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5 strategies to keep talent motivated to learn

Those working in the tech industry understand that processes can change in an instant when a new solution is introduced. Because of constant innovation, modern workplaces should foster teams that are able to stay motivated through it all; and most important is their ability to stay motivated to learn.

Talent that's motivated and effective can be hard to come by. In a 2018 survey from the Society for Human Resource Management, 8 out of 10 HR professionals said that 'high-demand technical and soft skills are in short supply' and that closing the skills gap may be the solution.

Try these 5 strategies to boost your team's drive to educate themselves to stay ahead of the competition.

1. Hire talent with multiple skill sets
First of all, consider the type of talent you're bringing in. Those who already have multiple skill sets may be willing to learn even more and will be more adaptable to change, according to Entrepreneur. The fact that they've already honed skills in more than one area shows that they recognize the value of keeping up with innovation.

2. Show team members that they're valued
Another way to boost motivation is to show employees how valued they are. Send thank-you notes to teams when a project is completed. Highlight some of the important work they are doing that the rest of the company may not be aware of. Focus on the successes of individuals within the team, too; not always just the team itself.

Make sure you're recognizing individuals as well as teams.Make sure you're recognizing individuals as well as teams.

3. Offer incentives
Incentives can be another great way to get people motivated to learn. For instance, give rewards for seminar attendance or professional development courses. Offer to pay tuition for certification or other educational programs.

If possible, it may be smart to give raises to employees that gain new certifications or skills that they can share with the team.

4. Implement work-life balance initiatives
A tried-and-true way to keep workers moving forward is to allow them room to breathe. If their jobs allow it, give them the opportunity to work from home now and then, if not regularly. Make sure new parents have a little more flexibility. Update vacation or sick-day policies if they don't offer workers enough time away. And, always encourage them to use the days they have.

Work-life balance initiatives can be great motivation boosters. 

5. Ask team members for their input
Finally, make sure you ask team members to get in on strategy planning. Pass around a survey about what kinds of outside workshops or onsite seminars would motivate them.

There may be new tools and platforms on their radar that you haven't yet considered, so ask them for suggestions on what they'd like to learn more about.

Making sure talent stays motivated to learn is an important step to maintaining competitive advantage.

At YES Partners, we make it easy to find someone who will help steer your company in the direction of innovation. To see some of the roles we have already successfully placed, click here.

Finding people is easy, but finding the RIGHT people is not. YES Partners helps companies FIND the right people for all company functions, across many industries.

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