit the HR Certification Institute website at www.hrci.org. BIZLIBRARY.COM CLOSING THE EMPLOYEE SKILLS GAP: A FRAMEWORK FOR FUTURE SUCCESS A Completion Certificate will be emailed within 24 hours and a link will be shared at the end of the webinar!
- 6. Chris Osborn Vice President of Marketing cosborn@bizlibrary.com @chrisosbornstl Jessica Petry Sr. Marketing Specialist jpetry@bizlibrary.com @JessLPetry @BizLibrary #BIZWEBINAR
- 7. 7,000+ COURSES . 25 TOPIC AREAS . UNLIMITED ACCESS
- 8. ? How would assess the skill level of employees in your organization who might be considered for promotion:
- 9. ? How would you rate your organization’s current strategy to address the “skills gap”?
- 10. WHAT WE HOPE YOU’LL LEARN There are three strategic shifts that can make an impact on your organization’s approach to human capital management and development. How to determine and close current and future gaps in your organization. Three critical focus areas.
- 13. EMPLOYERS PREFER DEVELOPING EMPLOYEES OVER HIRING NEW ONES TEAM LEADERS AND MIDDLE MANAGEMENT 73% 27% SENIOR MANAGERS AND EXECUTIVES 33% 67% SAY EMPLOYEES ARE MISSING PROMOTABLE SKILLS SOURCE: 2014 Workforce Strategies Survey, College for America
- 14. At the level of an individual contributor, agility is demonstrated by the ABILITY TO QUICKLY SOLVE DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS PROBLEMS, TO IDENTIFY NEW PROCESSES AND FRAMEWORKS FOR SPEED OF DELIVERY, TO CROSS GLOBAL AND FUNCTIONAL LINES without faltering, and to ACCEPT, RESPOND, AND INITIATE CHANGE…
- 15. …Employees who can IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES, ADAPT, AND THRIVE IN THE REALITY OF CHANGE have a propensity to be high performers. Given the RIGHT RESOURCES AND INVESTMENT IN LEARNING, these traits are achievable across the entire organization. SOURCE: The Impact of Work Force Agility on Business Performance, by John Ambrose
- 16. 9.7 million SEEKING WORK OR UNEMPLOYED 4.5 million UNFULLFILLED JOB OPENINGS OF EMPLOYERS SAY 80% THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT A SKILLS GAP… ARE DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT… 40% SOURCES: College for America Study CareerBuilder Survey
- 17. SOURCE DIFFERENTLY SUCCESSION PLANNING TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
- 18. SOURCE DIFFERENTLY Potential Ability to acquire skills Learning agility
- 19. SUCCESSION PLANNING Not just replacement Future-orientation Target all levels of leaders
- 20. TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT Hire for potential Hire for character Develop job specific skills
- 21. What makes someone successful in a particular role today might not tomorrow if the competitive environment shifts, the company’s strategy changes, or he or she must collaborate with or manage a different group of colleagues. SOURCE: Claudio Fernández-Araoz The Big Idea: 21st-Century Talent Spotting Harvard Business Review, June 2014
- 22. STRENGTHS Will our strengths prepare us for future success? WEAKNESSES What steps must we take to improve or minimize risk? OPPORTUNITIES What are our greatest opportunities for growth? THREATS Where are we vulnerable?
- 23. OPPORTUNITIES THREATS Are our strengths aligned to take advantage of opportunities? Do our weaknesses stand in the way? Where are we vulnerable? Can we influence or control biggest threats? Market-driven or competition? Lack of talent or not the right talent? What are our greatest opportunities for growth?
- 24. IDENTIFYING GAPS Look for opportunities to develop skills they will need for their next role. HIGH -PERFORMER NEW MANAGER SUPERVISOR SUCCESS
- 25. MAP A PLAN BUDGET TRAINING CONTENT AND LEVEL TRAINING METHODS / DELIVERY TRAINING PROVIDER TIMING MAKE A PLAN
- 26. LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY Remove the barriers and create integrated learning experiences. DEFINE EXPECTATIONS FORMAL LEARNING ON-DEMAND RESOURCES SOCIAL NETWORKING
- 27. INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS Not a performance management tool, rather a resource to support a learner’s focus and direction as they journey through their own development program. AREA / COMPETENCY OBJECTIVES RESOURCES / STRATEGIES TIMELINE EVIDENCE OF ACCOMPLISH-MENT
- 28. FOCUS AREAS PLANS OR CERTIFICATIONS Transparency on career paths, expectations and requirements. INDUSTRY AND MARKET TRENDS KEY COMPETENCY LEVELS AREAS OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE THE RISE OF SPECIALISTS
- 29. FUTURE ORIENTATION: OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS LEADERSHIP SKILLS TECHNICAL / PROFESSIONAL SKILLS IT / COMPUTER SKILLS CRITICAL AREAS CURRENT ORIENTATION: STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
- 30. LEADERSHIP SKILLS POOR LEADERSHIP PRACTICES COST COMPANIES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EACH YEAR - EQUAL TO OF ANNUAL SALES… 7% POOR LEADERSHIP PRACTICES NEGATIVELY I MPACT: • Employee Retention • Customer Satisfaction • Employee Productivity SOURCE: Making the Business Case for Leadership Development, The Ken Blanchard Companies, 2011.
