Your team is struggling with upskilling program demands. How can you address their overwhelm effectively?

The key is to break it down and support them through the process. Our team was managing a global team struggling with a new upskilling initiative. We addressed this by dividing the program into smaller, manageable steps and offering flexible deadlines. I also introduced peer learning sessions where team members could share knowledge and support each other. By creating a more collaborative and flexible environment, the team felt less pressure, and we successfully completed the program without burning out.

You need to know where your team stands in terms of skills and ability before making a plan to ameliorate. If you can't identify areas of strength and areas of focus for improvement you can't develop upskilling plans. This is a key component of this work and the leader of the organization needs to be in tune with the needs of the team.

Leadership perspective:Ups killing programs,team productivity ,employee retention,understanding the team challenges,Acknowledge team contributions. Team perspectives:Listening team needs,empathise, support when needed,value their development,fostering more motivation. Learning and development perspective:ups killing learning methods,adapting more flexible training methods or learning techniques,technology advancement,digital learning,hands on practice opportunities.

Understanding your team's specific challenges with upskilling requires more than just surface-level feedback. Implement a structured assessment framework that includes one-on-one interviews and anonymous surveys, allowing team members to express their concerns candidly. Analyze the data to identify patterns and underlying issues—such as skills misalignment or ineffective training formats. By adopting a comprehensive approach to needs assessment, you can create targeted interventions that truly resonate with your team's learning styles and preferences, fostering a more effective upskilling environment.

Assessing needs of these employers and determining funding/supports available to meet their needs are essential. Of course, there's additional steps to consider as well

Pick the low hanging fruit first. This will build confidence on your team members and allow you to get some small wins while building towards the more complex issues. Take care of what you can address easily first. This will also allow you to set the tone and expectations that you have for upskilling goals with your team.

First I have to Identify the skills required and focus on them to prevent overloading the team, accordingly we try to break down the upskilling journey into manageable phases, deadlines and clear goals. Meanwhile let encourage team members with advanced skills to mentor others, easing the load carry of external resources by promoting a bite-sized, continuous learning to reduce pressure and improve retention. At last , assuring employees to fit learning into their schedule, balancing upskilling with their daily tasks. This meaning think will provide a more manageable, supportive environment for upskilling.

1.Strategic prioritisation:Focusing team needs,software tools,critical customer support and service technologies. 2.Cognitive load theory 3.Team engagement and morale.

To ensure an effective upskilling program, prioritize skills based on immediate business needs and team member aspirations. Conduct a skills gap analysis to identify which competencies are critical for upcoming projects or organizational goals. Once priorities are set, create a roadmap that outlines a phased learning approach, emphasizing mastery of foundational skills first. This strategic prioritization not only helps in reducing overwhelm but also aligns individual growth with the company’s objectives, fostering a sense of purpose and motivation within the team.

Incorporating flexibility into your upskilling programs can dramatically enhance participation and retention. Instead of a rigid schedule, explore options like self-paced learning modules or cohort-based sessions that allow team members to choose when and how they engage. Additionally, consider integrating learning into daily routines by allocating specific times for skill development during work hours. This not only alleviates the stress of balancing workloads but also demonstrates a commitment to professional growth, thereby increasing morale and encouraging a culture of continuous learning.

Offering flexible schedules or dedicated learning hours can alleviate the stress of balancing day-to-day responsibilities with upskilling. By allowing flexibility, you demonstrate that you value your team's time and are committed to their success while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. This approach fosters higher engagement and makes the learning experience more enjoyable and effective.

I’ve heard this referred to learning in the flow of work meaning that the learning is embedded within their day. This ensures it is directly connected to what they are doing and allows people to do it where they work. Many times on that’s on the go so having mobile friendly learning supports this approach.

One of the greatest successes of my program has been to offer flexibility with scheduling. Life is happening all around and removing time as a barrier helped not only increase the level of commitment, but also became a driver in my team’s desire to show up more. For me the reality is that I am not managing people, I’m leading them. I am demonstrating to them what makes a person succeed in all aspects. Shifting the concept of time with schedule flexibility has proven a success. I gave the expectation… They met it! - They had the flexibility to work their required hours in a way that best fit their schedules. Their performance was visibly greater. Less call off, the work got done and we are all happy.

Implementing a robust support system is essential for helping your team manage upskilling demands. This can include mentorship programs, where experienced employees guide their peers, and peer learning groups for collaborative growth. Access to additional resources, like online tutorials and workshops, enhances learning opportunities. It's important to foster an environment where asking for help is encouraged and valued, ensuring that team members feel supported throughout their learning journey.

The culture of team starts from the top down. The supports put into place for that team’s success are important. As a manager, offering myself as a first line of support is key. Then guidance on where other supports live in the organization is essential. Peer to peer support, organizational structures and supports for employees, as well as connection or access to resources that are not offered internally. I stand firm in the belief that we all need one another. How we support each other makes a difference. Most people will leave a job when they feel like their organization does not support them. Mentoring, coaching, internal mobility plans, caring for one’s own should be an integral aspect of all organizations.

Reinforcement is key to retaining that information taught which can comes in various forms and is often overlooked. When dealing with behavior change, it takes time and requires doing a task or making the change consistently over a period of time so the more avenues to apply the learning, the greater the chance for adoption.

Using SMART criteria-specific,measurable,achievable,relevant, time bound, Positive reinforcement ,recognise effort and progress, Encouraging incremental growth,realistic expectations and goals achievement, positive feedback on adapt to new challenges or situations.

Establish a cadence for regular check-ins with your team, as well as the individuals. For me a weekly huddle along with a weekly 1:1 has proven beneficial. It gives my team the confidence to know that I’m interested in their success, Builds workplace trusts and destroys the thought of not having leadership accessible. Have the conversations, be professionally vulnerable with your employees. Ask questions , ask what works for your team as a whole and individually. Let your employees know that your workplace is a safe space.

This also helps to identify if there are other non- training related issues that are impacting their ability to perform better and work to address those. Supporting a growth mindset is also a way to encourage feedback to make the changes necessary to adopt the new skills/behaviors.