Editor’s Note

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Welcome to the September issue of Talent Management Excellence. In this issue, let us learn more about keeping people’s skills in sync with the constantly changing work. With the health and safety of employees being prime focus today, everything else has taken a back seat and that includes learning and development. While upskilling employees remain crucial for the future of every organization, especially in times of crisis when jobs and job roles are changing, are organizations prioritizing employee upskilling and reskilling? 
 

Companies that invest in advanced upskilling strategies create a more vibrant culture, see higher employee engagement, and do a better job attracting and retaining talent. More importantly, they can accelerate digital transformation, innovate faster, and quickly react to new market opportunities. The cover article by Kelly Palmer, 7 Steps For Upskilling Your Workforce, talks about the important steps you can take now to get ready for what’s next.

Tomorrow’s new hires and today’s employees have one thing in common: they need to stay competitive in an ever-evolving workplace. How they do that is the stuff of HR leaders’ dreams, and it often looks like upskilling, reskilling and continuous talent development. This is where many of us shine. But HR leaders sometimes drop the ball when it comes to own teams. Read Debbie Shotwell’s article, Supercharge Your HR Team’s Skills, for key strategies that can complement existing reskilling and upskilling efforts aimed at your HR colleagues. 

What traits are emerging amid these crises that make for a good manager? Clearly, some managers have thrived during these stressful, anxiety-ridden months. Some managers are just naturals. They have something special that just comes naturally. Managing effectively when times are tough takes a special skill, just like any other, that will improve with a focused, determined effort. Read Raphael Crawford-Marks’ article, 10 Emerging Traits Of A Good Virtual Manager for more insights.

Layoffs. They’re an uneasy subject for many leaders, and it’s no wonder. An unsettling study revealed that people take longer to recover from unemployment than they do from losing a loved one or experiencing divorce. According to Bloomberg Economics, we’re in for a second wave of pandemic-related job cuts that may affect close to 6 million more jobs. Given the upheaval layoffs can create, it’s imperative that those of us who are shouldered with communicating the bad news be compassionate about our approach. Read Walt Rakowich’s article, Layoffs In Trying Times: Are You A Good Un-Employer? to learn more about how you and your employee can part with dignity.

As the uncertainty continues, the most important job skill today would be the ability to learn. We hope the articles included in this edition helps you learn more about why upskilling and reskilling can be the key to businesses surviving the COVID-19 crisis, as well as accelerating the long-term stability and growth of an organization.

Stay Safe!
 

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