An ADP Research survey of over 39,000 global workers found that only 26% strongly agree they have the skills needed to advance their career in the next three years. The report, Today at Work 2026, also found that less than one in five workers strongly agree their employer invests in their skills development.
The way we work is quickly shifting and learning how to build an AI-powered workforce where AI is a teammate alongside employees requires skills development approaches that stick for the future of work.
But before time is spent on upskilling, workers need space.
Successful skills development doesn’t come from a lack of time, but rather a lack of space. While time is a 30-minute window in your calendar, space is having the mental, physical and cultural availability to truly dig into something for long-term impact, unshackled from competing priorities and pressure to deliver short-term ROI.
Time without space is squeezing a one-hour learning module somewhere between a busy 9-to-5 workday. It’s rushed, feels burdensome and ultimately doesn’t resonate.
When development is truly prioritized by an organization, mental, physical and experiential space becomes available to tackle a new skill.
See also: To boost employee engagement in the age of burnout, focus on skills-building
A development approach built on space makes skills growth a core component of a worker’s role. It’s as important a strategic objective as the other key tasks that comprise their job function.
I recently had the opportunity to chat with pro golfer Marcus Byrd, a nine-time winner on the APGA tour, and learned how his approach to golf skills development is structurally the same in terms of creating space. He first develops a plan for creating space for growth. From there, the time to execute the plan comes naturally.
Byrd, who won the Jeff Dailey Player of the Year Award in 2025 after securing two victories and four runner-up finishes in just nine starts on the APGA tour, shared with me: “I think a key aspect to improving your skills is preparing correctly. Starting with the bigger picture in mind helps me do a good job of sticking to my plan and keeps me in the correct mindset that enables me to grow and get better.”
For employers, upskilling needs to be part of your bigger picture business plans, not an add-on. When it is, you’ll be in lockstep with your workforce on its importance and can create the space necessary to succeed in the future.
Space creates patience for true growth
In speaking with Byrd, he noted the complexity of developing new skills. It doesn’t happen overnight; it requires space for patience to continuously test, tweak, refine and incorporate … test, tweak, refine and incorporate … and test, tweak, refine and incorporate until it’s become so honed and ingrained that it naturally starts showing up in competition on the course.
“Working on new skills can be tricky. I have to be patient and consistent when implementing swing changes,” said Byrd. “Working with my coach on hitting all types of different shots and working on these consistently gives me the confidence to hit these shots under pressure during a competitive round. Eventually, these changes naturally work their way into my swing and knowing I’ve done the preparation makes the gradual change easier.”
Real results from intentional, patient skills development.
Byrd’s experience rings especially prescient in today’s AI-driven world of work. AI skills development and workplace integration, where AI responsibly automates repetitive tasks, improves accuracy and surfaces insights so people can focus on work that requires judgement, creativity and human connection will be more challenging if workers aren’t given space to hone their craft with these tools.
True adoption of AI in an organization isn’t going to show up overnight. ADP Research’s Today at Work 2026 also found that only 20% indicated they use AI nearly every day. There may be apprehension about adoption because only 17% of workers strongly agree AI will positively impact their job in the next year.
AI has the potential to be a meaningful workplace teammate that positively impacts workers through enhanced productivity and engagement, as well as having more opportunities to focus on the truly human projects at work. With that comes a moment where organizations need to invest in upskilling today’s workers to maximize AI’s impact.
This is a big adjustment that requires space to rethink how work gets done and how AI is used most effectively. As an organization, give your workers space to test, tweak, experiment and incorporate AI technologies and watch it naturally fit into their workflows as a powerful teammate.
A team helps build space
You can’t find the necessary space for skills development without a great manager. They will provide clarity for what’s required in the future, help identify the opportunities that need to be developed to get there, and most importantly, provide the space to develop that skill.
It’s no different for Byrd, who works with a team of coaches to take a strategic approach to improving his game. “My team is very important in my planning and preparation. My swing coach helps me find ways to get better as I continue to play. He has helped me narrow down things to improve upon and areas I need to focus on as I continue to work up the ranks,” said Byrd. “I’ve also worked with a mental coach over the last few years who has helped me improve my game and find balance when I’m traveling on the road.”
A manager can help with identifying opportune moments to adapt in the flow of work, constantly expanding the boundaries of what’s possible by challenging their team to grow.
Byrd related to this through his relationship with his swing coach, saying they “work together to find ways to continue to get better even when I’m traveling on the road. I’ve become more detailed in how I practice and enjoy challenging myself every day with drills or games that are specific to the areas I’m working to improve.”
If workers need space to have skills development success, your organization needs to have managers who can help make the most of that space.
Whether in golf or at work, constant skills development is critical to stay ahead of the curve. Many factors go into upskilling, but ensuring there’s space for growth—in the plan, patience and people—is foundational.
The plan creates the structure for space. Patience creates the necessary psychological environment to maximize the advantages of space. People are the space makers integral to it all.
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