Build a Dynamic Approach to Skills Learning and Development

Skills need to change quickly and unpredictably. Top learning and development teams equip their organizations to respond.

Learning and development needs a faster way to meet skills demands

Despite past investments in reskilling and upskilling their workforce, only 11% of learning and development (L&D) staff believe employees have the skills they need for future roles. Many organizations take a reactive or predictive approach to meeting skills needs — but both of these approaches fall short. 

L&D needs a new way to solve a classic problem: how to reskill or upskill employees with the right skills at the right time.

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    Leading organizations take a dynamic approach to skills learning and development

    A dynamic learning and development approach creates adaptive networks, systems and strategies that equip the organization to sense skills changes in real time and quickly realign to develop those skills at the critical time of business need.

    Build a skills-sensing network to identify needs as they occur

    The first step in building a dynamic skills organization is to take a dynamic approach to skills identification. 

    Skills-sensing networks bring together insights from both typical and atypical HR partners, such as talent acquisition, strategy, operations, compensation, diversity and inclusion, and employee resource groups. These networks are flexible, collaborative and close to where skills needs change, so HR leaders can develop the real-time skills intelligence necessary to make better talent decisions.

    Some ways to implement a skills-sensing network include:

    • Develop a skills-based action-planning approach in which key stakeholders across the organization iteratively plan skills strategy, provide interventions and course-correct as skills needs change.

    • Create a skills advisory board that meets regularly to identify future skills needs and propose solutions for developing them. 

    Use skills accelerators versus traditional L&D training

    Part 2 of a dynamic skills approach is the use of skills accelerators. In lieu of traditional L&D training, skills accelerators make use of existing resources for employees to apply new skills more quickly on the job. This enables the organization to upskill and reskill employees in response to shifting skills needs. 

    Here are few ways organizations increase the timeliness and speed of meeting skills needs by applying skills accelerators:

    • Adapt learning delivery to occur when employees need it most; use data to identify and tailor learning delivery to the moments when skills needs arise in the business.

    • Identify existing adjacent skills to build upon among key employee groups.

    • Use skills disseminators — a select cohort of motivated and influential employees — to provide personalized learning support to the broader workforce as needed.

    Create L&D channels that enable transparency

    Sharing the right information with employees — and receiving the right information in response — help employees shift as plans shift. 

    Two-way skills transparency allows organizations to create informed skills solutions and equips employees to align their development with organizational strategy. This cuts down on wasted effort for everyone and provides a clearer path for skills development.

    Examples of how progressive L&D organizations put skills accelerators into action include: 

    • Create an adaptive “career logic” framework with practices that encourage transparency between the employee and the organization. This helps employees navigate change and manage their careers iteratively as needs shift.

    • Provide a customizable career roadmap, guided by skills transparency, multilayered support and development opportunities, to proactively develop skills as business needs arise.

    • Equip employees with a guide to creating a career portfolio. The guide helps employees gather and organize the skills they already have and explore development opportunities, while providing L&D with a more complete set of skills information.

    Learning and development FAQs

    How do skills-sensing networks enhance learning and development?

    Skills-sensing networks enhance learning and development by integrating insights from various HR partners, such as talent acquisition and diversity groups. These networks offer real-time skills intelligence, helping organizations identify and address skills needs promptly, making better talent decisions.

    What are skills accelerators in learning and development?

    Skills accelerators are tools that facilitate quicker application of new skills on the job, replacing traditional training methods. They adapt learning delivery to business needs, build on existing skills, and use influential employees to provide personalized learning support, ensuring timely upskilling and reskilling.

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