Employees are feeling undervalued during reskilling. Are you equipped to boost their morale and motivation?

As a biotech/pharma recruiter, I boost morale during reskilling by understanding each employee's concerns. We often fear job displacement or feel overwhelmed by new skills. I listen actively and provide empathetic support, reframing reskilling as an opportunity. When helping a pharma client through digital transformation, I organized small group sessions where anxious long-term employees shared fears and received coaching. This created a supportive environment where they felt valued despite uncertainties. Success requires personalized guidance through learning platforms, mentorship & peer groups that empower employees and boost confidence. With the right approach, reskilling becomes a catalyst for career growth & job satisfaction.

Understand their pinpoints and support them morally by encouraging every small move. Don’t heavily shadow them. Just help them they ask for and keep reminding them that they are doing a great job

Reskilling is often framed as an opportunity for growth, but employees may perceive it as a sign that their current skills and, by extension, their past contributions are no longer valued. This disconnect can breed insecurity, disengagement, and even resentment if not handled with care. According to me, it should feel like an invitation to a brighter future, not a verdict on the past. When employees believe their growth matters to leadership, motivation follows naturally.

Acknowledge employees' efforts and progress to make them feel seen and appreciated. Provide opportunities for growth and development aligned with their strengths and interests. Communicate transparently about new opportunities and recognize achievements to boost morale and motivation.

Start by recognizing their effort, learning new skills takes courage. Show how reskilling connects to real growth, not just new tasks. Involve them in setting goals and celebrate progress along the way. When people feel seen and supported, they stay motivated through the change.

It is important to make recognition a routine like having a quick thank you call or sending a heartfelt message. Most often, when people feel seen, they feel motivated too. So, try to lead with empathy to boost your team's morale.

Understanding needs is the foundation of effective decision-making and problem-solving. It involves actively listening to stakeholders, customers, or team members to grasp their expectations, challenges, and goals. By identifying true needs—not just wants—you can develop solutions that provide real value and address root causes. Use tools like surveys, interviews, or observation to gather insights. Clarifying needs ensures alignment, prevents wasted effort, and enhances satisfaction. Whether in business or personal contexts, a deep understanding of needs fosters empathy, collaboration, and targeted actions that lead to successful outcomes.

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Communication is key, but we have to put the message in the right framework. ‘Reskilling’ has a negative association, as if every skill the person has, became unusable and a ‘reset’ is required. I prefer ‘upskilling’, as I associate ‘up’ with ‘growth’ and typically, we build on a set of foundational skills that remain usable. To assess skill gaps, it is important to know what roles employees aspire, how much they are willing to invest in themselves to get there. To achieve that, you need a relationship based on trust and transparency and regular communication. A bit of 'skin in the game', always helps too.

When employees feel undervalued during reskilling efforts, clear and consistent communication becomes the key to restoring morale and motivation. It’s not just about informing them of what’s changing—but helping them understand why it matters, how it benefits them, and where they fit into the bigger picture. By maintaining open dialogue, providing regular feedback, and actively listening to their concerns, leaders can create a sense of inclusion and purpose. Effective communication transforms reskilling from a top-down directive into a shared journey—helping employees feel respected, involved, and inspired to grow.

When people are feeling undervalued, there are key take aways to be heard - make sure you listen. Understand each person's strengths and use these to create steps forward. When providing feedback, be constructive, check in, and make sure they are receptive to teaching techniques. No one enjoys learning when they feel like their being talked down to, so be mindful of your words and body language when engaging. Through the steps, ask for their feedback. Listen for opportunities to improve, areas of confusion that could have been clearer, and what stood out to them. Chances are, that feedback will come in handy for someone else like minded later on

Communication is key to building strong relationships, ensuring clarity, and driving success in any context. Effective communication involves not only sharing information but also active listening, empathy, and adapting messages to the audience. Clear, honest, and timely communication prevents misunderstandings, resolves conflicts, and fosters collaboration. Whether in teams, leadership, or customer interactions, good communication builds trust and alignment. Using the right channels and encouraging open dialogue creates an environment where ideas flow freely, problems are solved faster, and goals are achieved more efficiently.

