Learning for a Skills-Based Future
Don’t get left behind! Is Your Learning Strategy Fit for a Skills-Based Future?
Why Now?
The concept of skills-based learning is not new. L&D professionals have been designing skills-focused curricula for years. However, in today's rapidly changing business landscape, simply having a skills-focused approach is no longer enough. Organisations need a complete transformation; a shift to a skills-based organisation where L&D are deeply intertwined with strategic business goals and individual growth aspirations.
This new landscape demands a refreshed approach to L&D. One that moves beyond simply delivering content to becoming a strategic driver of organisational agility and employee empowerment. It's time to ask: Is your learning strategy truly skills-based, or is it time for an overhaul?
This transformation is essential because personalisation is paramount. Employees need tailored learning experiences that align with their individual career aspirations and address specific skill gaps. One-size-fits-all training programs are no longer effective in today's dynamic business environment. Organisations need a workforce that can adapt quickly to new technologies, market demands, and competitive pressures, requiring L&D to be agile enough to keep pace. Skills are the new currency. In a skills-based organisation, talent management, performance measurement, and career navigation are all anchored in a common skills language, and L&D plays a crucial role in nurturing this ecosystem.
What is new in skills-based learning?
By adopting a skills-based learning approach, organisations can equip their workforce with the precise abilities needed to swiftly and effectively adapt to evolving market demands and technological advancements. This ensures they remain competitive and responsive in the face of constant change. When employees have the right skills, they are more likely to perform their roles effectively, leading to increased productivity and better business outcomes. This is evidenced by the fact that organisations that embed a skills-based approach are 63% more likely to achieve results than those that have not adopted skills-based practices according to the Skills-based Organisation report by Deloitte.
Current and future employees are seeking a culture of learning that offers continuous learning opportunities in the flow of work. Attracting and retaining top talent hinges on an organisation's ability to embrace this. It is no longer enough to simply offer traditional training programs; employees seek integrated, on-demand learning experiences that fuel their growth and empower them to excel. By weaving learning directly into the fabric of daily tasks, organisations can:
- Unlock Hidden Potential: Empower employees to continuously expand their skillsets and reach new levels of expertise.
- Drive Innovation: Foster a culture of continuous learning, where employees are encouraged to experiment, adapt, and contribute fresh ideas.
- Boost Engagement and Retention: Demonstrate a commitment to employee growth and development, making the organisation a magnet for top talent.
In today’s world, learning in the flow of work is key to unlocking organisational success and establishing oneself as an employer of choice.
According to the Skills-based Organisation report by Deloitte, organisations are increasingly placing skills, rather than jobs, at the centre of the way work gets done. Similarly, LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report suggests that skill-sets for jobs have changed by around 25% in the last 8 years. By 2027, this number is expected to double. The Future of Jobs Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum reports that on average, workers can expect that two-fifths (39%) of their existing skillsets will be transformed or become outdated over the 2025-2030 period. Furthermore, according to this same report, skill gaps are categorically considered the biggest barrier to business transformation, with 63% of employers identifying them as a major barrier, with broadening digital access expected to be the most transformative trend both across technology-related trends and overall; with 60% of employers expecting it to transform their business by 2030.
What does good look like?
In response to this, building an attractive culture for talent involves empowering individuals to upskill, reskill and seek opportunities at work. Many organisations are still using traditional competency frameworks and linear learning approaches (a linear learning approach is a traditional, structured method of learning where content is delivered in a sequential manner. This follows a predefined path, with each step building upon the previous one. Learners typically progress through the material in a linear order, mastering one concept before moving on to the next). The evolving organisational landscape and new realities of work mean organisations need to adopt and adapt to new ways of learning.
Upskilling and reskilling go beyond the core learning offering. Employees seek organisations that offer innovative and diverse career pathways, learning anytime and anywhere, with autonomy to choose their path, supported by technology that aids development and learning experience. Skills are utilised as a central element to shape a user-centric learning experience in a skills-based approach. Personalised skills-based learning journeys, enabled by technology, allow employees to focus on developing the skills that are most relevant to their career growth and the needs of the organisation. Developing a fit for purpose learning culture, vision, and strategy centred around skill development is important. A skills-based approach also boosts productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness by better aligning workers with work that fits their skills and capabilities, including technical skills, soft or human skills, and potential future skills in adjacent areas. Organisations with a skills-based approach are 57% more likely to be agile according to Deloitte’s Human Capital Trends 2023.
How do I refresh my skills-based learning strategy?
Deloitte’s approach to skills-based organisations puts skills front and centre. Talent is organised around a “skills hub” with skills informing a wide range of talent and business decisions to meet the demand for agility, adaptability, and agency. Skills-based organisations rethink traditional workforce practices to move the emphasis from jobs and roles to current and future workforce skills, creating a more dynamic, agile and future-proof organisation. L&D offerings should go beyond traditional approaches, actively fostering a skills-based culture by empowering individuals to take control of their development. Through personalised learning journeys, AI-powered recommendations, and cutting-edge learning technologies, continuous reskilling and upskilling is facilitated, ensuring the workforce remains agile and future-ready. This combination of a skills-based approach coupled with a robust learning ecosystem can unleash the full potential of the workforce, driving value for both the organisation and employees.
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