Kathleen Manning is dean of center for workforce development and continuing education at Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester.
Updated: November 8, 2021
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Train your workforce for the needs of the future
By Kathleen Manning
Training people for the jobs of the future has taken on a new meaning in the COVID pandemic. We have witnessed a transformation in the way employers engage with employees, the public, and in the way companies deliver goods and services.
The pandemic has shined a light on the need for businesses to be adaptable and technically proficient, and has given rise to the importance of continual training. Research of more than 2,500 firms by the American Society for Training and Development discovered firms offering comprehensive training enjoyed a 24% higher profit margin.
A company’s most valuable asset is its employees. By investing in comprehensive continual employee and management training, companies realize improved employee performance, increased employee morale, increased productivity, increased innovation, and higher employee retention.
Understanding how businesses responded during the pandemic has given a clear indication of what a post-pandemic world will look like. Companies with a trained workforce were prepared to transition to a remote work environment, continued business as usual, and remained productive. We witnessed tech giants such as Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, and Twitter effectively transition to remote. They now are considering what a remote workforce will look like post-pandemic.
A summer 2020 survey of close to 800 U.S. companies performed by Mercer, a workplace benefits consulting firm, found one in three companies expect to have their workforce work remotely post-pandemic. Data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from July-September 2020 found telework offered to employees increased among large establishments by 86%, while in smaller businesses it increased by 31%.
Keeping ahead of the curve in a competitive marketplace means continual investments in human capital.
One of the best ways a company can train its personnel is by utilizing the workforce development offerings at local community colleges. These resources offer an abundance of affordable professional development, career growth, and employee training options. Community colleges are already proficient in the training of technical skills and new communication tools needed in today’s world. They stay current to industry needs and recognize the training and professional development of this year may radically change in the next year.
Training can be customized to each employer’s needs. Instructors are often industry-trained professionals, who understand challenges employers and employees face. Continual professional development training is a must for employees at all levels of a company. Managers must have a new set of leadership skills including not only navigating communication platforms such as Slack, Basecamp or Zoom, but know how to manage their employees in a virtual workplace.
Massachusetts recognizes the value of workforce development and upskilling. The Commonwealth Corp. offers funding available to employers through the Workforce Training Fund, which provides $10 -$15 million in training grants annually.
By strategically investing in employee training and reskilling workers to meet the needs of today’s workplace, companies will weather the pandemic downturn better and come out stronger on the other side.
WBJ Web Partners
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