Getting the new skills required in a digital society

Digital transformation (DX)^＊1 has become one of the most important terms in the industrial world. With the rapid development of digital and related technology, it is said that in the not-too-distant future a world will open up where cyberspace (virtual space) and physical space (real space) are highly integrated. With the coming of a full-fledged digital society in which all kinds of data are shared and utilized in real time, companies are being forced to develop new businesses that are compatible with that society and to revise their existing businesses.

The impact of changes in society extends to each and every employee. Proficiency with an abacus was once essential when dealing with numbers, but over time abacuses have been replaced by calculators, computers, spreadsheet software, etc., and the necessary skills have also changed.

In recent years, new job categories such as data analyst and AI engineer have been attracting attention. The emergence of these types of jobs reflects the changes in the skills and knowledge needed in society, but unfortunately there are still not enough people to fill these positions.

The word “reskilling” was born in this context. It generally refers to strategic human resource development by companies in which employees learn the new skills and knowledge required for work. Companies formulate business strategies with an eye on changes in society, and employees must acquire a variety of new skills and knowledge in order to carry out business based on these strategies. Therefore, reskilling is necessary for companies to implement their strategies.

Creating something new and facing challenges when there is no correct answer

Since reskilling is based on business strategy, the specific content of learning varies depending on the company, department, and job. There may be times when expertise such as data science or AI is required, and there are also needs such as information literacy that are common to many business people regardless of the industry. Since the technological innovations and changes in business models brought about by digitization are wide-ranging, it is important to reskill employees after ascertaining what kind of knowledge and skills are necessary for the company.

Also, a theme at many companies is “the ability to think.” In previous skill-improving training sessions and education programs where employees learned new skills hands-on or acquired systematic knowledge in specific fields, learning goals were often clearly visible. However, what is required in business today is the ability to create something new based on your own ideas in order to bring about the kind of transformation symbolized by DX, and the ability to bring potential problems to a resolution.

Accordingly, many programs have been developed to help people acquire the ability to think. One example is a program in which participants are given the necessary information in advance and are divided into small discussion groups to come up with new business proposals and solutions to problems. Participants hone the necessary skills through the experience of thinking and creating, facing challenges for which there is no correct answer.

Increasing employee engagement^＊2 through reskilling

With reskilling, companies provide employees with opportunities to learn the skills they need to continue creating value in their jobs. By acquiring new skills and knowledge through reskilling, employees can achieve results within the company, take on new tasks, and feel a sense of personal growth. Because this growth matches the direction desired by the company, employees can feel that they are contributing to the company’s development, which is thought to increase their motivation and job satisfaction.

One company whose main business reached a turning point due to changes in the market decided to reassign employees to other departments in addition to making organizational changes. Because changes in work responsibilities are a significant burden on employees, the company enhanced its reskilling program and had employees who were transferred take the course. As a result, employees who took the course not only were able to adapt to their new jobs, but also expressed happiness that they had acquired new skills.

As employees continue to work over many years, they are expected to constantly take on new challenges using improved skills and to expand their opportunities to play an active role.