<p>During the Great Resignation, companies increasingly invest in upskilling to keep their workforce engaged.</p>
<p><em>A recent Amdocs survey showed that 90 percent of respondents considered training and upskilling programs an important feature of prospective employers. In the tech industry, it is 98 percent. By training employees, companies can help employees progress in their careers or make lateral moves while remaining in the same company.</em></p>

Upskilling and the Great Resignation

<p><strong>If you can't find workers who have the skills you're looking for, commit to on-the-job training.</strong></p>
<p>Establish apprenticeships to re-skill existing employees. Apprenticeships are paid, entry-level opportunities while learning.</p>

Adopt existing-employee apprenticeships

<p><strong>Invest in continuous learning. It can lead to lateral moves or promotions, but employers shouldn't view training and education as a means to a specific end</strong>. </p>
<p>Instead, thinking about education as part of the employee journey can create long-term relationships with your employees.</p>

Create education-fueled pathways to growth

<p><strong>Workers want to advance their skills so they can progress in their careers, but it shouldn't feel like extra work.</strong></p>
<p>Leaders should ask their employees to target specific career goals and help them understand how they can reach their goals.</p>

Don't make it feel like homework

How upskilling helps businesses adapt to a rapidly changing labour market

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Upskilling: Preparing For The Future

<figure><picture><source media="(max-width:600px)" srcset="https://img-cdn.inc.com/image/upload/w_970, https://www.inc.com/rebecca-deczynski/h_450, https://www.inc.com/rebecca-deczynski/c_fill/images/panoramic/GettyImages-1343150163_488631_y5wvmm.jpg"><source media="(min-width:601px)" srcset="https://img-cdn.inc.com/image/upload/w_1920, https://www.inc.com/rebecca-deczynski/h_1080, https://www.inc.com/rebecca-deczynski/c_fill/images/panoramic/GettyImages-1343150163_488631_y5wvmm.jpg"><img src="https://img-cdn.inc.com/image/upload/w_1920,h_1080,c_fill/images/panoramic/GettyImages-1343150163_488631_y5wvmm.jpg" alt="For Smart Companies, Upskilling Is the Perfect Antidote to the Great Resignation" width="635" height="357"></picture><figcaption dir="auto">Getty Images</figcaption></figure><h2>Adopt&nbsp;existing-employee&nbsp;apprenticeships</h2><p dir="ltr">Can't find workers who have the skills you're looking for? It's time to commit to on-the-job training. One way to do so is by establishing apprenticeships: paid, entry-level opportunities that have learning built in. While apprenticeships (like internships) have historically been used to recruit&nbsp;new talent to companies, Jennifer&nbsp;Carlson, executive director of the Seattle-based B2B training company <a href="https://apprenticareers.org/" dir="ltr">Apprenti</a>, says that over the past six to eight months,&nbsp;the number of companies she's seen using apprenticeships to re-skill existing employees has increased dramatically. About 20 percent of&nbsp;companies that partner&nbsp;with Apprenti&nbsp;to launch their own apprenticeships use&nbsp;the programs to re-skill employees, up from just 5 percent prior to the pandemic.&nbsp;</p><p>Recently, the Cincinnati-based logistics company TQL partnered with Apprenti to launch an apprenticeship program that will upskill non-I.T. employees and train them for software developer roles. Once fully trained, those employees may eventually leave the company for&nbsp;software developer roles elsewhere, but do take that risk in stride, says Carlson. Apprentices tend to stay at companies longer than direct hires, she adds.&nbsp;</p><h2>Create education-fueled pathways to growth</h2><p dir="ltr">Another way to ensure employees stay: Make investments in learning&nbsp;<em dir="ltr">continually</em>. That's the aim of Codecademy's recently released Teams+ platform, which allows companies to customize self-paced&nbsp;training courses for their employees. These kinds of learning pathways can lead to lateral moves or promotions, says Naymark, but employers shouldn't necessarily view&nbsp;training and education as a means to a specific end: "If you start to think about education&nbsp;as part of the&nbsp;employee journey from onboarding to upskilling&nbsp;to retention, you can create a longer-term relationship with your employees."</p><p>This is especially true for tech employees who may value learning&nbsp;different programming languages. Providing access to self-paced educational resources can help workers keep their skills sharp, while allowing you to meet&nbsp;your company's evolving needs. Another benefit: It can stave off boredom, as workers can deploy their newly formed skills in different roles. "It allows for greater fluidity of your workforce," says Naymark.</p><h2>Don't make it feel like homework</h2><p dir="ltr">Your workers likely want to advance their skills so they can progress in their careers, but it's important that upskilling opportunities don't feel like extra work. The promotion of education options is critical in this way, says Celia Dorr, chief people officer of <a href="https://contentsquare.com/" dir="ltr">Contentsquare</a>, a digital experience analytics company. In the past year, Contentsquare has partnered with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/learning/" dir="ltr">LinkedIn Learning</a>, an education platform through which&nbsp;employees can access&nbsp;online training videos. Employees also receive a&nbsp;monthly newsletter highlighting a specific skill that they can choose to learn more about. Whatever platform you choose, leaders should ask employees to target their specific career goals and help them understand what kind of skill development can help them&nbsp;reach those goals. "It's also about creating this mindset that&nbsp;your personal professional development is actually beneficial for the entire organization," Dorr says, "So, I can say to my&nbsp;team, 'OK, let's all book an hour in our agenda during workdays where it's personal learning time.'"