Here at Redbiller, Workforce has come to mean something different. But today, I’ll be dropping that definition for the actual definition of Workforce -the people engaged in or available for work in a firm, industry or region. It can also be defined as the staff of an organisation.
As part of their requirement for employment, many organisations lay out the academic and professional qualifications applicants should have. This is what they believe an individual needs to be able to perform in that role and give value to the company.
While it is good to employ qualified personnel to fill available positions, organisations should also be open to training and equipping staff with the right skill set to improve functionality/productivity. This would mean providing learning opportunities for employees to up their skills.
A healthy and progressive organisation is committed to the personal and professional growth of its employees so that they are at all times able to skillfully deliver on tasks. Think of it like maintaining your equipment -you have to maintain your staff too.
However...
Educating should not end with sending them to conferences and workshops. It is also giving employees room for growth. If they upskill and have no platform to express/utilize it, then it is as good as not educating them at all. And the downside of this is that they might seriously consider leaving for a place that allows them to put their skills to use and gain experience in that field.
Creating Room for Growth
- Fill new positions from in-house
- Rotate non-essential/short-term leadership roles, e.g. Team lead for specific projects
- Reward personal sacrifice for the company
- Publicly acknowledge improved performances
Conclusion
As we move towards the close of the year, this is an excellent time to organise training activities in preparation for next year's operations. And even if your organisation's policy is to use the whole of December to flex, then plan towards having these training as soon as the new year kicks off so that you know you are facing the year with a skilled workforce. Take this as your reminder to start planning.
