Cross-Skill Your Employees and Level Up Your Business

This post originally appeared on AppExchange and the Salesforce Ecosystem. Find it here.

As a part of the Trailhead for Partners Talent Programs team at Salesforce, I spend my days talking with partners who can’t keep up with the rapid hiring demands of their Salesforce practices. They struggle to win the war for talent and face fierce competition for top candidates with multiple offers. These struggles are real, but I find that many partners overlook one of the biggest talent pools: their current employees. In fact, partners who invest in cross-skilling internally create a winning source of talent right at their fingertips, and Salesforce is committed to helping. Sign up here to learn more and download our cross-skill kit.

The Case for Salesforce Cross-Skilling

Data from the IDC shows that the Salesforce Economy will create $4.2 million new jobs and $1.2 trillion in new business revenues worldwide by 2024. This growth means that the demand for Salesforce-skilled talent will only continue to increase. Organizations that invest in cross-skilling their current workforce are able to tap into a trusted employee base that already knows their business. For top employees looking to grow their careers and be on the cutting edge, cross-skilling can be a powerful engagement and retention tool.

In a Robert Half and Enactus survey of Generation Z workers, a staggering 91 percent cited professional training as an important factor when choosing an employer. And as the HR firm Robert Half notes, “It’s not just Gen Z employees, either — smart professionals of all ages know they need to be continually developing their skills if they want to stay relevant in the workplace these days.”

Companies that prioritize employee learning are employers of choice and have a reliable and predictable pipeline of future talent. Ready to get started on your own cross-skilling initiatives? Check out the five steps below to get started.

5 Steps to Cross-Skill Your Workforce

1. Identify executive champions. For any internal initiative, it’s key to identify who will help champion it within leadership. Having an executive sponsor makes sure that your initiative has the support and visibility necessary to be successful. In addition to executive sponsorship, think through other stakeholders who’ll be involved in the cross-skilling efforts. While human resources and learning and development teams are usually involved, it may also include other leaders within your organization. Including relevant leaders early in the process helps solve for any potential roadblocks.
2. Identify your target audience. Who are the ideal candidates for cross-skilling within your organization? Here are just a few groups to consider: consultants within slower practices, consultants on the bench, delivery center resources, junior or entry-level staff, and mid-level employees looking for professional development and growth opportunities.
3. Craft the strategy and roll out a plan. What’s the best way to cross-skill the identified groups? Is it a bootcamp? Weekly cohort professional development? Guided individual learning opportunities? Once you decide, create a schedule for the roll-out, including key dates and milestones. Looking for inspiration? Sign up to download our cross-skill marketing kit.
4. Drive excitement. Get targeted employees excited about the opportunity. Explain why they’ve been selected, what the initiative entails, and the benefits of cross-skilling to Salesforce. Collect and share success stories, and amplify the voices of promoters.
5. Reflect, refine, and repeat. McKinsey predicts that new job roles could account for as many as 10% of jobs by 2030. Given this kind of change, cross-skilling initiatives are likely to become a way of life for future-thinking organizations.

Get Started and Join the Level Up Campaign

There’s no better time than now to cross-skill your employees. We’re currently running the Level Up Challenge, a special offer for individuals not yet Salesforce-credentialed. While supplies last, individuals who complete the Admin, Developer, or App Builder Super Set will earn a certification exam voucher. Launch a campaign within your organization using this cross-skill kit — complete with email templates, social posts, FAQs, and more.