</p><p dir="ltr">The New York City creative agency <a href="https://heysummerfriday.com/" dir="ltr">Summer Friday</a>, which was founded early in the pandemic, provides employees with MasterClass subscriptions that give them access to a streaming library of video classes in a wide array of topics. It also offers quarterly team-building workshops&nbsp;and regular seminars on a range of subjects from cryptocurrency&nbsp;to&nbsp;creative presentations. The company's 32 employees&nbsp;are also required to complete specific courses or trainings that pertain to their career focus, too. It's all in the effort of creating a&nbsp;"sustainable" company culture that doesn't have to invest in constant backfilling,&nbsp;says co-founder and president&nbsp;Rob Simone. "We quite literally view our&nbsp;team members as assets," he says.&nbsp;When "you invest in<strong dir="ltr"> </strong>assets, they become more valuable. You want to hold onto them."</p><figcaption class="caption"><span><b dir="ltr">Inc. helps entrepreneurs change the world. Get the advice you need to start, grow, and lead your business today. <a href="https://inc.com/subscribe?cid=dan905:660:s00:CTA_&amp;utm_source=paidDisplayOn&amp;utm_medium=edit%20article%20footer&amp;utm_campaign=dan905:660:s00:CTA_" dir="ltr"> Subscribe here</a> for unlimited access.</b></span></figcaption><div>Dec 3, 2021</div><header><span><span>Sponsored Content</span></span></header><header dir="ltr"><h1 dir="ltr">5 Questions to Ask before You Choose a Business Partner</h1><h3 dir="ltr"><span dir="ltr">Taking on a business partner is a big commitment. Here are the questions you should ask before you commit. </span></h3></header><div><span><span>May 27, 2019</span></span></div><figure><picture><source media="(max-width:600px)" srcset="https://www.incimages.com/uploaded_files/image/970x450/getty_1018188310_2000133320009280147_391707.jpg"><source media="(min-width:601px)" srcset="https://www.incimages.com/uploaded_files/image/1920x1080/getty_1018188310_2000133320009280147_391707.jpg"><img src="https://www.incimages.com/uploaded_files/image/1920x1080/getty_1018188310_2000133320009280147_391707.jpg" alt="5 Questions to Ask before You Choose a Business Partner" width="635" height="357"></picture></figure><p>The road to taking a business from idea to actual business is a long one. For some small business owners (SBOs), one of those stops is finding a perfect co-navigator in a business partner.</p><p dir="ltr">But you don't want just any partner. You want the Spock to your Captain Kirk or the Watson to your Holmes. That's no small task. You have to find them and interview them. Then comes maybe the hardest part: making the final decision and determining if they pass "Is this <em dir="ltr">the </em>one?" test. Here are five key questions to ask yourself before picking a partner-in-success.</p><h2>1.&nbsp;Do they share my passion for this idea?</h2><p dir="ltr">Launching and running a small business isn't easy. It requires money and time, and will come with its share of speed bumps from which <a href="https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance" dir="ltr">you'll need to protect it</a>. Throughout it all, passion will push you forward during tough times. You need a partner who shares that drive.</p><p>Shared enthusiasm fuels ambition which, in turn, fuels success. So, ask potential partners what excites them about your business idea, where they'd like to see the company in five years, and what they'd look forward to in terms of working with you. See a twinkle in their eye, and enthusiasm in their voice? You may have found the right partner.</p><h2>2.&nbsp;Will they challenge me and speak up when I'm wrong?</h2><p>Nobody is always right. That doesn't change when you become the boss of your own business. You're still human like everyone else and therefore susceptible to mistakes, or bad ideas lurking in your blind spots. Except now those things can mean business disaster. That's why you want a partner who will speak up and challenge you, not someone who will agree with you all the way to failure.</p><p>To ensure your potential partner is someone who won't be shy about (respectfully) challenging you for the business' benefit, you can ask them if they'll be comfortable doing so during interviews, but also ask them for references. Prior associates can tell you if your potential partner practices what they preach.</p><h2>3.&nbsp;How much will they give to the business?</h2><p dir="ltr">While money and established equity division <em dir="ltr">is</em> important with a partner, there's another kind of giving that's important. You don't want someone who won't put in the work, but someone who will contribute resources, contacts, time, effort. A partner who gives themselves fully to the business will ensure its success, because they won't only worry about getting collective glory - they'll contribute to it.</p><p>How do you determine if a potential partner is giving? Ask questions like "What can you bring to the company?" and "How hands on will you be?" Be sure to crosscheck their answers with their references too.</p><h2>4.&nbsp;Are we a personality match?</h2><p>The relationship between business partners isn't unlike romantic ones. Chemistry, compatibility, and a connection are all vital for successful team-ups. After all, a business partner is someone you will be potentially committing to for many years of both good and rocky times. You need someone you like and can tolerate for that long.</p><p>Be sure to spend some time with candidates in a casual non-stuffy interview setting to get a better sense of how you'll get along, but also consider investing in personality tests which can help assess your personality types and your potential compatibility.</p><h2>5.&nbsp;Do they complement you?</h2><p>While compatibility is important, it's worth remembering there's a reason no baseball team is made up entirely of pitchers with the same temperament. A good team consists of players who complement each other. You need a partner who will bring talents and skills you lack, to round out what your business can offer.</p><p dir="ltr">If you are introverted and terrible at accounting, you may need to look for an extroverted numbers pro who's good with <a href="https://sba.thehartford.com/finance/small-business-balance-sheet-tips/" dir="ltr">balance sheets</a>. Think of a partner as the yin to your yang, who will round out the range of talents your business will need to succeed.</p><div>May 27, 2019</div>

