The next IT business challenge

Some forward-thinking companies are gearing up to address the upcoming challenge by focusing on developing their in-house talent. A recent IBM study1 indicates that the majority of the 400-plus human resources (HR) executives surveyed were more concerned about their organizations’ ability to upgrade existing employee skills than they were with attracting new talent. When queried about which learning techniques were most valuable in closing the skill gap, companies reported greater effectiveness from traditional forms of learning, such as on-the-job training and instructor-led classroom experiences.

Blended learning, which combines e-learning in its various forms with more traditional classroom learning, also received high marks, with almost half citing it as an effective employee development technique. One survey participant put it this way: “There used to be a great use of ‘in-situation’ knowledge transfer, meaning a new hire working in a team of experienced people. But massive retirements [of baby-boomers] and the number of new hires will prevent this method from being efficient. So, all procedures are getting documented, and training is being created to spread knowledge.”

As a microcosm of the larger corporate world, IT departments are on the front lines in dealing with this issue. The rapid pace of technological innovation has already strained CIOs struggling to optimize operations, and technology training is an ongoing process at many companies caught in the cycle of hardware and software upgrades. But IT executives will need to do more than just maintain their workforce skills – they will need to proactively address succession planning with a training solution geared toward equipping younger workers and older non-IT hires with the knowledge and skills needed to advance their careers within the company.

Training paths and roadmaps to certification can help guide these efforts, and custom onsite courses can provide IT staff with the hands-on experience and personal attention that most learners crave.

Training can also help foster more collaboration in the workplace by establishing a common, if temporary, goal for a diverse group of people. And teamwork and collaboration come naturally to Generation Y (also known as Millennials) who grew up with MySpace and are accustomed to using social networking tools and other Web 2.0 technologies. Cross-industry collaboration and cooperation can go a long way toward reshaping the way corporate knowledge is collected and shared, and can help bridge the “knowledge gap” that inevitably will occur as older staff retire.

A recent article in CIO magazine2 indicates that Gen Yers benefit most from experiential, team-based training that provides them the opportunity to test-drive new technologies in a safe learning environment. According to the article, “Self-development training initiatives will help Millennials learn to appropriately handle feedback, develop the flexibility to lead and be led in a changing work environment, and cultivate the internal motivation needed to succeed in whatever situation they face.”

Meanwhile, a study conducted jointly by IBM and ASTD3 notes that learning executives report workers over 50 tend to prefer classroom training over technology-based training. And while mentoring typically evokes the image of older workers passing along their accumulated wisdom to more junior employees, the study points out that’s not always the case: “A number of organizations have seen the value of ‘reverse mentoring,’ where younger workers with a specific area of expertise, such as new technology, are asked to help get more senior individuals better acquainted with those new ideas.” Ultimately, it’s suggested that the best way to train is not to offer different sessions with different approaches for older and younger workers, but to include some of what each generation tends to like best. Equipping workers of all ages with the skills they need to step into the shoes of a retiring generation is a winning strategy that can help businesses weather workforce challenges now and in the future.

We understand these challenges firsthand. With our comprehensive portfolio of training options, including public, private, onsite and custom classes, as well as a mix of e-learning formats and more than 30 conferences offered each year worldwide, IBM offers IT training solutions designed to meet any company’s specific needs, providing more than a dozen training paths to help guide the process for any generation.

Preparing for the future is smart business. IBM Training can help lead the way.

• “Unlocking the DNA of the Adaptable Workforce: The Global Human Capital Study 2008,” IBM Global Business Services. September 2007.
• “Management Techniques for Bringing Out the Best in Generation Y,” CIO, October 26, 2007.
• “Closing the generational divide: shifting workforce demographics and the learning function,” IBM Global Business Services in association with ASTD. September 2006.

• “Who’s winning the talent search?” Ideas from IBM. 28 January 2008.
• “Addressing the challenges of an aging workforce” IBM Institute for Business Value. August 2005.
• "Bridging the IT Generation Gap"

• IBM Training paths
• 2008 IBM Conference schedule
• Perspectives in Training series