- 31. MAJOR MANAGERIAL SKILLS GAPS 4. Managing Change 5. Communications 6. Business Acumen SOURCE: Bersin by Deloitte , Current Capabilities by Role, December 2011 1. Coaching 2. Performance Appraisal 3. Developing Others
- 32. LEADERSHIP SKILLS FOCUS FOR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION SKILLS LEARNING AGILITY PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT PRESENTATION SKILLS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIGITAL LITERACY COLLABORATION
- 33. TECHNICAL OR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS ONLY OF U.S. COLLEGE GRADUATES MAJOR IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING OR MATH – A PERCENTAGE THAT HAS REMAINED CONSTANT FOR TWO DECADES EVEN AS DEMAND HAS GROWN. SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 15% BY 2018 THERE WILL BE A RECORD 1.2 MILLION UNFILLED JOBS IN STEM FIELDS.
- 34. TECHNICAL OR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS FOCUS FOR DEVELOPMENT HUMAN RESOURCES ITIL PROJECT MANAGEMENT BUSINESS ANALYSIS SIX SIGMA LEAN
- 35. IT AND COMPUTER SKILLS THE COST OF THE DIGITAL SKILLS GAP TO THE ECONOMY AND ORGANIZATIONS IS HUGE. Time wasted due to inadequate digital skills adds up to of total productivity for digital workers. 21% This implies that every year the digital skills gap drives an estimated $1.3 trillion loss in the US economy. SOURCE: IDC Study, Bridging the Information Worker Productivity Gap
- 36. IT AND COMPUTER SKILLS FOCUS FOR DEVELOPMENT HTML5 / CODING MOBILE USER EXPERIENCE INFORMATION SYSTEMS BIG DATA CLOUD COMPUTING
- 37. KEY TAKE-AWAYS Sourcing differently, succession planning, and a new approach to training and development can make an impact. How to use a S.W.O.T analysis for defining gaps in your organization. The importance of leadership skills, technical /professional skills and computer skills.
- 38. BIZLIBRARY.COM QUESTIONS Use the Q&A box in the lower right hand portion of your screen.
- 39. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES COURSE TITLE: Building for the Future: Help build your employee’s professional network COURSE TITLE: Great Managers Help People Hone Their Strengths
- 40. ONLINE CERTIFICATE COURSES FROM BIZLIBRARY PHR & SPHR Courses include: • Business Management and Strategy • Compensation and Benefits • Employee and Labor Relations • Human Resource Development • Human Resources Core Knowledge • Risk Management • Workforce Planning and Employment PMP – PMI PROJECT MANAGEMENT Courses include: • Project Communication • Project Costs • Project Scope • Values and Ethical Standard • Project Scheduling • Identifying Risks • Stakeholder Engagement www.bizlibrary.com/free-trial
- 41. ONLINE CERTIFICATE COURSES FROM BIZLIBRARY SIX SIGMA (GREEN BELT & BLACK BELT) Courses include: • Business Performance and Financial Measures • Critical Requirements and Benchmarking • Data Collection and Measurement • Correlation and Regression Analysis • Hypothesis Testing • Forming Project Teams • And more! ITIL® (FOUNDATIONS & OPERATIONS SERVICE) Courses include: • Service Strategy • Incident and Event Management • Service Desk Metrics and Outsourcing • Technology and Implementation • Problem and Process Interface Management • And more! www.bizlibrary.com/free-trial
- 42. 7,000+ COURSES . 25 TOPIC AREAS . UNLIMITED ACCESS WWW.BIZLIBRARY.COM/FREE-TRIAL
- 43. HRCI CREDIT CHECK YOUR EMAIL INBOX Click the link in chat for the completion certificate. You will also be emailed a link to the completion certificate within 24 hours.
