Ditto Digital has been assessing how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the business landscape (perhaps forever). Situations that we thought were unworkable, such as remote working, not only became a reality but we have seen those situations be productive.
If anything, the events of the last few years have shown just how remarkably resilient people can be, but there is always room for improvement and we now want to build a more resilient workforce that will achieve more prolonged success. Here are a couple of the things we are considering…
Training and development
If you want to create a more resilient workforce, you need to prepare your employees for the future. A good way of doing this is to ensure that you are investing in training and ongoing development so they will have the necessary skills and qualifications to adapt to an ever-changing workplace.
Training and development is beneficial and relevant to employees in all types of different roles and with a range of skillsets. Investing in employees shows they are valued by the company, which helps to create a more productive and happier work environment. It also increases retention rates, which is preferable to seeking the necessary skills elsewhere and hiring new people.
Not only will people gain new skills and learn new behaviours but many training courses lead to recognised professional qualifications that can raise the profile of the company and improve employees’ motivation. We all know that professional qualifications accredited by an industry body are essential for careers such as law and accounting but there are also many other accredited qualifications. Some of the well-recognised qualifications that can benefit people and businesses include:
- APM Project Fundamentals Qualification from the Association for Project Management (APM). This is suitable for anyone involved in project work and develops skills that can be applied to a number of roles and help people better understand what is expected of them in their own roles.
- Foundation Certificate in People Practice from the Chartered institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD). This provides a foundation for careers in the people profession, incorporating both HR and L&D.
- Various IT Certifications for Professionals from the Chartered institute of IT (BCS), which develop IT skills, improve and validate an employees’ competence. These are globally recognised certifications aligned with leading industry skills frameworks.
Keep people informed
Learning is always a good thing, and the opportunities it provides are essential when it comes to boosting the capabilities of a workforce in the long run. But training is just one of the ways in which we can create a resilient workforce.
When there are changes going on in the workplace, it is only natural that employees may become concerned about how these changes might affect them. Pre-empt any uncertainty that can unsettle people by making sure that employees are kept well-informed and understand any implications that changes may have for them. By giving them the information that they need to help them adapt to circumstances, this naturally creates resilience.