Adaptation and upskilling are imperative for organisations and individuals to survive in a world marred with disruptions. Addressing the skills gap requires a future-driven outlook that leverages innovative learning models, strategic partnerships, and engaging content. With a variety of solutions available in the market, it can be challenging for HR leaders and learning professionals to find the right fit that fulfils their organisations’ specific needs. 

To keep up with the evolving learning landscape, People Matters and Skillsoft present ‘Skill Shift’. This is a series of path-breaking case studies illuminating the success stories of companies spearheading transformative learning programs to bridge the widening skills gap. Each case study will analyse the insightful journey of HR and L&D leaders in driving innovative learning strategies, along with highlighting SkillSoft’s role in supporting comprehensive skills transformation. Through this series, we hope to inspire and motivate L&D leaders to experiment, innovate and try creative learning approaches. 

In this edition, we showcase the journey of ZS and talk to Rajkumar Sharma, Global Lead - Talent Development at ZS, to understand how the organisation increased digital literacy across the board. ZS is a management consulting and professional services firm headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, that specialises in consulting, software and technology for clients in the healthcare, private equity and technology industries. With a workforce strength of more than 13,000 employees, ZS uses technology to actualise its vision of transforming global healthcare, leveraging connected ecosystems and data. 

The business imperative to build digital literacy

To support clients in making intelligent healthcare decisions and deliver innovative solutions based on emerging technology trends, ZS wanted all employees to actively participate in discussions about new technology and offer well-informed recommendations for digital solutions. Using Skillsoft’s immersive learning platform, Percipio, ZS launched the ‘Digital Literacy Program’ to instill digital-first thinking across teams and functions, putting digital at the centre of how the organisation holds conversations and designs solutions. The goal was to foster meaningful conversations and introduce basic digital terminology (focusing on 17 distinct topics, including deep digital and tech expertise, business acumen and innovation mindset) so that every employee gets empowered with the foundational knowledge, context, and confidence in diverse digital concepts.

By elevating the digital quotient of the workforce, ZS wanted everyone (regardless of their proximity to working with technology) to ideate forward-thinking solutions. As Rajkumar says, “We designed the curriculum by tailoring it to different learner profiles and roles so that when they interact with clients, they can participate confidently and meaningfully in discussions. The company’s senior leaders were actively involved in the progress, and we wanted to consciously focus on enhancing digital competency in our workforce as this vertical constitutes a significant portion of the company’s revenue.”

Digital literacy program: Scope, size, and impact

The program was launched globally in June 2023 and culminated by the end of the year. Within three months of the launch, the adoption rate stabilized at around 80%, indicating a strong interest and engagement among learners. With weekly progress reports sharing regular updates with regional and office leaders, the program facilitated better collaboration in driving program completion. Rajkumar shares that the program was designed to include the latest technological breakthroughs, like GenAI and its impact on wide-ranging topics such as technical skills, data security and productivity. There was a conscious effort to make the learning content hyper-specific to different roles while ensuring a basic introduction to all relevant technologies.

There were also elements of gamification through leaderboards that displayed people with the highest progress and completion rates. Top learners in every region were also acknowledged, awarded, and recognized to sustain motivation throughout the program. Along with high adoption and completion rates, the program received stellar feedback from learners. Rajkumar tells us, “Learners asked us to share more resources and assets, as the information they were acquiring was making a very direct impact on their ability to perform work.”

ZS and Skillsoft: A winning combination

ZS chose Skillsoft due to the diverse range of learning resources it offers. The heightened impact of the program is partly due to the relevant learning content and training approach. Furthermore, the variation in the type of learning content, including videos, graphics and reading material, gives learners greater flexibility. The Skillsoft team was particularly instrumental in ensuring a seamless launch and adoption by providing comprehensive ongoing support.

Rajkumar says, “Skillsoft has given us the confidence that we are working with a trusted partner as they go above and beyond to create relevant and customised curriculums. The Skillsoft team is great at accepting feedback, adding personalised features, and offering innovative solutions.” Learner testimonials from the program highlighted a marked improvement in understanding different digital solutions and enhanced confidence in navigating discussions in team meetings and client interactions. There was a significant improvement in the ease of working with software developers, data analysts and technical experts as learners were more capable of having nuanced conversations related to AI, cloud computing, big data and blockchain. Learners also demonstrated increased application of storytelling and design thinking in everyday work processes.

Regarding the program's future, Rajkumar further adds, “We are currently designing a technology curriculum for our workforce, and Skillsoft has helped us curate profile-specific learning resources for different functions and expertise levels.” ZS is currently working on the 2.0 version of the program, building on the insights and feedback from the first version to ensure that learning continues to be relevant and valuable. Empowering ZS employees with the latest information and insights continues to be the guiding value for the next phase of the program.

Finding the right external partner is integral to implementing an engaging learning program with high adoption and retention rates. If you are seeking a responsive, flexible, innovative, and scalable learning partner to drive your upskilling strategies, Skillsoft offers transformative and customised learning programs that are attuned to your unique business needs. 

Learn more about how Skillsoft can help your organisation make learning engaging and experiential.