HR’s Secret Weapon To Overcome The Great Resignation? Digital Credentials

For the past year, the labor market has been blazing, with the number of open positions nearly doubling those unemployed. But with the Fed raising interest rates, causing a financial ripple effect that could signal the beginning of a recession, and workers feeling the sting of job insecurityOpens a new window , that hot market may be in danger of cooling off. 

Despite these challenges, the so-called “Great Resignation” persists, with millions of employees still departing their jobs for new opportunities each month. This mass rush in job-hopping has produced a veritable HR arms race, with higher salaries, expanded benefits, flexible work, and other special perks being offered to draw top candidates and keep valuable employees from taking flight. From here stems a striking imbalance: the currents of the Great Resignation are invigorating some businesses, while others are suffering from the drain. As the global economy continues in troubled waters, stemming the flow of outgoing employees from the Great Resignation and holding onto top talent is more important than ever. 

But companies must think beyond traditional retention strategies to keep their employees engaged and on staff. Workers are seeking fulfillment and growth in their positions, and the companies best equipped to weather this phase of the Great Resignation will be the ones that offer opportunities for workers to improve and expand their skill sets. 

Reskilling and upskilling, verified through the conferring of digital credentials, is the future of professional development. A critical strategy for employee engagement is ensuring that every worker feels valued in their role, which means ensuring they are trained for the evolving demands of that role. Through a strong digital credentialing program, companies will not only provide employees with new, useful skills but also provide permanent proof of their accomplishments. 

Below are three strategies for businesses seeking to boost employee retention and engagement through credentialed skills development.

1. Make Upskilling and Reskilling a Benefit, Not a Chore

Every company should be conscious of how upskilling and reskilling fit into their hiring brand. While many companies already advertise opportunities for growth in their job listings, discerning candidates will want to see evidence of how that growth might be achieved. Delineating specific credentials offered, any learning software subscription perks or discounts, and how those credentials will be verified are ways that companies can prove to candidates that their upskilling opportunities are real and tangible. 

That said, for an upskilling program to be successful, there must also be buy-in from current employees. Companies should ensure that employees are aware of opportunities for continued learning and that these opportunities are accessible, credible, and encouraged. In a well-implemented program, employees will view upskilling opportunities as the company making an investment in their future, thereby driving engagement and increasing loyalty. Now more than ever, people want to work for companies that genuinely support their professional journeys, and skills development is a critical part of that. Moreover, there is a significant ROI for a company in having a more highly skilled workforce. While it is only natural that some upskilled employees may decide to take their talent elsewhere, workers will likely want to stick around for a company that truly helped them shine.     

But for companies thinking about instituting or just beginning to institute upskilling programs, creating this balance of employee interest and employer investment may seem daunting. Fortunately, there are technology solutions that can help with this. Training platforms like Eloomi, Pluralsight, Skillsoft, and Udemy give employees an easy-to-use nexus to grow their skills from the comfort of their desks. Existing company systems, such as performance management programs and other HR software, may also be utilized for logging and reflecting on the conference and in-person training attendance. By easily integrating upskilling opportunities with everyday work, companies can make these opportunities more attractive to employees, increasing buy-in.

That said, no matter how or where this training is happening, it should be driven by employees’ desires and goals. Having employee feedback and investment in company upskilling efforts will power a sustainable program that feels like an exciting opportunity for professional enrichment rather than another tiresome requirement. 

See More: How Upskilling Can Bridge the Gender Gap in Cloud Security

2. Have a Secure Digital Credentialing Platform

When employees engage in programs to grow and expand their skills, those skills deserve proper, universal verification. Digital credentialing, which describes electronically-issued badges, certificates, and other records, is the most effective and future-forward way to verify skill qualification. Not only are digital credentials portable and easy to access, but they can also be linked to resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and job applications for proof of authenticity. Through social sharing of your recipients’ digital credentials, others in those recipients’ social networks will also see your organization’s commitment to employee upskilling, making it a powerful employer branding tool for future potential job candidates. On the retention side, it allows current employees to publicly showcase and thereby remind themselves how their company is helping them grow.

Digital credentialing can also solve the problem of individuals representing credentials fraudulently. ADP reports the background checks it conducts are rife with fraud, with 44% containing at least one lie and 23% employing fake credentials. It is therefore critical that companies choose a secure credentialing platform to protect the integrity of their employees’ hard work. When selecting digital credentialing software, employers should keep in mind the level of encryption, security of authentication, and the ability of a third party to verify the credentials. 

3. Allow Employees To Personalize Their Options 

Reskilling and upskilling are not one-size-fits-all, even within the same company department. To create truly impactful skills development programs, employers must offer curricula that can be personalized to each individual’s goals and interests. The key here is variety, which can be achieved through a subscription to a learning service such as Coursera, a partnership with a local or online college that offers professional accreditation, or the support of a manager. 

Management should be encouraged to help employees identify their strengths and desired skills. Then, they can work with them to find properly credentialed programs in which they can develop these skills. According to Gallup, the top reason employees leave a company is they lack opportunitiesOpens a new window , and managers play a direct role in making those opportunities accessible. 

Goal tracking through performance management software can also supplement upskilling and reskilling programs, allowing employees to review their progress and identify key areas of excellence and improvement. Similar to credentialing, giving employees tangible proof of their success will go a long way in motivating them to continue growing their skills, resulting in a more sustainable program. There is also a social element here, as many performance management programs offer avenues for public praise. When employees recognize each other for growing their skills, they create a positive culture around upskilling, increasing incentive to participate and even transforming the company culture as a whole. 

The Great Resignation is not stopping any time soon. With the economy plunged into a period of uncertainty, by implementing the right technologies and tailoring programs to employees’ interests, companies can use digitally credentialed skills development to attract top-tier candidates while retaining their best talent. 

Have you implemented a digital credentialing program in your organization? What benefits have you seen? Let us know on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window .

MORE ON DIGITAL CREDENTIAL 

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