Upskilling vs. Overloading: When Training Becomes Another Job
- LMSPortals
- Jun 10
- 5 min read
In today's fast-paced workplace, upskilling is seen as a necessity. The job market evolves rapidly, technology shifts constantly, and employees are under pressure to stay ahead. But when does upskilling stop being empowering—and start feeling like an unpaid second job?
The Rise of Upskilling Culture
The Business Case
Upskilling—training employees in new skills to meet evolving demands—makes business sense. It’s cheaper to retrain than to rehire. Employees with broader skill sets can be redeployed internally. And companies with upskilled workers tend to adapt better during disruptions.
The Employee Promise
For workers, upskilling promises career growth, job security, and relevance in a world where automation and AI are eroding traditional roles. It's painted as a win-win: learn more, earn more, stay valuable.
But that’s the ideal. Reality can look very different.
The Creep of Overload
Training on Top of Everything Else
What happens when upskilling is piled on top of already full workloads? For many, it means squeezing training into early mornings, lunch hours, or evenings. Webinars, courses, and certifications become homework—not workplace development.
No Time to Digest
Employees aren’t just being asked to learn. They’re expected to apply what they learn—often immediately and without support. That’s not development; that’s pressure. The result is shallow learning, frustration, and burnout.
Signs Your Upskilling Strategy Is Overloading Staff
If upskilling is being treated as a "personal responsibility" instead of a supported initiative, it can backfire. Here are some warning signs:
1. Training Is “Extra”
If employees need to complete training outside working hours, or if it's not factored into KPIs or workload planning, it's not true development—it’s a burden.
2. No Clear Purpose
When training modules feel disconnected from real tasks, employees begin to see them as boxes to check, not tools to grow. Relevance is key. If it’s not clear how learning ties into role advancement or performance, motivation fades.
3. One-Size-Fits-All
Not everyone needs to learn the same thing at the same time. Forcing broad programs on diverse roles leads to disengagement. It also signals that leadership isn’t listening to what people actually need.
4. Learning Fatigue
If your team is constantly "in training" but rarely empowered to do something with it, it’s a sign of overload. People can only absorb so much before learning becomes noise.
Who’s Really Benefiting?
There’s a quiet but growing resentment among workers who are told that upskilling is “for their benefit” but feel none of the rewards. The company gets a more capable workforce; the worker gets more responsibility without compensation or relief.
In some industries, this is bleeding into productivity culture—where employees are expected to hustle, grow, and optimize constantly. Training becomes just another metric to chase, another way to prove dedication. It becomes surveillance disguised as support.
The Emotional Toll of Constant Development
Upskilling has psychological weight. For workers already stretched thin, being asked to train can trigger anxiety, guilt, and imposter syndrome.
“If I say I don’t have time, will I seem lazy?”
“If others are doing it, I should too—even if I’m exhausted.”
“Maybe I’m not smart enough to keep up.”
These thoughts don’t foster growth. They foster burnout.
Reframing the Conversation
Upskilling can be powerful—if done right. It should be empowering, not exhausting. Here’s how to make the distinction clear.
1. Integrate, Don’t Stack
Training should be woven into the workday, not bolted on. That means making space in schedules, reducing deliverables during learning periods, and setting realistic expectations.
If learning is important, treat it like it is. Make it billable. Make it visible. Prioritize it the same way you would any mission-critical task.
2. Customize Learning Paths
People are more engaged when training matches their career goals. Offer choices. Let employees shape their learning journey with input and autonomy. A blanket policy rarely serves a diverse workforce.
3. Value Application, Not Just Completion
Reward using what’s been learned—not just completing courses. The point isn’t to check off certifications; it’s to build confidence and capability.
Have team leads ask: “What did you take away? How can we use this?” rather than “Did you finish the module?”
4. Support, Don’t Just Assign
Upskilling isn’t just about content—it’s about coaching. Pair learners with mentors. Allow time for trial and error. Offer feedback loops. Create psychological safety around the learning process.
A Better Way: Shared Accountability
Organizations and employees both have a stake in development. But the weight shouldn’t fall solely on one side. Upskilling should be a shared responsibility, with the employer providing:
Time: Dedicated hours for learning.
Resources: Quality content, tools, and access to coaching.
Recognition: Promotions, bonuses, or expanded roles for demonstrable growth.
And employees bringing:
Engagement: Willingness to learn and adapt.
Feedback: Honest input on what’s working and what’s not.
Initiative: Ideas for how training can apply to their work.
When both sides show up fully, learning becomes a partnership—not a chore.
Real-World Fixes
Case Study 1: The Four-Hour Friday
A mid-sized software company realized that optional training modules were going untouched. Their fix? Every other Friday afternoon became a no-meeting, no-deliverable learning block. Course completions spiked, and feedback improved.
Case Study 2: The Skill Sprint
A marketing agency introduced “skill sprints”—two-week deep dives where one team member got time off from client work to focus on a new skill, later sharing it with the group. It created real skill transfer and energized the team without burning anyone out.
Case Study 3: Coaching First
A healthcare network found that compliance training was resented and ignored. They introduced a coaching model where managers talked through the why and how of each new requirement. Engagement jumped, and knowledge retention improved.
What the Future Should Look Like
Upskilling is here to stay. But we need to evolve our mindset.
The future of training isn’t about more content—it’s about more careful design. More respect for time. More collaboration in shaping what, when, and how people learn.
Because if we keep treating upskilling like a bonus responsibility, we’ll drain the very people we’re trying to empower.
Summary: Choose Empowerment Over Exhaustion
Done right, upskilling lifts people up. It opens doors. It builds momentum.
Done wrong, it grinds people down. It turns learning into labor. And it replaces potential with pressure.
So the next time your organization rolls out a new training program, ask the hard question:
Is this development? Or just another deadline?
About LMS Portals
At LMS Portals, we provide our clients and partners with a mobile-responsive, SaaS-based, multi-tenant learning management system that allows you to launch a dedicated training environment (a portal) for each of your unique audiences.
The system includes built-in, SCORM-compliant rapid course development software that provides a drag and drop engine to enable most anyone to build engaging courses quickly and easily.
We also offer a complete library of ready-made courses, covering most every aspect of corporate training and employee development.
If you choose to, you can create Learning Paths to deliver courses in a logical progression and add structure to your training program. The system also supports Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) and provides tools for social learning.
Together, these features make LMS Portals the ideal SaaS-based eLearning platform for our clients and our Reseller partners.
Contact us today to get started or visit our Partner Program pages
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