On October 22-23, the Digital Reskilling Lab hosted the “Revitalize, Reinvent, Reskill: Unlocking Workforce Productivity” conference, a collaborative effort between the Digital Data Design Institute at Harvard and Managing the Future of Work at Harvard Business School. This event convened business leaders and reskilling practitioners to engage in discussions on reskilling methodologies and share cutting-edge research.
Key takeaway from this event include:
- Reskilling efforts must be deliberate and focused.
- The success of reskilling initiatives is contingent on the active support of company leadership.
- Middle managers play a pivotal role in the reskilling and transformation of their employee base.
- An effective reskilling program needs to nurture employees’ skills, behavior, and teamwork, each of which requires distinct attention and development.
- The incorporation of AI may expedite reskilling practices by enhancing scalability and personalization.
A recurring theme throughout the conference was the importance of distinguishing between reskilling and upskilling. While upskilling revolves around the development of more advanced skills within an employee’s current field and the evolution of their role, reskilling expands an individual’s skill set and enables a transition to other job responsibilities. In this era of rapid technological advancement, reskilling is imperative for both employees and employers.
A prevalent topic of discussion revolved around identifying the characteristics of a proficient “team player.” Presentations included methods for assessing collaborative abilities and delved into the true essence of being an effective team player. It was recognized that teamwork proficiency is less linked to hard skills and more related to effective empathy, prompting in-depth conversations regarding the optimal reskilling strategies to facilitate more efficient teamwork.
The significance of “soft” skills was also underscored by numerous speakers, who highlighted the correlation between non-cognitive skills and labor market outcomes. Conversations spanned the definition of “soft” skills and strategies for their integration into existing reskilling programs. Additionally, speakers explored the evolving demands of the global job market and the imperative to acknowledge its continuous transformation.
Presentations covered a range of topics, including skill analysis, reskilling evaluation and implementation, strategic reskilling planning and design, as well as the vital role of hierarchy involvement. The conference culminated in an interactive group session that summarized the content discussed over the two days and outlined the way forward. Many experts shared their own initiatives and ideas, reflecting their enthusiasm for future endeavors.