Just a generation ago, it was impossible to imagine what today’s workplace would look like. Digital transformation is accelerating, and the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) is driving a revolution for business operations and requiring a whole new set of job skills. To succeed, companies should create a skills map that can help them keep pace with change.

Skills mapping is the process of identifying the skills, knowledge and capabilities of a worker in their role. Then that information is used to create a skills matrix — a visual framework that maps and evaluates employee skills and their levels. This helps learning leaders discern what skills their talent pool currently has and how they can fill any skills gaps.

Skills gaps are often the result of stagnant training practices and/or digital transformation (in fact, 92% of today’s jobs require some level of digital skills). This lag is evident in the front-line workforce.

Historically, skills development has focused on white-collar jobs, but the front-line makes up 80% of the global workforce. Many of those blue-collar jobs are in construction, logistics, health care and manufacturing. Yet there’ve been fewer training opportunities for them. Front-line organizations need to take a new approach to skills development to ensure every employee has access to training that helps both the employee and company succeed.

In this article, we’ll review key insights on how to use employee’s skills maps to close skills gaps and deliver training in the flow of work.

A Mobile Approach to Training

Front-line workers are on the move and often lack a designated workspace, computer or even company email address. Until relatively recently, organizational communication and training relied on these methods. Training was designed for laptops, leaving front-line workers without a way to access information that can help them gain skills they need to be successful.

Using mobile communication solutions, like a collaboration app, employers can reach both front-line workers no matter where they are on the field. These platforms can also deliver training materials to employees on their mobile device. From video content to online coursework, workers can begin their upskilling journey when and where it’s most convenient for them.

Mobile learning can also be a catalyst for bridging skills gaps and investing in skills development for your deskless workforce. The objective of mobile learning is to make training content and knowledge databases accessible on the go. This can help deskless workers access the training they need in the flow of work.

The skills map can be used as a way to track where their learning journey and progress. To gain buy-in from your front-line employees, share the goals your company wants to achieve, and how mapping their skills and applying it to their training can benefit their career goals and aspirations.

Empowering Front-Line Workers With Microlearning

Today, with all the technological innovation, skills sets need to continually evolve. According to IBM, the half-life of a skill is estimated to be five years and is even shorter for technical skills. Training is critical for front-line employees to stay ahead; however, many front-line employees lack the time to train.

Microlearning can help — utilizing mobile learning, L&D leaders can break content into digestible chunks so front-line workers can learn on the go, in the flow of their work. This can be an optimal way to equip employees with new, much needed skills.

Microlearning can be a five-minute video, an automated quiz or course review through a chatbot. It’s often a ten-minute or less session that allows a person to absorb specific information in a clear, digestible way.

Benefits of microlearning include:

• Using their skills map as a guide, companies can deliver the exact content they need to train front-line workers in specific areas to close skills gaps.
• Microlearning can be done in the flow of work, allowing users to learn while they’re on the job and not taking time away from their responsibilities.
• Today, people expect information to not only be available on demand, but engaging and memorable. Breaking learning into shorter bites can help learners engage and retain learning better, increasing memory capture.

Learning leaders must design regular microlearning opportunities for each team and role so they can close skill gaps for today and tomorrow.

Front-Line Workers Want to Grow in Your Company

Providing front-line workers with training that matches a skills map is good for a company. But in addition, front-line workers want opportunities to learn more and do more. Often, front-line workers are provided safety training, but not the skills that qualify them for promotions, like soft skills and technical training.

According to a McKinsey survey, 70% of front-line workers applied for advancement opportunities, but only one-quarter of workers were promoted. The same survey showed that those employees want job growth (79%) over higher pay (78%.)

A survey by the Boston Consulting Group found that AI is one of the drivers of change in the workplace and will require a whole new set of workplace skills. And while 86% of front-line workers say they want training, only 14% have received it.

The benefits of training employees run deep and can deliver better business outcomes, like for example:

• A more engaged workforce.
• Higher retention.
• Building a talent pipeline from within creates continuity of knowledge.
• Closing internal skills gaps.

Another way to provide front-line workers with training is through mentorship. Employees can shadow a seasoned employee for hands-on training. Blue-collar jobs once relied on apprenticeships and mentors, and it’s time to bring that back.

The World Economic Forum has found that almost one billion people need to be reskilled by 2030. Without a workforce that has the training for this new world, companies risk falling behind the competition. It’s time for them to invest in their front-line teams with the training, skills and growth opportunities they need for the future.