How Does Upskilling Grow Company Culture?
Upskilling your workplace can boost your corporate culture by increasing productivity, employee retention, and overall company growth.
How Upskilling Grows Company Culture
Learn about the benefits of upskilling employees and how it can boost company culture and lead to employee retention.
For a company to grow and thrive, it must focus internally—from the top down. Every level, from CEO to intern, is an essential contributor to an organization’s overall wellbeing. To be set for success, a company must institute a culture that’s strongly based on a collection of priorities and beliefs, as well as a focus on individuals and their career goals. These goals can be supported through a process known as upskilling, in which current employees strengthen their expertise for current or future roles.
But what does upskilling look like and what are the benefits of upskilling employees? Let’s explore how this forward-thinking process can be reflected within a company’s culture and how it can be effective.
What Is Company Culture?
Company culture is the result of pre-existing behaviors, beliefs, habits, norms, values, and a handful of other characteristics that a company holds in high regard. When employees are provided with a welcoming environment in which they can embrace a variety of learning opportunities, they’ll be able to learn and grow. By regularly listening to employees, they’ll feel included, heard, and like they belong. Making sure to have a positive, uplifting company culture is crucial—and upskilling employees is one way to do that.
How Does Upskilling Benefit Company Culture?
A company must first establish a healthy culture of learning that nurtures and rewards growth. Once that’s in place, employees will be more willing to engage in an upskilling and reskilling program, which can greatly benefit the organization as a whole.
As employees learn and develop their knowledge through upskilling and reskilling, they set the foundation for a healthy culture within. In fact, those who are satisfied by their employer’s learning culture are 25% more likely to be happy at work. Employees want the opportunity to learn and grow, and when an employer fosters a culture of learning, employees’ happiness can improve. This means that L&D pros need to focus on working cross functionally to infuse these opportunities into the overall DNA of the organization by way of performance reviews, internal mobility programs, and continued education for the workforce.
How Upskilling and Company Culture are Intertwined
By establishing policies and strategies to support its vision and values, an organization can follow up with a solid upskilling program that makes everyone a priority—even itself. Employer investment in their employees’ growth and development can be felt on a granular level. As professionals are encouraged to participate in continued learning opportunities, morale increases—and so does the positive company culture. In the past year, 64% of Learning & Development professionals have seen their organization’s culture of learning grow stronger, contributing to more successful initiatives in the workplace. So, by upskilling the workforce, employees will gain deeper knowledge, share skills, cross-train, and support one another along their career journey.
As an employer, it’s important to keep in mind that employee motivation varies for each person. Accommodating a variety of learning styles allows employees to choose their own path from a handful of options and ensures more employees will participate. By putting them in charge of their development plan, they’ll have the freedom to decide which areas they’d be most interested in upskilling, giving them ownership of their career path.
Why Is Upskilling Critical to Company Culture?
An integral part of upskilling is anticipating the appropriate skills needed for the future. When companies upskill and invest in their employees, it directly increases employee engagement. Taking pride in the growth and development of employees shows a solid appreciation for them. When employees feel cared for at work, they’re 3.2x more likely to be happy at work, and 3.7x more likely to recommend working for their employer. By fostering learning, employees will feel an interest in a long-term commitment from their employers and they’ll be more inclined to value their contributions, teamwork, and career development.
How Does Upskilling Lead to Employee Retention?
An important aspect of a company's culture is continual learning. Training employees to strengthen their skills helps provide them with a clear vision of career growth within your organization. Employees with something to work toward typically embrace a greater sense of purpose and are often inclined to grow within their current company, instead of seeking employment elsewhere. As previously mentioned, an added benefit is that upskilled employees tend to have higher morale, resulting in satisfied clients. When a company gains recognition as a great place to work while also valuing its team, brand awareness will improve—and so will employee retention.
People want to work for an employer who believes they’ll achieve more together, which is directly reflected in the overall atmosphere and investment in their workforce. By introducing an effective upskilling and reskilling strategy in a corporate setting, everyone will have the opportunity to grow, learn, and create a healthy company culture that will thrive.
