We’re in the midst of a vital shift towards skills-based learning. The workforce is evolving, industries are shifting, and the demand for new capabilities is relentless. As a result, top organizations prioritize upskilling and reskilling to remain agile, resilient, and prosperous.
This shift reinforces the critical role played by Learning and Development leaders. L&D teams must rethink learning experiences, and learning programs should prioritize skills development, instead of an outdated focus on core roles and responsibilities.
Anish Lalchandani is the author of The Skills Advantage: A Human-Centered, Sustainable and Scalable Approach to Reskilling. He believes that L&D professionals are now “architects of the future,” and must align learning initiatives with business strategies to foster growth and innovation.
Anish shared his insights on how companies can bridge skills gaps, build resilient teams, and future-proof their workforce. Here are five key takeaways from our discussion, along with some of his most compelling insights.
Guarantee a successful move to skills-based L&D
By providing your contact info, you agree to receive communications from 360Learning. You can opt-out at any time. For details, refer to our Privacy Policy.
1. The traditional L&D approach holds organizations back
Learning and Development (L&D) has traditionally focused on supplying learning opportunities rather than ensuring actual skill development. And this persists today. In many cases, planning and goal-setting revolve around the number of courses delivered, certifications given, and completion rates.
According to Anish, this needs to change. “We need to hold ourselves accountable to actual upskilling, and not just providing learning.”
The skills gaps we’re experiencing today have happened on our watch, because our approach to providing learning doesn’t necessarily result in upskilling or reskilling.
Many organizations still rely on outdated training programs that do little to prepare employees for the future. Instead, L&D teams should focus on creating sustainable and scalable upskilling strategies that align with business needs.
“L&D has always been training for today, not preparing for tomorrow. Training is just the tip of the iceberg. We need to think differently. Are we diversifying? Are we pivoting? And how can we build that into our overall L&D approach?”
This approach is critical as roles—and entire businesses—are changing at breakneck speed.
2. Upskilling & reskilling are business imperatives
The renewed emphasis on skills is driven by the urgent needs organizations have today. New technologies and business models are evolving so quickly that companies are scrambling to keep up.
“The life span of an S&P 500-listed company used to be around 35 years in the 1970s,” says Anish. “Today, it’s around 15 years. And these are not small ‘mom and pop’ shops. Businesses need to pivot and change their capabilities, their skills, and their people.”
With industries transforming around us, the need for new skills is not just an internal challenge—it’s a matter of survival. And organizations need L&D teams to take responsibility for a bigger piece of the puzzle.
We need to align learning outcomes with core business results. And not only to help generate revenue or reduce churn today, as examples, but also to equip team members with the capabilities to do this for the years to come.
“Business needs this. Not only to innovate, but to mitigate any risk, to be operationally savvy and to scale things. Skills have become the new currency not only for work, but for business. If you don’t have the skills, you can’t solve business and customer problems.”
“This requires a culture willing to bet on a few people who are 80% there. Or even bringing in a few wildcards who will bring a diverse way of thinking. That’s bold - very few organizations are doing it. The mindset needs to change.”
3. Hire for skills, not degrees
When facing clear skills gaps, organizations have typically relied on recruitment to close them. But not only is the recruitment process itself expensive and time consuming, companies are struggling to even identify the talent they need.
Recruiters tend to think in job descriptions, and look for a direct match in previous experience. And in the current market, they’re running out of candidates. “We use this term talent war,” says Anish. “In many industries there’s a shortage of talent. But the way we’re looking at talent is very narrow.”
Rather than defining the people you bring in or the role to fill, determine the skills required to solve a set of problems. Replace qualifications and the precise job title fit with the range of capabilities a candidate has.
This gives you a much larger pool to draw from. And it avoids the issue of hiring the perfect person for today’s role, when the role, the team, and the tasks required could be entirely different in two years’ time.
“This requires a culture willing to bet on a few people who are 80% there,” says Anish. “Or even bringing in a few wildcards who will bring a diverse way of thinking. That’s bold - very few organizations are doing it. The mindset needs to change.”
4. The best organizations anticipate future skills needs
Perhaps even more impactful than your hiring approach is how you nurture existing talent. “The risk of relying on firing and hiring is extraordinary,” says Anish. “You don’t have the wrong
people; they have the wrong skills.”
Forward-thinking companies don’t just react to skills shortages—they anticipate them. Understanding industry trends, analyzing internal data, and aligning workforce planning with business strategy are all critical components of an effective skills strategy.
“Job titles will keep changing. Even for those evergreen titles—Project Manager—the skills underneath have changed a lot. We won’t always know the best combination of skills. So we need to keep these as diverse as possible.”
Anish explained that the most forward-thinking companies are now compensating based on skills development, rather than performance. Culture, values, and approach also factor in, but skills are the ultimate factor. This incentivizes employees to expand their own horizons and future-proof themselves for the work they may need to do in future.
By taking a proactive approach, businesses can stay ahead of disruptions and build a workforce that is ready for whatever comes next.
“Reskilling is a long-term game. Start now, because it’ll take you a while to get there.”
5. Technology is an enabler, not a panacea
“In L&D, we love our solutions,” says Anish. Learning professionals understandably get excited when they can get their hands on the latest tools. But too often, these tools don’t translate to better outcomes. And even getting learners to use them is a challenge—despite the bells and whistles.
“If we have to really push people to complete courses and get certificates, it’s telling.”
Technology is incredible at identifying skills gaps, tracking progress, and delivering personalized learning experiences. But Anish cautions against assuming that technology alone can solve the problem. “We have expensive tech solutions, but they’re not helping us truly build skills.
“When we’re talking about reskilling, there’s a big change management effort besides just creating a solution. How do we help people understand the business reality, and how we’re helping them along a different or changed career path?”
The key is to use technology strategically, ensuring that it supports hands-on, applied learning rather than just content delivery. And you should always select an LMS or LXP platform that aligns with your company’s learning philosophy—whether that’s collaborative learning, behavioral learning, self-direct learning, or something else.
That philosophical alignment will beat any feature set, any day.
The future—and present—of L&D is skills-based
My conversation with Anish Lalchandani reinforced a crucial message: organizations that prioritize upskilling and reskilling will not only survive but thrive in an increasingly competitive world.
The right skills strategy can take teams from good to exceptional, and positions L&D as a core driver of business transformation.
By shifting L&D from a content-driven function to a skills-focused strategy, companies can build a more resilient, future-ready workforce. The question is no longer whether businesses should invest in upskilling—it’s whether they can afford not to.
NEWSLETTER
Subscribe to the new
(unboring) way of learning
Our weekly newsletter of the best insights from L&D peer to L&D peer.
By providing your contact info, you agree to receive communications from 360Learning. You can opt-out at any time. For details, refer to our Privacy Policy.