Learning as a Competitive Advantage: Why Upskilling Is the Ultimate Talent Strategy – Interview with Lucy Jakupi-Haugen

In 2025, the business world is navigating a perfect storm of transformation. AI is already reshaping workflows, redefining roles, and demanding new skill sets almost overnight. Geopolitical shifts are fracturing supply chains, slowing growth, and heightening uncertainty. At the same time, the pressure to innovate, operate more efficiently, and remain agile to gain a competitive advantage has never been greater.

Amid this volatility, companies that prioritize learning through intentional upskilling, reskilling, and continuous development are emerging as clear winners in the battle for talent. HR leaders, working in tandem with learning and development professionals, now recognize that a strong learning culture isn’t just a retention or recruitment strategy; it’s a competitive imperative and the foundation for building sustainable, future-ready organizations.

The workforce is watching. Top talent is gravitating toward employers that invest in growth, embrace adaptability over rigidity, and view change as an opportunity rather than a threat. In this landscape, learning isn’t a perk but the bedrock of resilience, innovation, and long-term success.

Margaret Jaouadi sat down with Lucy Jakupi-Haugen, an accomplished international HR practitioner with expertise in HR leadership, talent development, learning & development, and M&A integrations, to discuss how to create a culture of learning, overcome challenges, secure budgets, and achieve a return on L&D as a strategic investment.

With extensive experience managing people strategies across global markets, Lucy has played a pivotal role in transforming organizations, driving cultural change, and optimizing talent frameworks. She offers practical advice on how to advocate for creating a learning culture, win budgets and leadership buy-in, and, most importantly, how to instill a learning mindset in every employee.

Special thanks to Rupert Haffenden, Head of Cleantech and Energy Sector at Pacific International Executive Search, for introducing Lucy Jakupi-Haugen to Margaret Jaouadi.

Margaret Jaouadi
Company culture is one of the key drivers of talent attraction and retention, but it is a somewhat enigmatic concept. How would you define a company culture?

Lucy Jakupi-Haugen
Company culture is typically defined by shared values, shared beliefs, and the behaviors and practices that stem from them. That’s the more formal, structured view—what you often see written on a company’s website: “These are our values, and they shape our culture.”

However, I believe what’s key to understanding company culture extends beyond that official definition. It’s about the employee experience—what it feels like to work in that environment. Leadership plays a significant role in this, as it guides decision-making, embodies those values, and contributes to the culture’s evolution over time.

So, culture is really about how people feel about their roles, their development, and the relationships they have with colleagues and managers. If you asked someone, “What’s the company culture like at Pacific International?” they might refer to specific values or programs—but at its core, culture is defined by how employees feel day to day.

It’s their interactions with managers, their sense of fairness and equity, and their access to opportunities. Those perceptions and emotions are central to how they experience culture. So yes, values matter, but culture is shaped in the day-in, day-out moments. And that’s why it can feel more abstract because it’s lived, not just stated.

Margaret Jaouadi  
What do you mean by, and how would you describe, a company that embodies a learning culture?

Lucy Jakupi-Haugen 
I once worked for a large international Fortune 500 company, Cognizant, and I must say, I’ve never seen a stronger learning culture. They genuinely cared about employee development. And it’s important to note that, as a professional services firm, they weren’t selling a tangible product. They were selling expertise. That made learning critical. When your value lies in what you know, keeping your people’s skills current is non-negotiable.

My focus at Cognizant was to develop and lead the teams through the development and delivery of targeted learning initiatives across the Nordics and Baltics. I focused on promoting upskilling and making learning easy, accessible, and meaningful. I didn’t just encourage learning; I embedded it into the culture.

One of the first things I prioritized was accessibility. My team and I created a self-directed learning marketplace, giving employees access to leadership training at all levels—from new hires to senior executives. Each person could also tap into high-quality technical, behavioral, and functional skills training, all curated and categorized by topic and provided through multiple vendors.

But it wasn’t just e-learning. I also launched targeted learning programs tied to specific client projects. For example, if a client required a team to transition from Python to Java, I’d build a dedicated skilling program. Leaders would introduce the initiative explain its importance, and I’d provide a structured learning pathway. I even gamified the process—tracking progress, celebrating milestones, and fostering a sense of achievement.

