The rise in new technologies has led to many organisations and individuals focusing on upskilling. Upskilling is the process of learning new skills, and many people are beginning to realise the many benefits it brings. Adopting upskilling can help retain a talented workforce and fill skill gaps.
By adopting an ongoing training process like upskilling, you can keep up with new trends and technologies. This can help enhance your career prospects and thrive in your position, no matter the industry. Whether you take on the idea of upskilling by yourself, or your employer has adopted an upskilling programme, there are many other benefits to bear in mind.
Overall wellbeing and mental health are some surprising areas that are often enhanced by upskilling.
What Is Upskilling And Why Do It?
Upskilling is the process and trend of continuous learning. An employer often arranges it for a workforce, but individuals can choose to adopt their own personal upskilling strategy. Upskilling is usually done through training courses and development opportunities that focus on learning new skills.
The idea is to fill gaps in the workforce and keep up to date with all up and coming technologies in the industry. Upskilling can help you to advance in a current role or move onto a new role and new opportunities. When you decide to focus on upskilling and your own development, you will be making yourself more attractive to employers and enhance your career prospects. Not only that, but upskilling offers many benefits to your overall mental health and wellbeing.
How Can Upskilling Impact Mental Health And Wellbeing?
It has been
reported that roughly 1 in 7 people experience some kind of mental health problems because of work. Jobs in all roles and industries can be extremely stressful and negatively impact overall wellbeing.
For many, the idea of focusing more on work and increased training might seem counterintuitive to the problem and add to the stress.
The fact is that upskilling can actually have the opposite effect and can be a great way of boosting overall wellbeing. There are many ways in which upskilling can impact mental health and wellbeing;
Increased Job Security
Whether your employer is introducing an upskilling process for the workforce, or you are focusing on your own development, it can help with your job security. When you spend time and effort on improving your skills and training in your field, you will become increasingly more productive at your job.
This can help to increase your job security as you will constantly be up to date with the latest trends and technologies. Having job security can reduce stress and leave you feeling calmer and more in control of your future career.
Improved Morale
The overall morale of you and your team is vital for a happy workplace. When you take the time to improve your skills, you will improve your morale at work. This is because your skills are improved, you will feel more relevant in your role, and your employer and colleagues will better value you. Upskilling can provide an overall sense of achievement and development.
Increased Confidence
When you are improving your skills and knowledge, you will also find that your confidence at work increases. By honing your skills and learning new technologies through constant development and training, you will become more confident in your abilities.
This can reduce your stress and worry in the workplace. You will be better placed to make educated decisions at work and have the knowledge to back up your choices. Increased confidence in your role can leave you feeling much better both at work and in your personal life.
Sense Of Achievement
Training and upskilling can be great for providing a sense of achievement. Particularly among those who struggle with self-esteem, increased knowledge and skills can have a huge impact. Not only will you be able to do your current job better, but you will feel as though you know exactly what you want to achieve and why. This is extremely valuable for your overall mental health and wellbeing.
Reduced Stress
Research from LinkedIn has shown that those who have the opportunity to learn at work and improve their skills are 47% less likely to be stressed. The stress of your job can be reduced massively through ongoing training development. Not only will you have improved skills and be better placed to complete the tasks at hand, but you will also feel more valuable and respected in the workplace.
How To Create An Upskilling Strategy
With so many mental health and wellbeing benefits, upskilling is a great approach to adopt. Whether you are upskilling for your own interests or your employer is investing in upskilling your workforce, creating a training strategy doesn’t have to be difficult.
The first stage of creating an upskilling plan is to identify your skill gaps. Work out which areas you already know a lot about and which need some work. It is also worth looking into upcoming trends relevant to your industry. This helps you to focus your upskilling efforts in the right areas.
Once the gaps in your skills have been identified, you can begin focusing on training for these areas. Look for relevant training courses which can be completed online or in person, whichever best suits your learning style.
At TSG Training, our many courses are available both online and offline. We have a wide range of courses on software testing, IT service management, Business Analysis and more. Our
Introduction to Practical Skills For Test Analysts courses is ideal for those looking to upskill in a test analyst role.
For IT Services, our
IT Practitioner course takes a new approach to service management education and training. We also offer a range of free online webinars for an overview of various subjects. These are a great way of getting a taster of a subject and covering the basics, before deciding if a training course is for you. Our next webinar is
BCS Foundation in AI on 21
st May 2020.
