How to Upskill My Finance Team

What are the most effective ways to upskill a finance team and increase employee productivity?

 To upskill your finance team and increase employee productivity, you need a mix of technical training, leadership development, and hands-on learning aligned with evolving business needs. The most effective strategies include identifying skills gaps, investing in role-specific development, and choosing training platforms like GrowCFO that support both strategic and practical growth for finance professionals.

Why Is Upskilling Important to Increase Employee Productivity in Finance?

The finance function is under more pressure than ever—to drive insight, support strategic decisions, and automate reporting. But productivity doesn’t come from longer hours. It comes from smarter, more capable teams.

Upskilling allows finance professionals to:

• Stay relevant in a fast-changing digital environment
  
• Add strategic value beyond traditional reporting
  
• Work more efficiently with tools like automation and dashboards
  
• Collaborate effectively across departments
  
• Reduce time spent on manual processes
  

If you want to increase employee productivity, start by developing your team’s capability—not just their workload.

What Skills Should a Modern Finance Team Focus On?

To remain competitive and productive, finance teams should build skills in the following areas:

Skill Area	Why It Matters
Automation & Reporting Tools	Enables faster, more accurate reporting and reduces manual work
Data Analysis & Insight	Supports decision-making and business partnering
Commercial Acumen	Helps align finance with broader business goals
Leadership & Communication	Strengthens stakeholder engagement and team performance
Strategic Thinking	Allows finance to lead transformation, not just track it

Focusing your upskilling efforts in these areas will directly increase employee productivity across your team.

How Can I Identify Skills Gaps in My Finance Team?

Start with a skills audit. Assess current capabilities vs. the skills required for your function’s future. You can do this by:

• Mapping job roles to expected competencies
  
• Using 360 feedback from internal stakeholders
  
• Observing performance across projects and deadlines
  
• Running self-assessments or external evaluations
  

GrowCFO’s CFO Competency Framework can help you benchmark your team’s strengths and surface key areas for development.

What Are the Best Ways to Upskill a Finance Team?

Here are five effective strategies to upskill your finance team while increasing employee productivity:

1. Offer Structured, Role-Specific Training
Generic online courses often miss the mark. Choose programs designed specifically for finance roles—like GrowCFO’s Finance Business Partnering or Automation Accelerator.

2. Build Learning into the Workflow
Don’t treat training as a one-off event. Embed learning through project-based assignments, cross-functional collaboration, and regular knowledge-sharing sessions.

3. Empower Digital Champions
Identify individuals ready to lead with tools like Power BI and automation software. Give them responsibility to mentor others and implement change.

4. Encourage Peer Learning and Coaching
Facilitate internal knowledge transfer. Create space for team members to share what they’ve learned, lead demos, or mentor junior staff.

5. Set Clear Outcomes and Metrics
Tie learning to tangible business results—whether it’s faster month-end close, better forecasting accuracy, or more meaningful insights delivered to leadership.

How Do GrowCFO Programs Help Upskill Finance Teams?

GrowCFO offers a suite of online training options built specifically for finance professionals at all levels. Each program is designed to boost leadership capability, technical skill, and real-world impact—all of which help increase employee productivity.

Recommended Programs:

• Finance Business Partnering
  Develop commercial acumen, storytelling with data, and the confidence to influence decision-makers.
  
• Future CFO Program
  For senior members ready to step into leadership and drive transformation across the business.
  

Each program combines self-paced learning, practical frameworks, and peer interaction—delivering measurable outcomes for teams of all sizes.

What Are the Benefits of Upskilling for the Business?

Beyond just improving technical skills, upskilling your finance team leads to broader business benefits:

• Faster, smarter decision-making
  
• Greater trust and alignment with non-finance teams
  
• More effective use of digital tools
  
• Stronger pipeline for future finance leaders
  
• Higher engagement, retention, and productivity
  

In short, upskilling helps finance teams become strategic enablers of growth.

Want to increase employee productivity in your finance team?
Start with a training solution that’s purpose-built for finance.
Explore GrowCFO’s team development programs or join a Future CFO Preview Event to see how we support real transformation.