As more and more workers quit their jobs en masse, upskilling is a tool that can help retain them. Here's how companies are successfully training employees--and keeping them engaged.

Adopt existing-employee apprenticeships

<p>Can't find workers who have the skills you're looking for? It's time to commit to on-the-job training. One way to do so is by establishing apprenticeships: paid, entry-level opportunities that have learning built in. While apprenticeships (like internships) have historically been used to recruit new talent to companies, Jennifer Carlson, executive director of the Seattle-based B2B training company <a href="https://apprenticareers.org/">Apprenti </a>, says that over the past six to eight months, the number of companies she's seen using apprenticeships to re-skill existing employees has increased dramatically. About 20 percent of companies that partner with Apprenti to launch their own apprenticeships use the programs to re-skill employees, up from just 5 percent prior to the pandemic.  </p>

<p>Recently, the Cincinnati-based logistics company TQL partnered with Apprenti to launch an apprenticeship program that will upskill non-I.T. employees and train them for software developer roles. Once fully trained, those employees may eventually leave the company for software developer roles elsewhere, but do take that risk in stride, says Carlson. Apprentices tend to stay at companies longer than direct hires, she adds.  </p>

<p>Another way to ensure employees stay: Make investments in learning <em>continually </em>. That's the aim of Codecademy's recently released Teams+ platform, which allows companies to customize self-paced training courses for their employees. These kinds of learning pathways can lead to lateral moves or promotions, says Naymark, but employers shouldn't necessarily view training and education as a means to a specific end: "If you start to think about education as part of the employee journey from onboarding to upskilling to retention, you can create a longer-term relationship with your employees." </p>

<p>This is especially true for tech employees who may value learning different programming languages. Providing access to self-paced educational resources can help workers keep their skills sharp, while allowing you to meet your company's evolving needs. Another benefit: It can stave off boredom, as workers can deploy their newly formed skills in different roles. "It allows for greater fluidity of your workforce," says Naymark. </p>

<p>Your workers likely want to advance their skills so they can progress in their careers, but it's important that upskilling opportunities don't feel like extra work. The promotion of education options is critical in this way, says Celia Dorr, chief people officer of <a href="https://contentsquare.com/">Contentsquare </a>, a digital experience analytics company. In the past year, Contentsquare has partnered with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/learning/">LinkedIn Learning </a>, an education platform through which employees can access online training videos. Employees also receive a monthly newsletter highlighting a specific skill that they can choose to learn more about. Whatever platform you choose, leaders should ask employees to target their specific career goals and help them understand what kind of skill development can help them reach those goals. "It's also about creating this mindset that your personal professional development is actually beneficial for the entire organization," Dorr says, "So, I can say to my team, 'OK, let's all book an hour in our agenda during workdays where it's personal learning time.'" </p>

