How to Upskill Your Employees


Your employees are your most valuable asset and their continuous training and development (i.e., upskilling) is key to your organization’s success. That’s why we’ve put together a list of 15 new skills that are worth upskilling your employees this year.

Economics

An understanding of economics is essential for anyone working in business. It helps you make better decisions, understand what’s happening in the market, and predict future trends.

If you don’t have anyone on your team with economics skills, now is the time to upskill them. It might be through a four-year degreeOpens in a new tab. or something less time-intensive, but either way, it’s a great skill set and insight to have on your team.

Social media marketing

With so many people using social media, it’s important for businesses to have a strong social media presence. Employees with social media marketing skills can help you reach a wider audience and connect with customers on a more personal level.

This is especially important upskilling for your marketing team, but it can also be beneficial for other employees as well.

Public speaking

Many people are naturally shy when it comes to public speaking, but this is a skill that’s becoming increasingly important. With so many online platforms and opportunities for public speaking, being able to present confidently in front of a group can give your business a big boost.

Public speaking skills can help your employees communicate better with customers, vendors, and other members of the business community. It can also help them become more confident leaders.

With the rise of digital marketing, good graphic design skills are more important than ever. Graphics are a key part of any online marketing campaign, and they can also be used to create more engaging content.

Graphic design

Employees with graphic design skills can help you create visuals that capture your audience’s attention and drive conversions. They can also help you build a more visually appealing website and social media presence and add a lot of value to your content marketing efforts and overall branding.

SEO

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of optimizing a website for Google and other search engines. By improving your website’s SEO, you can improve your ranking in search engine results pages and attract more visitors to your site.

SEO is a complex process, but with the right skills, your employees can help you improve your website’s ranking and attract more customers. SEO is an important skill to have if you want your business to grow online and it is constantly evolving so there is a good chance that even your current marketing people could stand to make some major improvements.

PPC

PPC, or Pay-per-Click, is a form of online advertising where businesses pay for clicks on their ads. By running PPC campaigns, businesses can drive traffic to their websites and increase their sales.

Employees with PPC skills can help you create, manage, and optimize your PPC campaigns.

They can also help you track your results and make adjustments to improve your ROI. PPC is a great way to drive traffic to your website and increase your sales.

Training skills

One of the best things you can do for your onboarding, collaboration and overall employee performance, is to give people the skills to teach others. What this means is that you have employees that are certified and/or experienced in training others to do their work.

Employees with training skills can help you develop and deliver training programs for new employees and existing employees. They can also help you create manuals, guides, and other resources to help your employees learn new skills and improve their performance. Training skills are a valuable asset to any business.

Data analysis

With the amount of data businesses are collecting, it’s more important than ever to have employees who can analyze and make sense of it all. Data analysts can help you understand your customer base, track marketing campaigns, and make better business decisions.

Data will continue to drive business decisions more and more, particularly marketingOpens in a new tab. and customer experience decisions, and businesses that don’t have employees who can analyze data will be at a disadvantage. Having employees on your team who are able to better handle and utilize data to make bottom line-driven decisions will give you a competitive edge.

Project management

A project manager is someone who oversees a project from start to finish, ensuring that it’s completed on time and within budget. If your business is looking to take on more projects, or if you’re struggling to keep track of all your current projects, then hiring a project manager may be the solution.

Project management is a critical skill for any business and is something that every employee should have some knowledge of. Project managers can help you plan and execute projects, manage resources, and ensure that all aspects of the project are on track.

Customer service

A good customer service representative is essential to any business. They are the first line of defence when it comes to dealing with customers, and they can make or break a customer’s experience with your company.

Employees with strong customer service skills are key to maintaining a positive reputation for your business and keeping your customers happy. They can also help you resolve customer complaints and improve your customer retention rates.

Time management

Time is precious, and employees who are good at managing their time can make the most of it. They know how to work efficiently and effectively to get the most done in the shortest amount of time.

This is the kind of upskilling that you can’t put a price on. With employees who are good at time management, you can get more done in less time and improve your overall productivity. Time management skills are essential for any business.

Business writing

Writing well is an important skill for any employee. Business writing skills can help employees write clear and concise emails, proposals, and reports. With the majority of business communication now taking place via email and communication apps like Slack and Discord, good writing skills are more important than ever.

Website development

A good website is essential for any business. Employees with website development skills can create and maintain a website that represents your company well. If you have people on hand who can make changes to and upkeep the website, you will save time and money in the long run. Web design and web development is very expensive and is a skill that is in high demand.

Sales skills

Sales skills are universal skillsOpens in a new tab., and every employee would benefit from improving theirs. Employees with strong sales skills can increase their chances of closing deals, making more sales, and growing their business. Employees are able to put sales skills to use in their day to day lives at work, including to cold call, negotiate, close sales and ask for referrals.

Cybersecurity

As more and more businesses move to the digital world, the need for employees who are skilled in cybersecurity grows. Employees with cybersecurity skills can help you protect your company from online threats and keep your data safe.

Upskilling your employees with better cybersecurity skills and understanding is essential because of the threat that untrained and unknowledgeable employees represent. Your employees are simultaneously your biggest assets and your gravest cybersecurity threat.

Conclusion

These are just a few of the many skills that your employees can benefit from upskilling in. By investing in your employees and giving them the opportunity to improve their skills, you are helping to set them up for success both now and in the future.

Steve Todd

Steve Todd, founder of Open Sourced Workplace and is a recognized thought leader in workplace strategy and the future of work. With a passion for work from anywhere, Steve has successfully implemented transformative strategies that enhance productivity and employee satisfaction. Through Open Sourced Workplace, he fosters collaboration among HR, facilities management, technology, and real estate professionals, providing valuable insights and resources. As a speaker and contributor to various publications, Steve remains dedicated to staying at the forefront of workplace innovation, helping organizations thrive in today's dynamic work environment.

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