Reskilling often feels like a top-down mandate—but it doesn't have to. A simple mindset shift helps: involve employees early, explain what's in it for them, and celebrate small wins along the way. When people feel heard and supported—not just trained—they’re more likely to stay motivated and see change as opportunity, not threat.

Google tells us: “A skill is a specific ability or expertise that is learned or acquired through training or experience. It can be developed and improved over time”. My whole career I have spent time developing new skills. Personally, I learn in a variety of ways. Sometimes from a book or a lecture, sometimes from a video, but usually by interacting with colleagues that already poses that admired skill. As the definition implies and with almost everything in live, you will have to practise to become good at it. So it doesn’t really matter how you learn, as long as you know your skill gaps, keep your eyes on the direction you want to go, and trigger the learning. It is ok to be vulnerable and say that you don't know the answer (yet) ;-).

Tailored training customizes learning programs to meet the specific needs, skills, and goals of individuals or organizations. Unlike generic training, it focuses on relevant content, pacing, and delivery methods that resonate with the audience. Tailored training boosts engagement, knowledge retention, and practical application, leading to better performance. It can address unique challenges, industry requirements, or technology updates. By aligning training with real-world tasks and employee strengths, organizations maximize learning impact, increase productivity, and support career growth. Tailored training fosters a culture of continuous development and adaptability.

Recognition becomes a powerful tool to reignite their morale and motivation. Reskilling can be challenging, and acknowledging their effort, adaptability, and progress—no matter how small—reinforces their sense of worth and contribution. Public praise, personalized feedback, and celebrating milestones show employees that their growth is seen and appreciated. By making recognition an intentional part of the reskilling journey, organizations not only build confidence but also foster a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to embrace change.

The most visible and rewarding recognition of a re- or upskilling initiative, is to see people picking up new roles. Roles they would not have been considered for before. By announcing these changes in the organization, people see that upskilling pays off. In order for employees to stay on track with learning new skills, it can be helpful to define a few KPI’s with clearly defined milestones that the employee will commit to work on.

Recognition matters because it motivates and empowers individuals and teams to perform their best. Acknowledging achievements, efforts, and contributions boosts morale, builds confidence, and fosters a positive work environment. It strengthens loyalty and engagement, reducing turnover and encouraging collaboration. Recognition doesn’t always have to be formal; simple, sincere appreciation can have a profound impact. When people feel valued, they are more productive and committed to their goals. Prioritizing recognition helps create a culture of respect and continuous growth, driving both personal satisfaction and organizational success.

Support structures are essential frameworks within organizations that provide the resources, guidance, and assistance needed to achieve goals effectively. These include teams, technology, policies, and communication channels that enable smooth operations and problem-solving. Strong support structures foster collaboration, reduce bottlenecks, and help manage change by offering training, feedback, and leadership. They empower employees to perform confidently and adapt to challenges. Investing in robust support systems enhances productivity, morale, and overall success, creating a foundation for sustainable growth and resilience in a dynamic environment.

Reskilling should never feel like a checkbox exercise—it should be positioned as a strategic step toward future growth. By helping employees see how their new skills open doors to advancement, increased responsibilities, or new roles, we turn uncertainty into opportunity. Transparent career pathways, tailored development plans, and regular career conversations demonstrate that the organization is invested in their long-term success—making them feel recognized, empowered, and motivated to fully engage in the reskilling journey.

Absolutely agree—reskilling done right is a culture shift, not just a curriculum. When employees understand why they’re learning something new—and how it connects to real career outcomes—they stop seeing training as an obligation and start seeing it as opportunity. 🔹 Tie skill-building to purpose. 🔹 Make growth pathways visible and attainable. 🔹 Align learning with future-facing roles, not just current gaps. When organizations make reskilling personal and strategic, they don’t just fill talent pipelines—they build loyalty, resilience, and innovation from within. #Reskilling #WorkforceDevelopment #CareerGrowth #EmployeeExperience #FutureOfWork #LeadershipDevelopment