This book provides an in-depth exploration of upskilling and reskilling strategies, essential in today’s rapidly evolving and complex global landscape. The intensifying war for talent—driven by macro trends such as digitalization, AI, climate change, hybrid working, and demographic shifts—has made addressing the skills shortage a top priority for business leaders. These global challenges not only require organizations to proactively identify and integrate future skills through targeted training programs but also demand a shift toward socially just and ecologically sustainable practices.

Grounded in cutting-edge research and proven practices, this book bridges the gap between theory and practice. It is an invaluable resource for HR professionals, business leaders, and educators dedicated to building a future-ready workforce.

Hazel Gruenewald is a Professor of Organisational Behaviour at Reutlingen University (Germany), and brings extensive industry experience in global HR and leadership development to her academic role. She actively collaborates with businesses and international academic institutions on real-world case studies, provides advisory and training services, and delivers keynote speeches. Her research and teaching are firmly grounded in practical, application-oriented areas, including intercultural competence development, sustainable HR management, leadership, negotiation, and global teamwork.

Maren Müller is a Professor of Business Studies at Baden-Württemberg Cooporative State University and a member of the management board of the Economic Commission. She is the founder of AthletenWerk GmbH and has been developing reskilling programs for top athletes for over 10 years. For many years, she has also led seminars at St. Gallen Business School, concentrating on performance management, particularly in developing and leading high-performance teams.