3 out of 4 workers globally not equipped with digital skills yet

Despite so much buzz around digital transformation amid the pandemic, nearly three out of four people from the current and prospective workforce from 19 countries (including India) say they aren't equipped with the resources needed to learn the digital skills.

The 'Global Digital Skills Index' research from American Cloud-based software firm Salesforce has revealed a growing global digital skills crisis and the urgent need for action.

Across 19 countries, workers scored 33 out of a possible 100 points on the 'Digital Skills Readiness Index' across areas such as preparedness, access to learning resources, skill level, and participation in training.

Workers in the US fared slightly better at 36 out of 100 points.

The vast majority of respondents (83 per cent) claim "advanced" or "intermediate" everyday social media skills and 76 per cent say the same for everyday digital communication skills.

However, only one-third feel prepared for the workplace social media skills needed over the next five years, said the report that came out late on Thursday.

Two-thirds of respondents say they're unprepared for social media skills that the workplace will require over the next five years.

Over 6 in 10 global respondents say skills in collaboration technology like Slack are viewed as the most important skills needed by businesses today and over the next five years.

Only 31 per cent of Gen Z respondents, the first truly digital native generation, feel "very equipped" for a digital-first job right now.

Not many Gen Z respondents believe they have "advanced" digital skills in areas like coding (20 per cent), data encryption and cybersecurity (18 per cent) and AI (7 per cent), the findings showed.

When it comes to digital skills readiness and education, senior leadership and their workforce aren't on the same page.

A majority of senior leadership respondents (54 per cent) said they are prepared with the digital skills necessary now.

"However, less than half of managers and individual contributors agree, signalling a disconnect within organisations," the report mentioned.

It's a common assumption that developed countries and younger generations feel more prepared for the digital skills demanded by today's jobs.

"But these findings challenge those assumptions. In fact, many respondents say they feel unequipped and unprepared for some of the most important digital skills needed for the workplace," the report noted.

Younger generations have more confidence and ambition to learn skills they don't know as well.

Across the globe, 36 per cent of Gen Z and Millennials are "very actively" participating in learning and training, compared to only 22 per cent of Gen X and 15 per cent of Baby Boomers, said the report.