The Penn Foster Blog

We’re past the point of debate about whether the world of work is changing. The labor market continues to tighten. The shelf-life of skills is shrinking as technological change and the rise of AI transform the global economy. The “future of work” has become a cliche.  As the pace of change picks up, what should employers and workers expect in 2020 -- and how can they keep up? Following the trend lines of workforce transformation can help us make smarter decisions and unlock economic mobility for workers. Here are five predictions for how the world of work will continue to evolve in the coming year.

Turnover is a major issue in the healthcare sector, which is why increasing employee retention is a top priority for many hospitals and clinics. You might think that higher salaries are the key to retaining workers. While salary increases may help, there are other powerful employee retention strategies you can use.

You know that training and developing your employees is vital to the success of your business. The question is, what kind of upskilling do your employees need? Should you provide workforce development or job training? What exactly is the difference? Some websites and even some experts use these terms as though they’re interchangeable. However, workforce development and job training actually describe two parts of the upskilling process. Your employees will likely need both over the course of their career. It’s important that you choose the right one at the right time.

People are staying in the workforce longer, some into their 70’s and beyond. For businesses, this longevity can be a valuable asset. Providing jobs for people over 50, means you retain their wisdom, experience, and industry knowledge. You can reap the full benefits of a multi-generational workforce by supporting older workers with training opportunities.

As we approach a new year and a new decade, smart employers are already looking to the future. They’re considering what skills employees will need to meet changing industry demands. Healthcare, skilled trades, and many other industries are in a state of change and growth. Your employees should be too.  It is true that each industry requires specific technical or clinical capabilities. Yet, there are some soft skills that every employee will need in 2020. These seven workplace skills can equip employees for success now and into the future.

The hospitality industry is growing. It’s also feeling the pinch of the record-low unemployment rate and high workforce non-participation rates. To find and keep qualified workers, hospitality industry leaders must embrace training as a solution. Dara Warn, Chief Operating Officer at Penn Foster, shares some advice for what to look for in a training partner and how to help hospitality employees meet training goals.

Is the skills gap real? Whether you believe it’s a business boogeyman that lurks in the dark imaginations of overworked hiring managers, or you see it as a problem for your LinkedIn connections, you might agree on this one thing: it won’t affect your industry. After all, roles at your company are in demand and you have more applicants than positions to fill. For now. In reality, it’s not some big, ominous thing. Rather, the skills gap is simply the gap between what employers want or need their employees to be able to do, and what they can actually do.

Spotify’s Wrapped has been shared across Instagram and social platforms like wildfire, sending premium users into a music-fueled trip down memory lane, reliving their band obsessions over the last year--and decade. This sent us down our own rabbit hole, slightly less musical but equally as capable of inspiring an emotional response to our learner’s ability to prepare for their next best career. Here’s a few of our favorite moments of 2019!

The demand for healthcare employees has been growing for years with no signs of slowing down. To fill open positions and plan for the future, smart healthcare providers are building talent pipelines that will help them meet their staffing needs, which will be critical as the organization grows or as specialized services need to be offered.

As a business leader, you expect your employees to have certain foundational skills. Some of these competencies vary by industry. For example, if you're running a contracting company you might expect all employees to have the math skills to be able to accurately calculate space and distance. If you're the HR manager at a hospital, you might expect that all employees know how to use your medical records management system. Other skills, like communication, ethics, and problem solving, are so universal that they go without saying. Or do they?