Leadership involvement was key. They didn’t just support learning. They championed it. I can’t recall a single town hall across the Nordics and Baltics where the company’s leaders didn’t mention the importance of learning. It became part of the everyday conversation.

Next, I removed barriers by providing employees with free certification vouchers to support and encourage them to complete certifications in various technologies, such as Microsoft, AWS, and Google Cloud, as well as other technical and functional skills. My goal was to eliminate obstacles to learning and foster growth in every possible way.

I often reminded our staff: “We hired you because of your skills, but your learning journey is not over; it’s just continuing !” That message resonated. It created a contagious energy around development. Employees started posting about their achievements on LinkedIn, sharing certifications, and encouraging one another to learn and achieve more. We saw a significant spike in learning as hundreds of employees dedicated their time and effort to upskilling, juggling busy workloads, and often their time because they felt supported by their managers, peers, and the organization.

That’s what an authentic learning culture looks like. It’s accessible, leader-driven, celebrated, and contagious.

Margaret Jaouadi  
What was the impact of this approach on talent retention and attraction?

Lucy Jakupi-Haugen
It was huge. The impact of a strong learning culture on talent attraction and retention can’t be overstated. A substantial body of research suggests that individuals with access to learning opportunities are more likely to remain with an organization. And I’ve seen it firsthand.

When employees feel that their company is genuinely investing in them by providing access to high-quality learning resources, inviting them to participate in upskilling programs, encouraging growth, and celebrating their development, it fosters a powerful sense of appreciation. The message becomes clear: “You matter here. We want you to grow with us.”

That feeling has a direct impact on employee retention. Employees recognize that these programs aren’t free. They take time, money, and commitment from the company. When they see such investment made in their development, they feel valued. That translates into loyalty.

We have tracked engagement and retention over time, consistently finding that employees who we invested in through learning opportunities stayed longer and had significantly higher engagement levels than those who didn’t. So, from a business perspective, it’s not just the right thing to do. It’s a smart return on investment.

Margaret Jaouadi  
What are the essential elements needed to cultivate a strong learning culture?

Lucy Jakupi-Haugen
As I mentioned earlier, access to resources is essential, but leadership is just as important. Leaders need to not only advocate for learning but also actively support it. That means backing employees when they want to spend time on development and emphasizing that learning isn’t just important; it’s critical, both for the company and for the individual’s personal and professional growth.

Support from key stakeholders is vital. When leaders genuinely prioritize learning, it sends a strong message to the rest of the organization.

Another essential element is recognition. Celebrating learning and sharing success stories is a big part of building momentum. For example, let’s say a team upskilled in a specific area—share what that led to. What was the business impact? Cognizant was very good at this. We’d not only provide targeted training to individuals, but we’d also track the return on investment and quantify learning outcomes. That connection between learning and real business value made a big difference.

Accessibility is another key piece. People need to know where to find learning opportunities. Whether that’s through a well-designed internal learning hub or a team site, it should be clear, organized, and easy to navigate. The content also needs to be high quality and relevant.

And, of course, flexibility matters. Learning should be available 24/7 because people have different preferences. Some might want to dive into a course during work hours, while others might listen to a podcast on the bus. When tools are accessible anytime, anywhere, it allows people to learn in the way that works best for them.

So, I’d say the four essentials are strong leadership support, access to high-quality and relevant learning resources, recognition of learning impact, and easy, flexible access to those resources.

Margaret Jaouadi  
How do you encourage employees to take ownership of their learning and development?

Lucy Jakupi-Haugen  
That’s an excellent question because I think sometimes people are quick to say, “Well, my manager never gave me the opportunity,” or “No one offered me any training.” However, the truth is that adults are intrinsically motivated, and we should tap into that.

A significant part of our approach was to encourage employees to take ownership of their learning. At Cognizant, for example, we built a self-directed learning platform. It gave staff the autonomy to go in, find what they needed, and complete training when it made sense for them. The whole idea was to put learning in their hands.

I’ve carried that same principle into my work with other organizations. One strategy I used was integrating learning into the annual development plan. Employees set a personal development goal for the year and then discuss it with their manager. Managers follow up regularly, which reinforces accountability and helps create a culture of shared responsibility.

