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Engaging and upskilling emerging digital transformation talent
7 min read | Harry Gooding | Article | | Learning and development
In a skills short market – where the overwhelming majority (95%) of employers in the tech industry have faced such challenges over the past year – finding and retaining high-quality emerging talent remains at the forefront of most digital transformation leaders’ minds. Recognising this pressing need, our Skills and Learning team recently hosted a networking breakfast and roundtable discussion for some of the private sector’s most senior digital transformation leaders. The 14 senior executives ranged from head of to VP level, across organisations spanning various industries, including the safety critical sectors, professional services, IT services, telecommunications, and more.
On the day, conversations were focused on how to overcome the most significant blockers that the attendees were facing when driving digital transformation strategies. One of these challenges was attracting and retaining emerging talent, with an emphasis on continuous skills development. Another common hurdle our experts were keen to overcome was finding effective methods for transferring knowledge across generations, with discussions aimed to bridge digital skills gaps and ensure long-term workforce capabilities.
Looking to join the conversation on emerging talent? Our networking events offer senior tech leaders a trusted forum to tackle common challenges, such as skills shortages, future workforce expectations and how to build a sustainable talent pipeline. If you’re interested in attending similar future events, register your interest here. Alternatively, read on for insights into the biggest hurdles that were discussed at the roundtable and the holistic approach required to overcome them.
Competition for the digital transformation leaders of tomorrow is fierce, and it takes more than just an attractive salary to make your organisation stand out from the rest. At the early stages of their careers, high-potential tech professionals are often hungry for opportunities that will expand their knowledge and existing skillset. Admin-heavy roles just won’t cut it, as that would fail to fulfil their desire for variety and rapid skill acquisition. Instead, organisations should consider implementing structured leadership development programmes with rotations, providing exposure to various business functions. A culture of continuous learning and development can foster a motivated and thriving team, which will ultimately have a positive impact on staff retention.
Retaining emerging talent is one challenge, but having access to the most sought-after individuals in the first place is another. That’s where we come in – Skills and Learning can help you address your skills gaps by finding, coaching, and training high-potential tech talent to meet your organisation’s specific needs. What’s more, our experts understand the importance of learning and development when it comes to attracting and retaining talent, so we ensure our application process and the way we upskill applicants gets them excited about the role and keeps them engaged.
Intergenerational knowledge sharing is a proactive way to bridge skills gaps and sustain long-term workforce capabilities in digital transformation teams. It mitigates the risk of losing vital expertise when the most experienced members of your team approach retirement, while also having the added benefit of upskilling the newest members of your workforce.
Clearly, there’s many benefits to be had by sharing the knowledge of your more experienced team members, but establishing a structured processed, endorsed by key stakeholders, will deliver the most successful outcome. Identifying which knowledge is critical to pass on, and using diverse methods like shadowing, white papers, or videos are essential. And, for a smooth knowledge transfer, all team members should be onboard with why and how this is happening.
Through clear and positive communication, as well as showcasing successful knowledge sharing examples, you can reduce resistance from employees, improving team spirit through a culture of learning and development. Support from the wider organisation is also crucial, with mandates ensuring that the most experienced workers predominantly supervise rather than perform tasks.
The world of work is constantly shifting, with technological advancements such as AI seeing huge uptake in recent years. Due to the ever-evolving nature of the tech industry, the most sought-after technical skills for digital transformation professionals are always evolving. As a result, leaders in this space can have greater long-term success by hiring for potential rather than on existing experience.
As well as having a positive impact on team culture and retention, as discussed above, continuous learning and development will also plug skills gaps within the team. Upskilling is the key to sustaining long-term workforce capabilities, so it’s important to hire individuals with strong learning potential as opposed to solely focusing on your short-term requirements. This will ensure you have the talent you need for your digital transformation teams to keep innovating, both today and tomorrow.
At Skills and Learning, we address employers’ digital skills shortages by discovering, coaching, mentoring, and training high-potential talent to meet your organisation’s immediate and long-term needs. We can provide you with access to the digital transformation leaders of tomorrow with our skills-based hiring approach built to foster a sustainable workforce.
Take a look at our Skills and Learning webpage for more information about our cost-effective solutions. Here, you can also see case studies of some of the organisations we have already helped to overcome skills shortages through our innovative approach.
Harry Gooding, Director, Hays Skills & Learning
Harry is part of Hays Skills & Learning, a new business in the Hays portfolio, supporting our customer network to develop skills development programmes that open up employment opportunities to ‘undiscovered talent’ communities. After beginning his career in recruitment, he then worked in VC backed start-ups and scale-ups for six years across two different portfolios before joining Hays.