- 44. THURS: 12.04 FIVE WAYS TO BUILD A BETTER LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TUES. 12.02 HOW TO BUILD A BUSINESS CASE FOR ONLINE EMPLOYEE TRAINING www.bizlibrary.com/webinars
- 45. Chris Osborn Vice President of Marketing cosborn@bizlibrary.com @chrisosbornstl Jessica Petry Sr. Marketing Specialist jpetry@bizlibrary.com @JessLPetry @BizLibrary #BIZWEBINAR
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- Host: My name is Jessica Petry and I’m a Marketing Specialist at BizLibrary. I graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with Bachelor of Journalism in. I’ve been working in the training and development industry for about 5 years. I’m active in social media and learning. You can follow me @jessbatz and @bizlibrary on twitter. Presenting today is Chris Osborn. Chris is the VP of Marketing for BizLibrary. Chris has also worked in a consulting capacity with a Paris-based leadership development consulting firm to help organizations design and implement leadership and executive development programs. He's been preforming learning, development and training functions formally since 2000 and informally for organizations since 1987. He has also taught courses on conflict resolution and discrimination. Prios to his move into the business sector, Chris practiced law in the areas of labor, employment and business litigation for over 12 years. He graduated from Washington University School of Law with honors in 1987.
- BizLibrary is a leading provider of online employee training and eLearning solutions. The award-winning content library contains more than 7,000 online employee training videos covering every business training topic, including communication skills, leadership and management, sales and customer service, compliance training, desktop computer skills, and more. BizLibrary’s LMS (Learning Management System) and social learning technology platform help HR and Training leaders improve and manage employee learning.
- Excellent – we have a pool of ready-now candidates with all of the skills they need for that next role b. Not ready – we have candidates, but they do not have all of the skills they need to be successful in their next roles c. We don’t know – we have candidates, but we don’t have a good way to evaluate their readiness for promotion.
- a. We don’t have a skills gap, so we don’t need a strategy b. We don’t have any strategy c. We have a great strategy that is delivering ready-now candidates for every job opening d. We are trying, but nothing we are doing is working very well
- There are three strategic shifts that can make an impact on your organization’s approach to human capital management and development. How to determine and close current and future gaps in your organization. Three critical focus areas.
- Does a skills gap really exist in the American economy? Are there truly open jobs for which there are no qualified applicants or people to fill them? I think everyone would like to believe there is a bright line, yes or no answer to these questions. Many pundits, politicians, news outlets and other people with an agenda have confused this complex issue with “sound bites” masquerading as news, or with dogma masquerading as policy answers. The facts are far more complex and nuanced than we find easily in the news and hear from political leadership. And sadly, none of this really helps organizations solve the day-to-day issues posed by the problems caused when it’s hard to fill many job openings. In this webinar, we will ignore the political and social static that dominates a lot of the conversation about “skills gap.” What we want to do instead is focus on the data about where organizations are struggling to find talent, and then offer some practical advice, best practices, and tips to help find or nurture talent to fill both current and future skill gaps. So – is it real? Is there really a skills gap? Like the answer to many complicated problems, it depends on how you look at it. If you’re currently looking for a new job or that next advance in a career, you’d probably say there is not skills gap at all! There are plenty of open jobs you can perform more than adequately, or learn to perform. However, many hiring managers in virtually every segment of the economy sees a labor pool with very few candidates that fit the profile of the ideal hire. Strategic concept: when you’re a carpenter every problem looks like a nail Every problem has a training solution Training convenience Traditional L&D current skills to solve known problems Skills Gap – needs a different approach – build skills that aren’t present, prepare workforce for jobs that don’t exist today - Will likely get wider if not addressed
- CARPENTER AND NAIL Strategic concept: when you’re a carpenter every problem looks like a nail Every problem has a training solution Training convenience Traditional L&D current skills to solve known problems Skills Gap – needs a different approach – build skills that aren’t present, prepare workforce for jobs that don’t exist today - Will likely get wider if not addressed
- “Please choose which comes closest to your company's strategy for filling the roles of LOW-LEVEL TEAM LEADERS AND MIDDLE MANAGEMENT [ALT: SENIOR MANAGERS AND EXECUTIVES] (even if neither is exactly right): • We would rather develop the skills of lower level employees and move them up into these roles. • We would rather hire new employees with the skills we need and bring them into these roles.”
- According to a study by College for America, 71% of employers prefer developing existing employees into management roles rather than hiring new employees – but the lack of promotable skills is a major hurdle. The easiest way to target employee skill development is through competency-based training Leadership remains the top human capital concern and the largest “readiness gap.” Organizations need to develop leaders faster, globalize leadership programs and build deeper bench strength. Bersin by Deloitte, 2014 Leadership Development Factbook According to the US Department of Labor July 2014 report, there are more than 9.7 million people seeking work that are unemployed. At the same time, US Bureau of Labor statistic reports there are 4.5 million unfilled job openings in the US economy. Okay – on the surface of it, this data does not appear to support the notion that finding people for open jobs should be a problem. Of those 9.7 million out of work people, you can add several million more who are considered under-employed who would like to find full-time work or better jobs.