Manager support is crucial here. Everybody needs leadership buy-in, not just to offer learning but to encourage it and follow through. I train managers to have those conversations, to check in on progress, and to remind employees that their growth is essential.

And I always frame learning as a gift. I’d say: “What we’re offering you is a gift. How that gift impacts your career and life is up to you.” If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. For example, we provided access to great platforms like Udemy. But if someone weren’t taking advantage of it, I’d gently remind them, “This opportunity is here for you. If you don’t make use of it, you won’t benefit from that gift.”

Of course, there will always be some employees who say, “I don’t have time.” When that happens, I open up the conversation: “Okay, so how can you make time? Because this is important for you, not just for the business.” That shift in mindset from being a passive recipient to an active owner of your development is a significant step. And when employees adopt that mindset, it makes a huge difference.

Margaret Jaouadi
There’s a quote I’ve seen several times: “AI won’t replace you, but someone who knows how to use AI will.”

It speaks directly to the importance of continuous learning. If people choose not to upskill, they’re effectively choosing to be left behind. Some of these tools and capabilities don’t yet exist because no one fully understands what AI will ultimately enable us to do.

However, what is clear is that unless individuals embrace learning and commit to staying on that journey, they will fall behind. And at some point, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Lucy Jakupi-Haugen
It’s funny you mention AI and learning because just last night, I took a Microsoft AI course. I wanted to learn a bit more, and it was fascinating. They walked through the history of AI, starting with the 1950s. One example was the early robotic vacuum cleaners, which were among the first forms of AI. Then, they demonstrated how it has evolved over the decades to become what we have now, where it’s all about prompting and interacting with AI tools to obtain the information or output you need.

What stood out is that it’s all about how well you know how to use the tool.

Individuals must invest time in learning how to utilize AI effectively. Currently, tools like ChatGPT are communication powerhouses, but if you don’t know how to write effective prompts or interact with them thoughtfully, you’re missing out. It’s like having a powerful gift of knowledge at your fingertips and not unwrapping it.

The people who will genuinely benefit from AI are those who learn how to use it effectively, how to ask the right questions, how to frame prompts properly, and how to explore what’s possible. There’s so much knowledge available now, but it takes curiosity and a bit of effort to unlock it.

So yes, learning how to use AI isn’t optional. It’s becoming a core skill for anyone who wants to stay relevant and maximize their opportunities.

Margaret Jaouadi  
Can you give examples of successful learning initiatives you implemented?

Lucy Jakupi-Haugen  
There have been numerous successful outcomes from learning, particularly in terms of promotions and career advancement. I’ve seen it firsthand in my journey. For example, getting my Executive MBA played a significant role in helping me take the next step in my career.

I saw the same impact on our employees in the examples I cited earlier. Once the employees earned certifications, particularly in IT, it significantly elevated their careers. Moving from foundation to practitioner to expert levels opened the door to higher-impact projects, which in turn led to salary increases and promotions over time. I always encouraged our technical teams to continually develop their core skills, as this directly influenced their growth and opportunities.

And it’s not just for technical roles. I apply the same philosophy with HR teams. I encourage them to evolve their skill sets, not only in HR but also in areas like finance. It enables them to support their business better. Gaining financial acumen, for instance, has helped many of our non-technical staff advance. I’ve seen people move up through the ranks simply by building that broader business and financial understanding.

Ultimately, learning is critical to evolving your career. Whether it’s through formal education, certifications, or expanding your business knowledge, continuous learning is what drives professional growth.

Margaret Jaouadi  
Can you talk us through the challenges that organizations face in maintaining a culture of continuous learning and how to overcome them?

Lucy Jakupi-Haugen  
I think the number one challenge is that people get preoccupied with the day-to-day demands of the business. Everyone is focused on delivering results, working on client projects, and hitting deadlines. Sometimes, that means they’re working 60 or 70 hours a week. When that happens, there is often no one actively encouraging or prioritizing learning.

That’s why I always recommend that companies set clear KPIs for learning. Once learning becomes part of the organization’s scorecard, the priorities shift. For example, I’ve worked with companies that set annual learning targets anywhere from 12 hours per employee per year to as high as 40 in some IT firms. By defining a target and sharing it with leadership, you create accountability and make learning a visible organizational priority.

