The evolution of digital skills training and its importance in 2021

The evolution of digital skills training and its importance in 2021

Enterprises were already revamping their workforce strategies prior to the pandemic. Digital transformation had brought tremendous change to the workplace in areas from job automation to the application of new technologies like artificial intelligence. So, while the massive migration to remote was unprecedented, it really fits into a broader tech trend that continues to evolve and impact how we work.

As a result, reskilling and upskilling of employees on all-things digital has become imperative. In 2021, this will put pressure on those involved in areas like training, especially for enterprises that deal with complex technology and sophisticated software. Further, it’s clear that remote will continue playing a significant role in the future, driven by the conveniences and cost savings of digital and the cloud – benefits that both employees and leaders are enjoying.

A workforce adapts

According to research from the World Economic Forum, companies believe about 40% of workers need reskilling that could take up to six months. What’s more, an astounding 94% of business leaders expect these employees to acquire these vital new skills on the job.

In the year ahead, we’ll see a focus on strengthening digital skills so that all involved – employees, but also partners and customers – can engage in various channels, carry out tasks remotely and streamline operations. After all, for an enterprise, a foundation of tech savvy workers means an ability to respond and adapt to change rapidly and seize new opportunities, which in turn gives them an advantage over competitors.

Equally important next year, organizations will be paying more attention to establishing a work culture that embraces learning. The pandemic has already prompted enterprises to expedite their digital transformation and adopt new technology to counter social distancing.

That said, enabling tech in the workplace will continue growing, particularly for enterprises who have realized Zoom can’t deliver a sufficient in-person, hands-on experience to match their educational needs.

The importance of scale

Developing digital skills across a dispersed global enterprise means updating learning tactics. In the past, instructor-led, classroom-based, face-to-face training was preferred, though that had also been changing long before the pandemic. The biggest problem is, face to face doesn’t scale cost-effectively, and today there are too many employees working from home, from too many locations.

Last year, more companies turned to virtual instructor-led training (VILT) and online self-paced learning – and it’s a training mix that’ll continue climbing with travel being grounded. It’s important to note that financial officers are likely pleased with the savings – 445 million business trips are taken annually – so it’s an approach that’s here to stay. In particular, self-paced learning offers a flexible way to provide large scale training by controlling when and how employees interact with online modules. They can also progress at a rate that suits their needs, engage in training when it’s most convenient and benefit from customized experiences.

Yet, online platforms require tools to manage activities. That’s why VILT and self-paced learning environments are leveraging emerging features like feedback for trainers, real-time chat support for students, and user and engagement analytics that provide insight into programs so that they can be improved.

In 2021, we’ll see even greater feature development as tech leaders apply what they’ve learned from both digital transformation and the pandemic, potentially expediting cycles and leapfrogging ahead with more powerful tools.

Environments for success

Virtual training can optimize self-paced learning methods, especially when enterprises use advanced cloud technologies. This can create realistic, secure learning environments that allow trainees to easily work, hands-on, with the same tools they’ll use on the job. And because environments are isolated, users simply start again if something goes wrong, learning from their mistakes without fear of causing damage.

Enabling employees to carry out tasks in a training environment that rivals on-the-job experiences, the chances of successful knowledge transfer are dramatically increased. Further, with some solutions, instructors can harness data and analytics to gain a better understanding of usage, make program improvements, effectively track costs, compare the performances of classes and more.

Incorporating flexible, technology-based learning will be essential for handling an expanding range of jobs and work procedures. Discussions regarding this should be taking place now whereas new tools will likely be needed not just in 2021, but to support digital reskilling and upskilling into the future. Only this can produce an evolving, adaptable workforce and the agility enterprises will need to compete and succeed.