Skills, New Plastic
He just graduated from college. You are full of hopes and desires to explore the future. Your proud (and rich) parents are throwing you a fancy cocktail party. A friend of your parents pulls you aside by a fancy pool. He has one word of advice for the new generation. One word. Only one word: _____
Today, we probably laugh at this old scene that introduced us to that one word: plastics. The rest is history; plastics have taken over the world. However, plastics can also be interpreted as lies, nonsense, and hypocrisy. Like the older generation in the movie Graduate.
Only One Word: Skills
In today’s Learning and Development (L&D) scene, one word that has taken over WORL&D (the world of L&D) over the past decade has been skills. By now, it’s everywhere. We have skill starters, skill-based frameworks, and a skill tax. We have endless floors in terms of skill development and rework. In fact, every decent learning technology vendor now has talent management built into their solution. And, of course, each one is different.
The Skills Conundrum: Navigating Challenges and Avoiding Pitfalls in L&D
In the evolving world of Learning and Development, beyond Artificial Intelligence (AI), the topic of skills has become central to discussions of workforce readiness and the future of work. We’ve been talking about skills development, retraining, and the importance of closing skills gaps for years [1]. One would think we have many success stories to share.
I have been involved in both the practical implementation of skills and supporting organizations in developing their skills strategy. I can tell you it’s a lot harder than it sounds. This article covers some of the mistakes I’ve seen when it comes to implementing a skills strategy.
Error #0: Explanation
HR can spend years defining job skills and roles without ever getting around to defining what they mean by a skill.
- For example
A skills gap analysis may show that employees need communication skills. While on the surface, it sounds perfectly valid, it just doesn’t work as it should. This often leads to the training of communication skills, active listening, empathy, etc. - Repair
You can learn a lot about communication in general, but what your employees need individually is not communication theory but rather how to do their job while using effective communication skills. It should be explained by the work they do in the context of their work.
Mistake #1: Focusing on Today’s Skills Instead of Tomorrow’s
One of the most important mistakes L&D professionals make is to focus too much on the immediate needs of the business, equipping employees with skills that solve short-term gaps rather than preparing them for the long-term future. While aligning learning programs with business strategies is important, overemphasizing today’s job demands can quickly make skills obsolete as the market demands change. Large-scale skills development programs can lag behind demand before they even begin [2].
- For example
Consider a technology company that invests heavily in training its developers in legacy coding languages. These skills may be more in demand now, but the pace of innovation in the technology industry means that tomorrow’s engineers will need expertise in completely different frameworks and technologies. By the time the training programs have been completed, the environment has already changed. Mention tech debt, and you’ll get horror stories. - Repair
Shift the focus to future skills. It adopts a skills-based framework that includes not only technical skills but also enduring human skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability within the work context. Don’t just send employees to watch big videos talking about critical thinking. Show them an example within the context of their work, and results.
Mistake #2: Same Level For All
Due to resource constraints, L&D teams sometimes take a one-size-fits-all approach to skills development without matching the depth of skill required in a particular role or area of ​​expertise with the skill priority of specific business units.
- For example
A financial services organization may launch a comprehensive digital literacy campaign across departments. However, the needs of a data scientist are very different from those of a customer service representative. Both groups need digital information, but at varying levels of complexity and impact on business outcomes. - Repair
Prioritize key business skills and develop learning pathways that reflect the different needs of different roles. Find out which skills are core, which are focused on growth, and which are driving change. Technology can help by using AI and data analytics to personalize learning experiences, delivering skill-building experiences tailored to a student’s current role, potential career path, and business priorities.
Mistake #3: Mismatch Between Skills and Real-World Application
Too often, L&D programs focus on theoretical skills without providing a clear bridge to real-world application. Employees may complete leadership or data analytics courses, but unless they can quickly apply what they learn on the job, the learning will quickly disappear.
- For example
The company conducts a leadership development program that includes workshops on emotional intelligence, effective communication, and decision-making. However, once the program is over, there are no ways for participants to practice and strengthen these skills in their daily activities. The result? Small behavior change. - Repair
Embed skills in workflow. Collaborate with managers and team leaders to create opportunities for employees to practice new skills through simple assignments, real-time coaching, or on-the-job projects. Use digital tools like performance support systems that provide real-time learning, allowing employees to access training resources as they encounter challenges on the job. At a minimum, focus on the four driving factors for behavior change: motivation (intention to apply), opportunity (both physical and social expectations), job skills (knowledge, skills, and abilities), and outcome (with the SMART goal in mind).
Mistake #4: Ignoring the Human Factor
Despite advances in digital learning technology, many L&D programs fail to acknowledge that learning is a deeply human process. Skills are not just about acquiring knowledge; they require behavior modification, motivation, and ongoing support. Sometimes, L&D teams may rely too much on eLearning modules and self-paced courses without providing the social and emotional support for learners to succeed.
- For example
The organization operates a state-of-the-art learning platform that offers a large academic library. However, employees feel isolated and overwhelmed by the volume of content, leading to low completion rates and the adoption of limited skills. - Repair
Include social learning and training in skills development programs. Create learning communities where employees can collaborate, share insights, and solve problems together. Pair employees with mentors who can provide guidance and encouragement. Move from the role of “providing relevant learning content” to employees to one of empowerment, acceleration, and career growth. Extend your learning design from content creation to skill development. Employees are already learning from each other. Use that to your advantage.
Mistake #5: Not Measuring Impact
Finally, one of the biggest challenges is the failure to measure the impact of skills development on business performance. Many L&D teams track completion rates, student satisfaction, or competency assessments, but don’t connect these metrics to real-world performance results. I know it’s hard but if it was easy it would have been done by now.
- For example
The company invests in developing its sales team in negotiation techniques. Although course completion rates are high, no correlation exists between the training and improved sales metrics such as deal size, win rate, or customer retention. - Repair
Work backwards! Start with business objectives, focus on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and identify the behaviors required. But don’t stop there and jump to solutions. Clean the onion “we need training” and divide the obstacles into categories. Some can be solved with training. Some can be solved by reading. Others can only be resolved through organizational change or leadership support.
Focus on measurable results. Use performance metrics to measure the impact of skill development. Integrate data with business KPIs to understand how training affects key outcomes such as productivity, revenue, or customer satisfaction. This may require close collaboration between L&D, HR, and business leaders to establish clear success metrics before implementing any training programs.
The future of L&D is about being strategic and agile in the way of talent development. Avoiding these common mistakes and focusing on people, processes, and technology will empower, accelerate, and measure the impact of learning throughout your organization. Skills, when done right, become a tool for growth and change—not just for individuals but for the business as a whole.
References:
[1] 2024 WORLD COUNTRY SURVEY [2] 2024 Workplace Learning ReportSource link