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Global Digital Skills Index from Salesforce research conducted in 2022 indicates a growing digital skills crisis. The in-depth research about digital skills is based on a survey with 23,000+ respondents (existing and prospective workers) across 19 countries. It includes areas such as their impact on the future of work, their job readiness concerns, and the importance of continuous up-skilling.
Today we are in the midst of a digital age. Or are we? A significant portion of the current and prospective workforce believes they lack the requisite digital skills that would make them future ready.
Across the survey audience that was conducted in 19 countries, respondents scored 33 out of a maximum of 100 points on the Digital Skills Readiness Index. Survey areas included preparedness, availability of learning resources, skill level, and access to training. Workforce respondents in the United States did marginally better then the global average scoring 36 out of a possible 100 points.
It’s common belief that the workforce in developed countries and younger generations have better preparedness for the digital skills demands of today’s workplace. But the survey findings throw up a stark reality contrary to those beliefs. In fact, many respondents indicate they feel ill-equipped and ill-prepared for some of the critical digital skills required for today’s workplace.
The survey also revealed that almost 75% of the workers across the globe say they don’t have access to resources necessary for learning the necessary digital skills to succeed in the current and future workplace. The study further indicated a sharp decline in confidence in countries such as Italy and South Korea, whose workers are less inclined for learning, and have inadequate access to learning resources.
Three major skills gaps were identified in the survey.
1. The everyday skills gap
A significant majority of respondents (83%) said they have reasonable to high level of everyday social media skills. Three out of every four respondents said the same for everyday digital communication skills. However, only 33% feel they are adequately prepared with social media skills needed in the workplace over the next five years.
Over 60% of the survey respondents indicated that skills in collaboration technology like Slack are the most critical skills needed by companies today and over the next five years. In spite of their skills on collaboration platforms like social media and digital communication tools, only 25% of the survey respondents rated themselves as advanced in collaboration technology skills required for the workplace.
2. The generational skills gap
Amongst Gen Z respondents, the first truly digital generation, only 31% feel they are well equipped for a digital-centric job. Not just that, only 20% of these respondents feel they have advanced digital skills in areas like coding (20%). The numbers are even lower for data encryption & cybersecurity which was at 18%, and unsurprisingly AI was at 7%.
Other generations reported an even greater challenge.
3. The leadership and workforce skills gap
Another stark reality that was revealed in the study was that senior leadership and the workforce are not on the same page when it comes to readiness and training on digital skills.
54% of senior leadership respondents claimed they have adequate readiness with today’s digital skills needs. However, less than half of managers and staff agree with that, suggesting an organizational disconnect.
The global GDP impact of the skills gap
A recent Salesforce sponsored report indicates that the current digital skills gap has an economic impact. It projected that 14 G20 countries could miss out on the target of $11.5 trillion in cumulative GDP if the skills gap is not attended to. This comes on the heels of emerging technologies such as cloud, blockchain and AI, and accelerating demand for businesses to have specific digital skills.
According to the global index survey, 64% of respondents said they were beginners in AI digital skills. Overall, only 17% of respondents considered themselves to be at an advanced level in workplace digital skills and roughly 50% consider themselves to be beginners, indicating a imminent need to close the gap across the workplace.
Businesses have to play a vital role to close the skills gap
COVID19 has accelerated digital transformation across businesses worldwide and given them a unique opportunity to re-imagine how they connect with their employees, customers, and society.
A significant proportion of respondents (82%) indicated they plan to acquire new skills that would help them grow in their current or new career. Some of the ways in which businesses, governments, and communities can collaborate to support the workforce’s quest for learning could be: harnessing existing learning communities, betting on younger generations, and sponsoring and/or promoting training initiatives that are focused on critical digital skills.
Harness learning communities.
51% of the survey respondents plan to acquire new skills to help them grow in their current jobs or chart a new career path. As far as digital learning, training, and creating new job opportunities is concerned, businesses don’t have to start from scratch. They can harness the potential of the current workforce. By motivating them to innovate, they can make quick progress and work towards closing the skills gap.
The Salesforce’s Trailblazer Community is a great example of how a community can play an important role in helping people acquire new skills and extend their network. This 15 million+ strong community stretches across the Salesforce ecosystem offering an online platform to connect and learn from anywhere allowing people to help each other learn new skills and succeed with Salesforce.
Bet on younger generations.
Younger generations have the ambition and confidence to learn new skills that they feel will help them grow. The digital skills index survey threw up some interesting numbers to throw light on this aspect. 36% of Millennials and Gen Z are already actively involved in learning and training. Comparatively, as one would expect, Gen X stood at 22% and Baby Boomers at 15%.
Promote training initiatives that are focused on key digital skills.
The survey across 19 countries revealed the following 5 digital skills as being the most critical for businesses to invest in to make them future ready:
- Collaboration technology
- Digital Administration
- Encryption and Cyber security
- Ecommerce and digital trade
- Project management technology
Many of these high demand skills such as collaboration technology and cyber security don’t find a place is a typical school curriculum, illustrating the need for HR professionals to focus less on conventional education programs and more on actual digital skills that have real world application.
The survey revealed skill gaps in some of these critical areas:
- While the survey revealed that collaboration technology skills was the most popular choice amongst advanced digital skill practitioners, it still equated to approximately 25% of survey respondents.
- Although 58% of the respondents said encryption & cybersecurity skills are very important, only 14% indicated they have advanced knowledge of the same.
- Almost 50% respondents believe digital sustainability skills are important going into the future. Amongst business owners, only 16% indicated they have advanced digital skills for using technology that supports sustainable activities like tracking, measuring, and analyzing climate data within the company.
Today’s digital first context presents companies across the world a significant opportunity to re-imagine what agile teams could be like. By creating training programs based on what employees feel will make them successful and future ready, businesses can create a flexible work culture that empowers them to connect, learn, and advance from anywhere.
At Girikon, a Gold Salesforce Consulting Partner, we believe continuous skilling and training are imperative to drive success for businesses going into the future. To know more about how training and skilling can play a significant role in making your business future ready, contact us today.
About Author
Indranil is a technology enthusiast with over 25 years of experience in project management, operations, technology and business development. Indranil has led project teams in egovernance, business process re-engineering, product development and worked with Government and Corporate customers. Indranil truly believes in the power of technology to drive productivity and growth for teams and businesses.
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