<p>The New York City creative agency <a href="https://heysummerfriday.com/">Summer Friday </a>, which was founded early in the pandemic, provides employees with MasterClass subscriptions that give them access to a streaming library of video classes in a wide array of topics. It also offers quarterly team-building workshops and regular seminars on a range of subjects from cryptocurrency to creative presentations. The company's 32 employees are also required to complete specific courses or trainings that pertain to their career focus, too. It's all in the effort of creating a "sustainable" company culture that doesn't have to invest in constant backfilling, says co-founder and president Rob Simone. "We quite literally view our team members as assets," he says. When "you invest in<strong> </strong>assets, they become more valuable. You want to hold onto them." </p>

<b>Inc. helps entrepreneurs change the world. Get the advice you need to start, grow, and lead your business today. <a href="https://inc.com/subscribe?cid=dan905:660:s00:CTA_&utm_source=paidDisplayOn&utm_medium=edit%20article%20footer&utm_campaign=dan905:660:s00:CTA_">Subscribe here </a>for unlimited access. </b>

5 Questions to Ask before You Choose a Business Partner

Taking on a business partner is a big commitment. Here are the questions you should ask before you commit.

<p>The road to taking a business from idea to actual business is a long one. For some small business owners (SBOs), one of those stops is finding a perfect co-navigator in a business partner. </p>

<p>But you don't want just any partner. You want the Spock to your Captain Kirk or the Watson to your Holmes. That's no small task. You have to find them and interview them. Then comes maybe the hardest part: making the final decision and determining if they pass "Is this <em>the </em>one?" test. Here are five key questions to ask yourself before picking a partner-in-success. </p>

1. Do they share my passion for this idea?

<p>Launching and running a small business isn't easy. It requires money and time, and will come with its share of speed bumps from which <a href="https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance">you'll need to protect it </a>. Throughout it all, passion will push you forward during tough times. You need a partner who shares that drive. </p>

<p>Shared enthusiasm fuels ambition which, in turn, fuels success. So, ask potential partners what excites them about your business idea, where they'd like to see the company in five years, and what they'd look forward to in terms of working with you. See a twinkle in their eye, and enthusiasm in their voice? You may have found the right partner. </p>

2. Will they challenge me and speak up when I'm wrong?

<p>Nobody is always right. That doesn't change when you become the boss of your own business. You're still human like everyone else and therefore susceptible to mistakes, or bad ideas lurking in your blind spots. Except now those things can mean business disaster. That's why you want a partner who will speak up and challenge you, not someone who will agree with you all the way to failure. </p>

<p>To ensure your potential partner is someone who won't be shy about (respectfully) challenging you for the business' benefit, you can ask them if they'll be comfortable doing so during interviews, but also ask them for references. Prior associates can tell you if your potential partner practices what they preach. </p>

3. How much will they give to the business?

<p>While money and established equity division <em>is </em>important with a partner, there's another kind of giving that's important. You don't want someone who won't put in the work, but someone who will contribute resources, contacts, time, effort. A partner who gives themselves fully to the business will ensure its success, because they won't only worry about getting collective glory - they'll contribute to it. </p>

<p>How do you determine if a potential partner is giving? Ask questions like "What can you bring to the company?" and "How hands on will you be?" Be sure to crosscheck their answers with their references too. </p>

<p>The relationship between business partners isn't unlike romantic ones. Chemistry, compatibility, and a connection are all vital for successful team-ups. After all, a business partner is someone you will be potentially committing to for many years of both good and rocky times. You need someone you like and can tolerate for that long. </p>

<p>Be sure to spend some time with candidates in a casual non-stuffy interview setting to get a better sense of how you'll get along, but also consider investing in personality tests which can help assess your personality types and your potential compatibility. </p>

<p>While compatibility is important, it's worth remembering there's a reason no baseball team is made up entirely of pitchers with the same temperament. A good team consists of players who complement each other. You need a partner who will bring talents and skills you lack, to round out what your business can offer. </p>

<p>If you are introverted and terrible at accounting, you may need to look for an extroverted numbers pro who's good with <a href="https://sba.thehartford.com/finance/small-business-balance-sheet-tips/">balance sheets </a>. Think of a partner as the yin to your yang, who will round out the range of talents your business will need to succeed. </p>

For Smart Companies, Upskilling Is the Perfect Antidote to the Great Resignation

Upskilling and the Great Resignation

Adopt existing-employee apprenticeships

Create education-fueled pathways to growth

Don't make it feel like homework

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