Don't Be Left Behind at Your Credit Union

by Charisse Rockett

Many of the articles I have read recently were on the topic of “relevance.” That word just seemed to keep showing up. I could ignore it no longer!  One article that specifically caught my eye was on the website tlnt.com, written by Ron Thomas, entitled, “Staying Relevant:  Either We Continually Adapt, or We End Up Obsolete.” He made some very interesting observations. He stated, “Skill sets of jobs today are changing at warp speed.  How do you hire for the future? Today’s workers need to be able to work in almost any medium, be comfortable using different technologies, and stay abreast of current and future trends.”

Those three sentences convey a lot of thoughtful information. First of all, credit union industry changes are dictating the skill sets of jobs. Because the industry changes are happening quickly, the skill sets required of jobs performed just a few years ago are no longer relevant. That means that credit union employees today may no longer have the skill set needed to perform their jobs in the near future.

What can be done to counter this change in your credit union's employees’ knowledge and skills? One is to review job descriptions each time an employee leaves and at least annually. This will determine if you have the relevant (that word again!) tasks, duties, responsibilities and functions that make up the job. Review the education, experience, and skills the job requires ensuring they are consistent with the actual needs. Make sure that you look at the job in a prospective manner, to hire for your credit union's current needs and always keeping the future in view. Remember, if you continue to hire employees using your 1999 job description, you will get a 1999 skill set!

Another key to keeping the skills of your workforce applicable to your business is to continue developing your employees. Spend a little time and money now to reap greater benefits and actually see the ROI later by giving them the tools to keep up with the rapidly changing trends. When you show your employees that their knowledge and skills are important to you, enough to invest in them, you are building on your credit union’s future. Don’t get left behind, lead the pack and plan for tomorrow, today!