- There are three strategic shifts that can make an impact on your organization’s approach to human capital management and development. SOURCE DIFFERENTLY – BROADEN APPROACH FOR LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS Hire for potential and ability to learn new skills and attitude, NOT for experience and a checklist of credentials. It’s also important to shift ultimate responsibility for hiring and sourcing away from just your “recruiters.” Your hiring managers must be tasked with building great teams, and that includes finding the talent to fill the team. Think about a team of developers. Who is better suited to network, find developer talent, and understand the true capacity of a potential candidate? Will your HR recruiter or your Lead Developer have a better understanding of the skills, knowledge, and capacity needed for success on the team? Strategically, make sure that the sourcing of employees is in the hands of the people best able to find the key talent needed. SOURCE DIFFERENTLY Wait we just said that…We know, but we want to look at this very important idea from a different perspective. Organizations need a significant and renewed commitment to training and the development of their employees, which means looking for employees with the ability to acquire skills rather than looking for employees with a pre-selected set of qualifications. THINK ABOUT EMPLOYEE TRAINING A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY For most organizations, employee development and training has focused on improving the performance of employees in current job roles. That needs to remain a key strategic objective. However, when specific jobs remain hard to fill, employee development teams can provide training and development to candidates who show the ability to acquire the skills needed to perform successfully. Some creativity may be helpful to create partnerships with colleges, community colleges, local job and employment agencies, etc., but getting involved to build your own pool of qualified candidates to interview seems like a smart investment compared to leaving key jobs unfilled for lengthy periods of time. SUCCESSION PLANNING MUST BECOME THE NORM Every organization needs leaders. Unfortunately, not every organization engages in effective, strategically focused succession planning to ensure its next generation of leaders are ready. Succession planning cannot, or at least should not, be just about replacement planning. Succession planning should be about preparing the entire organization for the future. Participants should be selected with an eye towards the future needs of the organization, and with a keen eye on their potential to grow, learn and develop. According to a Harvard Business Review article, The Big Idea: 21st Century Talent Spotting, four traits common to great leaders include: curiosity, insight, engagement, and determination. Our next generation of leaders is too important to leave the development of them to chance. Take charge. Find them. Nurture them. And help them grow today.
- SOURCE DIFFERENTLY – BROADEN APPROACH FOR LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS Hire for potential and ability to learn new skills and attitude, NOT for experience and a checklist of credentials. It’s also important to shift ultimate responsibility for hiring and sourcing away from just your “recruiters.” Your hiring managers must be tasked with building great teams, and that includes finding the talent to fill the team. Think about a team of developers. Who is better suited to network, find developer talent, and understand the true capacity of a potential candidate? Will your HR recruiter or your Lead Developer have a better understanding of the skills, knowledge, and capacity needed for success on the team? Strategically, make sure that the sourcing of employees is in the hands of the people best able to find the key talent needed. SOURCE DIFFERENTLY Wait we just said that…We know, but we want to look at this very important idea from a different perspective. Organizations need a significant and renewed commitment to training and the development of their employees, which means looking for employees with the ability to acquire skills rather than looking for employees with a pre-selected set of qualifications. Wisdom of the ages – Developing younger employees, what about more experienced employees – change What are we doing to capture that knowledge Apply the knowledge to understand what’s going on in the workplace Leaving valuable assets on the table Myth of boomer hesitance to technology
- STRENGTHS: What do we do well today? Will our strengths prepare us for future success? WEAKNESSES: What do we do poorly and why? Can we do LESS of this? What steps must we take to either improve or minimize the risks? OPPORTUNITIES: What are our greatest opportunities for growth? Are our strengths aligned to take advantage of them? Do our weaknesses stand in the way? THREATS: Where are we vulnerable? Are our biggest threats external or internal? Market-driven or competition? Lack of talent or not the right talent?
- OPPORTUNITIES: What are our greatest opportunities for growth? Are our strengths aligned to take advantage of them? Do our weaknesses stand in the way? THREATS: Where are we vulnerable? Are our biggest threats external or internal? Market-driven or competition? Lack of talent or not the right talent?
- Identifying Gaps: Instead of looking for instances where employees are missing skills they need for their current role, look for opportunities to develop skills they will need for their next role For example: New Manager Training Course taught to employee on the “road to manager”
- MAP A PLAN TO FILL THE GAP—STEP BY STEP. Once the skill gap has been identified, it is critical to construct a realistic and sound plan to address it. Key factors that should be considered include but are not limited to: Budget Training content and level (e.g., basic to advanced/expert level) Training type (instructor-led onsite, instructor-led public, Web-based, or a combination to enforce learning) Training provider Timing After a well-formulated plan has been prepared, make a big deal about it internally. Show everyone that management is behind it, and make sure all levels of the organization support it.
