How companies drive change processes with targeted personnel development

Driving change in companies with further development  

The "Spinning Jenny" was developed in 1764. The steam engine followed in 1769. The result: companies no longer needed weavers to operate the loom. The machine took over. Many weavers lost their jobs and companies bought in expensive coal from abroad because they did not develop their own coal deposits in time. What would have happened if companies had retrained their own weavers in good time and secured coal supplies early on? If they had provided their own workforce with opportunities to continuously develop and break new ground? Major transformations such as the Industrial Revolution demand a lot from people. Compared to back then, however, changes are progressing faster today. Simply reacting is no longer enough. Instead, companies should proactively prepare for change processes. But this requires the right strategy. This is where HR development, managers and management are equally in demand - as door openers, trailblazers and transformation coaches.

Further development as a key factor in (digital) transformation

Unlike in the days of industrialization, today there are HR developers and managers who know that continuous development carries a company through important change processes and that this in turn ensures competitiveness. While part of the task of talent management is to find the right people with the right skills for an organization and to retain them in the long term, it is the task of management to create the appropriate framework conditions for the associated development measures. This means establishing an open learning culture in the company and providing the right digital tools.

Then as now, companies are facing major changes. Today, it is not a steam engine spitting coal through the tenth floor of an office building. But digitalization and automation are no less revolutionary. The seemingly endless possibilities of artificial intelligence are currently presenting our world with unprecedented challenges. Competitive pressure is increasing. Companies have to adapt in order to keep up. But this is only possible with the right skills. We need people who can handle ChatGPT, Google Bard and the like, the "Spinning Jennies" of the 21st century. We need people who can use their (digital) skills to equip the companies of today for the challenges of tomorrow.

But these skills don't just fall from the sky. Nor are they currently available on the market. The responsibility for providing the urgently needed skills internally lies on the shoulders of the company management. They are the ones who create the appropriate framework conditions for personnel development as well as for managers so that they can continuously drive the further development of their employees . This requires major investment, especially at the beginning. However, once employees have received further training, they perform new tasks more effectively and are also more committed to their organization in the long term. This reduces vacancy costs and fluctuation rates and the initial investment costs of further training measures pay off. And this is crucial, as an unfilled position costs a company an average of €38,000. [1]

Company management and executives as trailblazers

Company management and executives are important trailblazers for continuous development within the company. While the former ensures the basic framework conditions for an open learning culture with diverse development opportunities, for example by actively investing in the area of further training, quickly releasing budgets or granting freedom of action to personnel development, it is the task of managers to secure these paths, point them out and encourage their own employees to follow them. If employees are sure of their managers' commitment, they are much more likely to open the door to their further development. And this, in turn, benefits the entire company when these same employees contribute their new skills and competencies to the digital transformation.

Such a learning culture is supported by digital learning solutions. These enable efficient and flexible learning for employees and thus ensure the greatest possible individuality in personal development. Digital learning solutions offer learners in the company a central point of contact for their development as well as attractive learning content that they can consume independently and flexibly anywhere. For companies, they offer valuable insights into the learning behavior of their employees by collecting and analyzing data on learning progress, usage behavior and training programs. This allows managers to close knowledge gaps in the organization and continuously develop their own development offerings.

Personnel development: door opener & transformation coach

Implementing development measures within a learning culture is the responsibility of HR development. After all, it strategically develops a company's employees according to their strengths and in line with the skills required in the future. In this way, HR developers not only ensure that the right people with the right skills are in the right place at the right time, but also bind talent to the organization in times of skills shortages by signaling: "We believe in you and your skills! You are important to us!"

HR development is therefore not only a door opener, but also a transformation coach in times of omnipresent change. HR developers open doors for employees that they didn't even know were open to them. They point out individual development paths and support employees as coach when they are unsure. But in the end, employees have to go through the door themselves. Then as now, it is the employees, the weavers, who have to acquire the new skills - under guidance, but still independently. HR development looks for the right key for personal development and hands it to the talents.