Another key factor is making space for learning during business hours. Not all learning should happen after hours. People have responsibilities outside of work, and we can’t expect them to sacrifice that to upskill. Allowing learning time during core working hours aligns with employment standards in many countries. Some employees might prefer the flexibility to learn at their own pace, but employers still need to allocate time for it.

The real challenge is when companies fail to embed learning into their core structures, lacking clear KPIs, leadership support, and a consistent message about its importance. That’s where companies often fall short. Making learning part of the scorecard and getting leadership buy-in is critical if you want to build a continuous learning culture.

Margaret Jaouadi  
Can you give three practical tips to organizations that are critical in establishing a learning culture?

Lucy Jakupi-Haugen
First, start by understanding the gaps.

What’s missing in the company in terms of knowledge and skills? Before you invest in any learning tools or resources, conduct a thorough needs assessment. That will help you identify the critical gaps and ensure the learning solutions you provide align with what employees need for their roles and projects, as well as with the business strategy.

Second, dedicate someone to own the learning strategy.

It’s not just about buying great tools; it’s about having a strategy. Ideally, there should be at least one person who focuses on driving learning and building a learning culture. That person would be responsible for everything from the needs assessment to program design, identifying internal subject matter experts, managing the learning budget, overseeing delivery, and evaluating outcomes. It helps if they understand instructional design and know how to build and implement a learning strategy effectively.

Third, you need strong stakeholder buy-in, especially from leadership.

You can’t build a learning culture in isolation. Leaders need to be involved from the start, as they’ll play a key role in both shaping and implementing the strategy. Share the insights from your needs assessment with them, and they’ll likely be able to contribute even more based on their knowledge of their teams. Their support helps embed learning into day-to-day operations, and they can model the behavior by participating in and even delivering training themselves.

In my experience, where leadership is actively involved, from senior executives to junior managers is where I’ve seen the most tremendous success in building a strong, sustainable learning culture.

Margaret Jaouadi  
How would you advocate for a budget allocation for L&D initiatives?

Lucy Jakupi-Haugen    

Budget allocation is always a challenge, but what helps is being able to show a clear return on investment (ROI) from learning. If you can demonstrate how learning impacts the business, either positively by generating value or negatively by mitigating risk, that makes the conversation much easier.

Sometimes, I have also used scenario planning to show negative ROI, in other words, what it might cost the business if learning doesn’t happen. For example, if employees aren’t upskilling, they might not be able to take on a critical project, which could result in lost revenue. That argument was quite compelling.

When I worked at Cognizant or an engineering firm in Canada earlier, I would often present real-world examples to leadership. I’d highlight errors or omissions that occurred on projects and then quantify the associated costs. By linking those directly to a lack of training, it became clear that learning wasn’t just a nice-to-have; it was a way to reduce risks.

I always try to connect learning to three key business drivers: revenue, risk, and reputation.

That’s where the conversation starts to resonate. It’s an easier sell when it’s about compliance because it’s often mandatory, but even for other types of learning, if you can link it to those business outcomes, it becomes far more compelling.

Margaret Jaouadi
Thank you, Lucy, for presenting the case for creating a continuous learning culture with such clarity and passion. I have no doubt many HR and L&D leaders will use your insights and guidance to win the argument for upskilling the workforce. I know I have!

More about Lucy Jakupi-Haugen   

Lucy’s career spans both large multinational corporations and fast-growing scale-ups, where she has successfully led HR transformations, workforce development programs, and strategic people initiatives. Adept at managing complex organizational structures, she has championed learning cultures, employee engagement strategies, and diversity & inclusion efforts to create thriving workplaces that support innovation and business success.

A key strength lies in her ability to navigate mergers and acquisitions (M&A) integrations, ensuring a smooth cultural and operational transition for newly acquired companies. With a deep understanding of global HR operations, she has led initiatives that align people strategies with business objectives, strengthen leadership capabilities, and enhance performance management.

Her passion for continuous learning, talent mobility, and organizational agility has enabled her to implement scalable programs that foster growth and engagement at every level. By leveraging data-driven HR strategies and an innovative approach to people management, she continues to drive excellence in the evolving HR landscape.

For a confidential chat about how Pacific International can assist you with your Talent Acquisitions and Diversity challenges in the Cleantech and Energy Sector, please contact Rupert Haffenden or one of our Executive Search Consultants specializing in your sector.