- Leverage technology Expectations Formal learning On-the-job experiences and on-demand resources ***Networking plans – mentoring and career relationships – wisdom of the ages – knowledge management
- Individual development plans Skill needs vary, instead of applying a single set of benchmarks to everyone at a particular level – focus on enhancing development discussions between individual employees and managers Not a performance management tool, rather a resource to support a learner’s focus and direction as they journey through their own development program.
- Focus Area Plans or Certifications Guided development moves people from basic to advanced levels Important for retention Industry trends AREAS OF SME - SPECIALITY Competency tree Core Job family Job role
- FRAMEWORK The problems organizations have finding qualified candidates stem from a whole host of issues, many of which organizations themselves can affect and change. We are going to focus on the business benefits to organizations to fill any skills gap in the following critical areas: If we start from the perspective that human capital is a critical competitive advantage, then the core strategic approach to how we recruit, hire, develop and retain human capital has to be front and center in our thinking. We also have to examine the current “state of the art” in these areas, and ask ourselves a few very important questions. The first of which is, “Does this approach adequately meet our organizational needs today and for the future?” Many, if not most, organizations do not examine the totality of the human capital strategies. Many organizations source candidates using modern tools, but they do so applying traditional strategic objectives and perspectives. A specific example is the rise of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). These are widely used now by organizations of virtually any size. At their core, these tools enable a recruiter or team of recruiters to quickly and easily sort through a large volume of applications to find “matches” to the job posting. Sounds good, right? So logically, these systems really ought to be called Applicant Screening Systems, because that’s what they do. They screen applications for organizations, and they do so based upon a set of conditions contained in a job posting or job description. These systems do not and cannot think. There ‘s a whole section of advice for applicants on “how to beat the robots” and some career coaches even teach applicants how to completely circumvent these highly impersonal, rote systems altogether. With this strategic framework in mind, let’s focus on three critical business areas where organizations can influence their own skills gap with effective, thoughtful, and well-planned human capital planning. LEADERSHIP. For most of us, the term “leadership” conjures up images of great CEOs or top level executives. There is no question that our senior leadership team is very important. We need clear development initiatives to keep them focused, informed and knowledgeable. Great leadership development programs should also work to develop and enhance the skills of leaders at all levels in our organization. TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL. Employees that fall into these areas are growing in importance in many organizations. And some of these roles didn’t even exist a few years ago. Examples of these professionals include architects, UIX developers (new), digital marketing managers, social media managers, project managers, etc. Some of these jobs (and there are many other examples), require specialized training and continuing education for certification purposes. IT AND DESKTOP COMPUTING. No other single area changes as fast and baffles as many employees. IT professionals have a unique set of needs, and organizations frequently find these among the most difficult jobs to fill due to the highly specialized and sometimes very specific nature of these roles. As for desktop computing, nearly every employee in most organizations uses some sort of desktop application. Keeping up with changes in technology isn’t always easy, and lost productivity can be costly.
- Filling the leadership skills gap requires a strategic approach that includes an analysis of the pros and cons of looking outside your organization compared to growing your own leaders. No matter which option you choose, you must carefully examine your leadership needs looking to the future. Some important questions you might consider include: What are our current leadership strengths? Every organization does things well. Do these strengths look well-suited to take your organization into the future? For instance, if you believe the future of your organization requires new products and the entry into new markets, and your current leadership strength is consistency and patience, your current strengths might not be well-suited to a future where innovation and new ideas will be important. Where are we weakest? Just like strengths, every organization has leadership weaknesses. Be honest. This may be an area that you can improve with an outside hire and recruiting, or this could be an area to address with a well-planned succession planning effort. Using the example above, the succession planning program might have innovation as a focus with a strategic goal of improving that capacity on the leadership team in the next 2-3 years. Each organization will have its own unique leadership challenges. The key is to ask the right questions about your own current and future leadership needs so you can develop smart answers.
