Work: a constantly evolving world

In the last 10 years, but even more so from 2020, the world of work has been completed transformed. Both businesses and workers have been affected by significant changes, driving may professionals to review (if not revolutionise) their skills.

One of the many consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is the unstoppable ascent of technological progress, and it is easy to see how jobs and the related skills are constantly being reviewed and accelerated. One requirement stands above all others: knowing how to evolve.

In this unstable and dynamic context, we have started to talk of “reskilling” and “upskilling”: these two apparently similar terms in fact have very different meanings.

It is important for anyone thinking about new business strategies and growth targets to understand the meaning and of and differences between these two terms:

-  RESKILLING is the acquisition of new skills, different from those previously developed, aiming to cover a different role in the company.

PRACTICAL EXAMPLE: an employee in a manufacturing company, working on a traditional production line, received professional training to use technical drawing programs and is moved from the production department to the design offices.

-  UPSKILLING on the other hand refers to perfecting one’s own skills, allowing a professional figure to extend their skill set while still working in their original field.

PRACTICAL EXAMPLE: the employee of an advertising agency wishes to keep in step with the most influential trends and innovations: to do so, the company offers a training path focusing on the application of generative Artificial Intelligence for the production of Social Media campaigns.

Having explained the difference between reskilling and upskilling, it is clear that the two approaches correspond to two separate business growth strategies. 

• RESKILLING is essential when a company wants to equip its employees with new skills and abilities, probably because those developed thus far are obsolete and no longer required.
• UPSKILLING, on the other hand, is crucial for companies wishing to enhance the skills of their employees in their own field of competence, to keep them in step with the sector innovations and improve productivity and performance.

In short, reskilling is needed when a company is facing major changes, while upskilling is used to strengthen skills and stay competitive on the market.

For any company, carefully assessing the approach to take is fundamental to avoid wasting time and resources and having a team that is not prepared for work demands.

Here are some recommendations for making the right choice:

1. Take time to carefully examine the skills of your staff. This will help you to understand where there are gaps to be filled.
2. Always keep an eye on the trends in your sector. Being in step will help you to anticipate the skills which may become crucial for your business in future.
3. Look closely at the roles that could be affected by technological developments or changes in the market. This step is essential for understanding where reskilling may be necessary.
4. Never forget the importance of planning upskilling and reskilling pathways with the help of your Human resources department.

A recent PageGroup study investigated the European trends in upskilling and reskilling. The results show how 32% of those interviewed are focusing on reskilling to adapt their abilities to suit the market developments. Another 34% are on upskilling paths to improve their skills. So, in short, over 65% of workers interviewed have questioned their own skills and begun a new professional training path.

Knowing how to evolve requires method, care and attention.

It is essential that companies invest appropriate time and resources to facilitate transformation processes, but the key element is the ability to adapt and remain flexible.

Whatever the strategy chosen to enhance or add skills, the importance of continuous training as a growth driver for businesses is undisputed. Investing in the professional development of employees is the first step in building a future-proof work environment.