The pandemic has generated an abrupt and significant transformation and change unlike any of us have experienced before. Global restriction and measures have reshaped how we live our lives and how we work. As a consequence, we have needed to adapt quickly to address these measures and transform our working routine.

Many businesses and employees are finding it difficult to adapt to the measures and the sheer pace of change. Organisations are exploring new methods of revenue generation and ways to reduce overheads which have meant many employees are taking on new tasks, increasing responsibilities or being transferred to operate with other business members. All of which is happening through social distancing measures, with the large majority of the global workforce now working remotely.

Many industry leaders believe that business development during this challenging period will largely depend on the ability to reskill and train a workforce. Focusing on skills gaps should be viewed as a necessity, with studies clearly showing that the skills gap is largely common in many businesses. 

SAP has acknowledged this urgent need and has launched an extended trial offering to its SAP Content Stream by Skillsoft. The trial includes content covering business essentials, productivity, leadership and new digital technology. SAP Content Stream will enable businesses to learn and practice remotely and allow employees to continue learning the skills they require to support their business and their careers.

While there is still a lot of uncertainty concerning the future, it is quite clear that things will continue to change fairly rapidly, which means retraining and reskilling employees should only become more important. New digital technology is transforming the business landscape and as millions of people adjust to new duties in a new environment, it is essential that organisations integrate new tools and technologies to improve employee capabilities for now and the years to come.

The impacts of the pandemic will likely result in businesses having to do more with fewer resources. Redeploying skills is one technique, which requires businesses to define critical roles and skills and the employees who can offer support. Generating a skills gap analysis is important to effectively measure any employee retraining plans and enhance overall productivity.

The crisis shows that long-term progression is heavily reliant on agility, resilience and being open to learning and new tools. Businesses that apply a culture of continued learning will enable their workforce to meet their own learning requirements and ensure their business can succeed in the long-term.