- What should leadership development cover? Here are a few ideas to get you started: COMMUNICATION SKILLS This includes both verbal communication skills and effective listening skills. In a multi-generational, diverse workplace, complex and sophisticated communication skills will be critical to ensure clarity and that team members understand objectives and responsibilities. Additionally, as more and more teams begin to include remote employees, that adds another layer of communication skills that most organizations have never taught before. LEARNING AGILITY Leaders will need to learn how to function effectively (and routinely) in unfamiliar situations. The ability to learn effectively from past experiences, apply those lessons to new situations is referred to as “learning agility,” and it’s a competency that is emerging as critically important for forward thinking organizations. PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT Helping members of teams advance their careers is central to the overall level of career satisfaction and engagement for many employees. It’s no longer enough to simply point employees in the right direction and ask them to go learn something. Leaders will need to learn how to truly develop the skills, talents, and careers of their team in today’s workplace. PRESENTATION SKILLS All it takes to understand the importance of presentation skills in today’s marketplace of ideas and knowledge workers is to sit through back-to-back presentations at a conference. One presentation done in the traditional text and bullet-point heavy Power Point style, and then one that is presented artfully and professionally to “get” why presentation skills can make or break careers, land deals, or earn promotions. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE The workplace is nearly always the most diverse place for day-to-day interactions with others. On top of this interesting fact is the reality of the demographic shifts as more and more millennial workers join our organizations, and more educated women are joining organizations. The workplace is, to be frank, much more complex on an interpersonal level than ever before. But, leaders can learn to cope and succeed by raising the level of their emotional intelligence. There is some amazing data that suggests that emotional intelligence is the single greatest indicator of career success, so this one area makes sense for both organizations and individual leaders as a focal point for long-term career development. DIGITAL LITERACY This goes beyond simply knowing about social media. Digital literacy is an understanding of the ways in which technology tools impact and are imbedded into work, business and our personal lives. Digital literacy requires leaders to be engaged each day in the digital world, because nearly every important efficiency advance and innovation of the future will be based in some way on today’s digital world. A great way to test the digital literacy of your leaders is to ask them to define the “internet of things.” If they cannot – you have work to do. COLLABORATION Can you name a truly successful organization in this age of “big data” where silos of information are the norm? Who is more valuable – the employee who knows a lot but not willing share, or the employee who knows a lot of people and can connect others to people who can quickly help them solve a problem? Collaboration isn’t just a fun idea or a buzzword. It’s going to be more than a competency. It’s going to be an operational model for teams and organizations, and leaders will need to be collaborators in this world to be successful.
- Only 15% of U.S. college graduates major in science, technology, engineering, or math—a percentage that has remained constant for two decades even as demand for these skills has grown. the number of apprenticeship programs in the U.S. has shrunk by 36% since 1998, and enrollments have dropped by 16% since a peak in 2003—in large part because of declining union membership. We’ve seen our economy evolve into a knowledge-based economy where nearly every organization relies heavily upon people who work with and apply their knowledge to perform their jobs. Daniel Pink described this as the “Conceptual Age” in a Whole New Mind. No matter how you describe the value that certain employees bring to their work, the workplace has fundamentally changed. Unfortunately, what has not fundamentally changed in many organizations is the way in which employees access and apply information, particularly key technical professionals. Finding these key professionals is a complex problem for many organizations. On the one hand, the organization may have a very specific set of credentials that are required to complete a project, submit a bid, replace a retiring employee, etc. In that circumstance, the organization may simply have to recruit and pay market rate for replacement talent with a matching set of credentials. If that prospect doesn’t sound too inviting, there might be some alternative options. But be aware that some of the options require some long-range planning and thinking to build a pipeline of “ready now” talent. Remember those stunning numbers from the current labor market we shared in the introduction about the number of people looking for work or people who are working but might be under employed? The issue with these jobs isn’t a lack of potentially qualified candidates. But what you might have to do, is redefine how you view “qualified.” One of which is information overload. How to find and apply the right information for the problem at hand. According to an IDC study, a knowledge worker spends approximately 25% of his/her time actively searching for information. Let’s try this definition. Qualified means the person has demonstrated their ability to learn new skills and competencies - not only the specific skills needed for the job opening. If organizations defined qualified in that way, what might that do to the pool of “qualified” candidates? Now, we recognize that this definition requires the organization to train and educate such a candidate to perform the job. However, the fact that this type of candidate doesn’t yet have any matching experience means the candidate would very likely accept the position for less pay than a perfect match candidate. And would an organization like to have a candidate trained to perform a job exactly the way the organization wants it performed? Additionally, there may be other creative ways to find trained candidates through partnerships with community colleges, local and state governments, etc. If there is a skills gap in these areas, the gap can be filled as long as organizations are willing to look at candidates a bit differently.
- Once hired, these employees face a whole host of other challenges. One of which is information overload. How to find and apply the right information for the problem at hand. According to an IDC study, a knowledge worker spends approximately 25% of his/her time actively searching for information. Then, on top of the day-to-day demands of simply finding and applying information to the job comes various continuing education requirements, license requirements and other regulatory requirements many of these important employees face. HUMAN RESOURCES With the recent changes in certification announced by SHRM, the professional certification requirements for HR professionals got more, not less, complicated. This does not even take into account the ongoing changes in federal state and local laws, benefits, health care changes, workplace safety rules, etc. Realistically, how can HR professionals keep up with the sheer volume of information their own industry throws at them, and maintain not one but two different certifications? It’s not possible without turning to an online solution. PROJECT MANAGERS This is another area where the certification and re-certification programs have gotten more, rather than less, complex. PMI certification and re-certification used to be difficult, but in today’s rapidly evolving IT environment, technology shifts so fast that project management professionals have to turn to time saving tools to stay on top of their professional education requirements. SIX SIGMA/LEAN, ENVIRONMENT CERTIFICATION (CEP AND LEED), AND OTHERS . . . Realistically, each organization will have a variety of key professionals that need and require either certifications for competitive reasons (for instance, government bids) or to keep currently licensed professionals up-to-date. In today’s hectic “do more with less” work world, finding time saving, online solutions is the only way to effectively get key content into the hands of these extremely valuable knowledge and specialized skilled workers.
