Some of the largest companies in the world rely on reskilling. Do you?

Many workforces contracted last year to shield against inflation worries, but innovations in technology continue to charge forward. Reskilling and upskilling have emerged as viable alternatives for closing new talent gaps. Moreover, effective upskilling programs can help your top performers discover what type of work truly lights them up, increasing retention and engagement.

For one executive, taking the leap to pursue new opportunities led to a rewarding career.

“I'm a big believer of what I call the “zigzag career” and shifting around,” said Carlos Pardo, chief learning officer at Microsoft Latin America. “Microsoft has enabled me to be able to do that and really not go in a traditional linear path.” After starting with Microsoft as an intern, Pardo worked in finance, moving to positions in business operations, marketing, and sales, before eventually landing his current position. He says these departmental moves and opportunities for coaching and upskilling were vital for growth.

“I've never been one to really think about a role or title, but more about what the experience is that I want to get out of my next position,” Pardo said. “What are the skill sets that I'm going to get? What am I going to learn that I don't know today?”

Pardo shared his insights on learning and development in a changing world in a fireside chat during From Day One’s May virtual conference about “Coaching a Team While Recognizing the Individual.”

How Microsoft Implements Two Learning Days Per Month

One of Microsoft’s internal initiatives is learning and development. To facilitate this, the company encourages employees to block off two days a month for skill development and education, with management modeling the desired behavior.

“Since Satya [Nadella] took over Microsoft, there's been a big change in the culture of the company,” Pardo said of the current CEO. “There's a book by Carol Dweck called Mindset, which speaks to growth mindset and fixed mindset. It's really been a game changer in terms of the “always learning” concept.” Pardo said Microsoft’s employees are encouraged to set aside time bimonthly to encourage learning, and that the learning doesn’t always have to relate to an employee’s job description.

Microsoft has built up an internal library of courses, topics, and skilling paths. If there is a specific employee development need that isn’t offered in-house, managers are empowered to endorse external training up to a certain level, a flexibility Pardo said is helping as current demand for generative AI talent outweighs supply. To keep up with advancements in artificial intelligence—as was the case with past tech advancements like cybersecurity—some companies are focusing more on reskilling than recruiting to close the talent gap.

“I think the first thing is to be able to acknowledge that you have a gap and how you're going to fulfill it,” Pardo added.

How to Cultivate a Culture of Learning

If your company doesn’t have a robust learning and development culture, step one will be to go to the top of the organization, and “that's something that you don't necessarily control,” Pardo said. As with other coaching and mentoring initiatives, connecting the investment to ROI and the overall organization will be key to secure a green light.

“Position it in a way that they understand the reskilling or upskilling [investment] is going to ultimately help the company, and not just fulfill an individual’s desire,” he added.

When layering development days or other learning initiatives into employees’ busy schedules, you’re likely to encounter some bumps. The Microsoft executive encourages managers and professionals to stay focused on the end goal of promoting curiosity.

“It's never perfect, and sometimes there's conflict,” Pardo said. “But we strive to provide protected time for employees to put work aside for half a day or a day and just spend it on learning something new. I spent half of last Friday learning about AI. Does my role require that? No, but I am interested in knowing more so that I can have more knowledge about it.”

As advancements in technology continue to reshape workforces, always remember that the right person for a critical new job might already be under your nose.

Nick Wolny is an editor, journalist, and consultant. Currently a senior editor at CNET, he has previously written for Fast Company, Fortune, Business Insider, and OUT Magazine, and is a frequent television commentator on technology and work life. He is based in Los Angeles.