The value of digital degrees could overtake degree programs sooner than you think. Here's why.

The opinions expressed by entrepreneurs contributors are their own.

Pre-pandemic trends have shown S&P organizations losing position to disruptive new market competitors, making it difficult to continue doing business in the same way for long periods of time. Disruption is here to stay. For employees, the challenge becomes adapting to new processes and techniques faster than ever to stay relevant. Lifelong learning is not only a personal quest, but a requirement of the world of work.

In 2022, the median tenure of employees is only 4.1 years. If you combine employee tenure with the average tenure of S&P 500 companies on the list, which drops to just 12 years, it's clear that the same experts and expertise your business relies on today probably won't be here tomorrow.

To stay on top, great organizations will innovate to conquer the market, while simultaneously learning new skills to execute in the next market. Designing and delivering excellent training is a coveted core competency.

Related: 5 Innovative Ways to Create Growth Opportunities for Your Employees

resist change

Being comfortable with the discomfort of change is an essential skill that managers and employees will also need to adopt. Our natural inclination is not to change, even though we know that changing our behavior will have lasting positive effects. Here are some of the most common fears and anxieties associated with change:

Losing control

Removal of security and certainty

Peers no longer see you as the expert

Fearing the extra effort to learn something new

Our experiences shape our beliefs. For managers leading change initiatives, there are two levels of beliefs to focus on:

Everyone is wary of change. Past changes have undoubtedly been painful for every employee, whether at work or in their personal life. Either way, there will be a level of resistance existing within your team.

The success or failure of the first change initiative you manage will create important beliefs for the second change initiative. Successful teams will thrive on back-to-back change initiatives, reinforcing the belief that they can tackle any change together.

Related: 3 Keys to Successful Change Management

Drive business results with digital credentials

Digital credentials provide a verifiable way to honor individual skill acquisition and measure both organizational and market investment in change. In years past, an employee's journey through prescribed training was held and kept secret in the employer's learning management system. Ownership of learned skills is valuable to both organizations and individuals. In vogue, skills have real market value. Things like Statistical Process Control, Lean/Six Sigma, Account Based Marketing, Value Selling, Scrum, and Servant Leadership don't just belong to the organization, they belong to the employee as well. .

For business leaders, using digital IDs to track internal skill levels and/or your brand's skills training market penetration provides tremendous value:

Third-party technician certification gives customers the confidence to hire service providers and expands a brand's marketing reach.

Contractor certification gives employers the ability to maintain 1099...