- Systems, products and processes What is computer code? I am not a programmer, and when I see code, it looks like a foreign language to me. As it turns out, that’s really what code is. It’s a language. Coding is a way of communicating so that the machine or components function in some specific manner. There are all manners of “languages” that are common in today’s IT world, and even those of us who are not programmers have heard the terms, “HTML”, “HTML5”, “JAVA”, “FLASH”, or “C+”. There once was a time when languages like “COBOL” mattered, like in the dark ages in 2000 . . . . I really can’t think of another business discipline where change is such a routine part of the world as IT development. The whole area is baffling to nearly everyone who isn’t immersed in programming, and if the truth were to be told, I think the developers like it that way! So what can we do to fill these jobs and plug this skills gap? This is an area that make strategic sense for recruiters and HR professionals to simply stay away from and turn over to the IT professionals. Managers ultimately should be responsible for the success of their teams, and it makes strategic sense to include sourcing qualified candidates in highly technical areas like this to the technical experts. Next, don’t shy away from people who can show the ability to learn these skills. Many of these languages have only been around for a few years, so even seasoned IT professionals have to learn, relearn and unlearn on regular cycles to stay current. As you find new entrants into the IT space, ask them to bring samples of code they have written for your IT experts to see and review. There is nothing like actual work product to demonstrate whether somebody can do the work or not. After all, we do the same thing with graphics and design professionals. Finally, look for strategic partners to help you source candidates. In many communities all over the country there are classes and programs at vocational schools and colleges teaching coding and IT skills. Find one or two where the classes are being taught by current practitioners and known, established experts in your community. Establish relationships with these schools and think about offering internships to students. This is a great way to meet potential employees and see the ability to learn first-hand. But remember, that once hired, ALL of your IT team will require continuous learning and development to stay current on their skills and knowledge. You’re going to have to make sure you have included a way to keep them up to date in your strategic learning plan or risk losing them as they find organizations dedicated to keeping their skills market fresh and up-to-date. Let’s try this definition. Qualified means the person has demonstrated their ability to learn new skills and competencies - not only the specific skills needed for the job opening. If organizations defined qualified in that way, what might that do to the pool of “qualified” candidates? Now, we recognize that this definition requires the organization to train and educate such a candidate to perform the job. However, the fact that this type of candidate doesn’t yet have any matching experience means the candidate would very likely accept the position for less pay than a perfect match candidate. And would an organization like to have a candidate trained to perform a job exactly the way the organization wants it performed? Additionally, there may be other creative ways to find trained candidates through partnerships with community colleges, local and state governments, etc. If there is a skills gap in these areas, the gap can be filled as long as organizations are willing to look at candidates a bit differently.
- Systems, products and processes What is computer code? I am not a programmer, and when I see code, it looks like a foreign language to me. As it turns out, that’s really what code is. It’s a language. Coding is a way of communicating so that the machine or components function in some specific manner. There are all manners of “languages” that are common in today’s IT world, and even those of us who are not programmers have heard the terms, “HTML”, “HTML5”, “JAVA”, “FLASH”, or “C+”. There once was a time when languages like “COBOL” mattered, like in the dark ages in 2000 . . . . I really can’t think of another business discipline where change is such a routine part of the world as IT development. The whole area is baffling to nearly everyone who isn’t immersed in programming, and if the truth were to be told, I think the developers like it that way! So what can we do to fill these jobs and plug this skills gap? This is an area that make strategic sense for recruiters and HR professionals to simply stay away from and turn over to the IT professionals. Managers ultimately should be responsible for the success of their teams, and it makes strategic sense to include sourcing qualified candidates in highly technical areas like this to the technical experts. Next, don’t shy away from people who can show the ability to learn these skills. Many of these languages have only been around for a few years, so even seasoned IT professionals have to learn, relearn and unlearn on regular cycles to stay current. As you find new entrants into the IT space, ask them to bring samples of code they have written for your IT experts to see and review. There is nothing like actual work product to demonstrate whether somebody can do the work or not. After all, we do the same thing with graphics and design professionals. Finally, look for strategic partners to help you source candidates. In many communities all over the country there are classes and programs at vocational schools and colleges teaching coding and IT skills. Find one or two where the classes are being taught by current practitioners and known, established experts in your community. Establish relationships with these schools and think about offering internships to students. This is a great way to meet potential employees and see the ability to learn first-hand. But remember, that once hired, ALL of your IT team will require continuous learning and development to stay current on their skills and knowledge. You’re going to have to make sure you have included a way to keep them up to date in your strategic learning plan or risk losing them as they find organizations dedicated to keeping their skills market fresh and up-to-date. Let’s try this definition. Qualified means the person has demonstrated their ability to learn new skills and competencies - not only the specific skills needed for the job opening. If organizations defined qualified in that way, what might that do to the pool of “qualified” candidates? Now, we recognize that this definition requires the organization to train and educate such a candidate to perform the job. However, the fact that this type of candidate doesn’t yet have any matching experience means the candidate would very likely accept the position for less pay than a perfect match candidate. And would an organization like to have a candidate trained to perform a job exactly the way the organization wants it performed? Additionally, there may be other creative ways to find trained candidates through partnerships with community colleges, local and state governments, etc. If there is a skills gap in these areas, the gap can be filled as long as organizations are willing to look at candidates a bit differently.
