The Digital Reskilling Lab conducts research to understand how firms can effectively train, reskill, and support employees in adapting to digital transformation. Our work spans three key research areas: studying reskilling initiatives, evaluating existing training programs, and analyzing organizational change within firms. Below, we outline these categories and provide links to recent papers that showcase our findings.
Our research on reskilling focuses on how workers acquire new skills to transition into different roles within and across organizations. We study the design and effectiveness of reskilling initiatives, measuring their impact on worker mobility, engagement, and long-term career success. Through firm partnerships, we examine both quantitative and qualitative aspects of these programs to identify best practices in reskilling and upskilling strategies.
We explore how AI tools are reshaping workplace productivity and the nature of training across a range of settings—from knowledge work to frontline operations. By combining qualitative insights with behavioral and performance data, we aim to understand when and how AI augments human capabilities. This work informs strategies for building more adaptive, productive, and inclusive workplaces in the age of intelligent systems.
We assess the effectiveness of corporate training programs by analyzing their impact on employee productivity, retention, and career mobility. Our research examines whether training enhances worker performance or if alternative strategies, such as external hiring, yield better outcomes. Additionally, we explore the role of managers in facilitating successful training initiatives and whether retraining complements or substitutes tenure-based career progression.
Beyond individual training programs, we explore how firms undergo structural and strategic shifts to embrace reskilling at scale. Our research delves into how businesses transition from job-based to skill-based workforce structures, implement digital tools to improve productivity, and develop internal mobility strategies. We assess how these transformations affect employee performance, business outcomes, and firm-wide adaptation to new technologies.