Upskilling for the Future – Philly SHRM

Webcast Series Philly SHRM The Lenserf Group How To Upskill

Building and Upskilling the Workforce of the Future

By The Lenserf Group

At The Lenserf Group, we believe the future of work hinges not just on what people know, but on how they adapt, connect, and contribute. During a recent panel hosted by Alvernia University and The Philadelphia Society of Human Resource Managers (Philly SHRM), our President, Farnia Fresnel, shared our perspective on what upskilling means today.

Upskilling is not limited to technical proficiency. As outlined in the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report, the most essential skills for the future include adaptability, analytical and creative thinking, and resilience. These are capabilities and mindsets that allow individuals and organizations to navigate uncertainty with confidence and clarity.

While we at The Lenserf Group don’t engage in recruitment, our work begins where hiring ends. Our work helps organizations retain, engage, and elevate their talent. We do this by helping individuals uncover and articulate their life’s work, the often overlooked and deeply personal experiences that shape their value in the workplace. Whether it’s a long-tenured employee or someone returning to the workforce, we help surface the unique strengths, transferable skills, and meaningful contributions that often go unspoken.

Storytelling is a cornerstone of our approach. Too often, talented professionals struggle to communicate the full arc of their experience, especially those who have worked behind the scenes for years or those who are navigating career pivots. In our collaborations with organizations like the Montgomery County Department of Human Services, we’ve seen firsthand how women re-entering the workforce can transform experiences such as caregiving or volunteer work into powerful professional narratives. Traditional résumés often miss this nuance, so part of modern upskilling is learning how to recognize and express the value in one’s lived experience.

Upskilling also requires a cultural shift. During the pandemic, our work with a global consulting firm revealed how often employees, especially those outside of leadership, felt silenced in the face of change. By creating intentional moments for inclusion, such as inviting team members to share photos during meetings, we helped foster empathy, connection, and a more human approach to organizational transformation. These small but authentic gestures can catalyze trust and open the door to meaningful change.

We also advocate for the establishment of team norms, a deceptively simple practice with profound impact. Just as classrooms set behavioral expectations, workplace teams benefit from clearly defined communication preferences and boundaries. Whether it’s deciding how to manage meeting overload or respecting different modes of communication (phone, email, text), these “rules of the road” reduce friction, enhance collaboration, and affirm autonomy.

Innovation thrives in environments where people feel seen and heard. That’s why we champion innovation sessions: structured yet creative spaces where individuals across functions and levels can come together to ideate, explore, and grow. These moments not only help solving problems; they also reinforce the belief that every voice matters.

At The Lenserf Group, living our culture is a practice. We empower individuals to tell their stories, create spaces for honest dialogue, and treat one another as whole human beings. These essential gestures help build adaptable, inclusive, and future-ready workplaces.

As the work environments continue to evolve, our commitment remains the same: to help organizations grow by investing in the full potential of their people.

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If you’re ready to explore your next or want a partner who understands where you’re going, we’d love to connect.