- Sourcing differently, succession planning, and a new approach to training and development can make an impact. How to use a S.W.O.T analysis for defining gaps in your organization. The importance of leadership skills, technical /professional skills and computer skills.
- We have a diverse workforce – employees are both working in shop setting and office setting. Any suggestions how we can develop a training program that meets the needs of both groups of employees? As a services organization with employees who are primarily "billable" we don't want to spend money on "overhead" for training. How do we overcome that objection? How can we keep required yearly training fresh? Q from Tom: How can we use training and development as a recruiting tool? Q from Virginia: How can we ensure that when we purchase content that it will remain up-to-date and relevant? Q from Mark: What's the benefit of using an "off-the-shelf collection" vs. compiling your own collection of in-house or open-source resources? Q from Tom: How can we use off-the-shelf training as a recruiting tool? Q from Judy: Do you think there are certain topics that are okay suited for e-learning, versus in-person learning? If so, some examples of those topics, please. Thanks Q from Deanne: Getting leadership to make decisions is like pulling teeth. They WANT to do training but just aren't willing to implement anything. How do I get them to act? Q from Aretha: How do you suggest launching a brand new online training program with the most effective and smooth implementation? Q from Mark: We have a challenge with employees not placing value on ongoing development and resource limitations - so that people feel like they don’t have time for training. What are some ideas for overcoming this challenge? As a services organization with employees who are primarily "billable" we don't want to spend money on "overhead" for training. How do we overcome that objection? What might be some strategies for deep dives into learning strategy. As opposed to chunking and just in time? Something for the long term. Q: So if learning is more self-directed and learners engage with materials as needed, how does one ensure that the learner has mastered all the objectives mgmt or supervisors have deemed necessary? Q: When you deliver your "apple chunks" piecemeal (or they are consumed piecemeal) do you find the consumers will eventually consume all the apples? A: great question - will ask it shortly With the change in content needed for our employees, what does that mean for learning management systems or delivery? What’s impact of gamification? Do you think this is going to become more popular across org or just a fad We need to make our learning content relatable, but how do we know? Surveys don't always feed enough information.
- COURSE TITLE: Creating Great Business Video: The New Learner DURATION: 6 min. Creating Great Business Video: The New Learner COURSE TITLE: Cutting Edge Success at Work: Build Employability Skills DURATION: 11 min. Great course with simple take-aways. Super for entry-level employees.
- I highlight a few recommended resources in the webinar today – coaching, leadership and emotional intelligence. BizLibrary is a leading provider of online employee training and eLearning solutions. The award-winning content library contains more than 7,000 online employee training videos covering every business training topic, including communication skills, leadership and management, sales and customer service, compliance training, desktop computer skills, and more. BizLibrary’s LMS (Learning Management System) and social learning technology platform helpHR and Training leaders improve and manage employee learning. BizLibrary’s provides our clients with a online library of more than 7,000 video and elearning courses. Employees have unlimited access – on-demand and mobile friendly. http://www.bizlibrary.com/thank-you-ft.aspx
- http://www.bizlibrary.com/media/524364/certificate_of_completion_training_usage_110414.pdf
- Host: My name is Jessica Petry and I’m a Marketing Specialist at BizLibrary. I graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with Bachelor of Journalism in. I’ve been working in the training and development industry for about 5 years. I’m active in social media and learning. You can follow me @jessbatz and @bizlibrary on twitter. Presenting today is Chris Osborn. Chris is the VP of Marketing for BizLibrary. Chris has also worked in a consulting capacity with a Paris-based leadership development consulting firm to help organizations design and implement leadership and executive development programs. He's been preforming learning, development and training functions formally since 2000 and informally for organizations since 1987. He has also taught courses on conflict resolution and discrimination. Prios to his move into the business sector, Chris practiced law in the areas of labor, employment and business litigation for over 12 years. He graduated from Washington University School of Law with honors in 1987.