Refreshing competences continuously

Jobs are evolving faster than ever: a study conducted by Dell and the Institute for the Future considers that 85% of the jobs of the next decade do not exist yet. In such a context, training personnel to enable them to remain employable has become a major competitive challenge for companies. Indeed, external recruitment would cost four to six times more than an internal job mobility! This however demands that training enables a real rise in the competence of employees. And the anticipated result is far from guaranteed: both leaders and employees express mixed views on this topic.

Should we place the blame on training departments, which would not live up to the challenge? Far from it. This field has achieved considerable progress over the past few years: we have significantly refined the understanding of cognitive mechanisms, as well as of the motivation factors behind training. New tools also exist, notably digital ones—simulation, virtual reality, personalization—that open a field of new possibilities. More comprehensive and effective training programs can thus be set up, associating a variety of formats and educational resources.

The point is now to fully exploit these new opportunities. To do this, before even considering the structure and contents of the programs, it is often appropriate to rethink the role of training in the organization and the importance we grant it on a daily basis.

This challenge requires an in-depth evolution, if not a revolution, in which everyone in the company must participate: the leaders of course, the heads of training departments at the forefront, but also managers and even employees. Indeed, the state of mind of the latter towards training greatly conditions its effectiveness. All those involved will need to agree on the priority nature of continuous learning and, starting from there, together reinvent training.

In this synopsis:
– Decompartmentalize training to place it back at the heart of the strategy
– Reinforce the impact of training
– Continue to learn every day