The lack of job-ready digital talent has become an existential threat to businesses around the world, with 76 percent of IT decision makers worldwide facing critical skills gaps in their departments. To be successful and ready for the next normal, companies must continually invest in skills that drive organisational performance.
The latest Lean into Learning report from Skillsoft shows that 83% of decision makers are making training and development a critical priority within their organisation.
Key global findings from the research include:
- Skills gaps are having a serious impact on the bottom line of many organisations: The gaps in technical knowledge and skills over the past 12 to 18 months have had a major impact on decision makers: 89% reported a loss in revenue, 76% saw a loss of business to competitors, and 72% saw declining customer satisfaction.
- Training programmes aren’t sizing up to employers’ needs: 65% of director+ level respondents and 67% of managers report they still have a real challenge with their existing training solutions not being optimal for remote employees.
- Businesses are prioritising upskilling: In 2021, there was a 55% year-over-year increase in the number of learners on the Skillsoft Percipio platform; and a 45% increase in total hours of Percipio learning consumption.
- In-demand skills: From a skills standpoint, the most critical data-related challenges for IT and business leaders for the next 12 months are big data processing, data security, data integration, data analytics, and data security.
- IT and technology-related subjects remain the most popular: In analysing the 20 most popular topics across all disciplines, IT and technology-related subjects comprise 40% of the list, with security courses holding two of the top three spots. Additionally, nearly half of the list comprises power skills such as communication and understanding unconscious bias.
- Organisations are upping cyber security training: Amidst the most disruptive year for cyber-attacks, Skillsoft observed nearly 4 million more accesses to security-related content in Percipio, a 30 percent increase year-over-year.
Skillsoft’s Lean Into Learning: 2021 Annual Learning Report provides data and guidance for addressing skills gaps, hybrid learning, and the war for talent
LONDON: Skillsoft has released its Lean Into Learning: 2021 Annual Learning Report, exploring the top challenges and opportunities facing today’s workforce, as well as trends in learning and development and the role it plays in transforming organisations and employees. With businesses prioritising building future-fit, resilient teams, the report highlights a 55 percent year-over-year increase in the number of learners on the Skillsoft Percipio platform and a 45 percent increase in total hours of Percipio learning consumption in 2021.
Events of the past year have created numerous obstacles for organisations to navigate including the shift to remote and hybrid work, the rapid acceleration of digital transformation, and a widening technical skills gap. As companies seek to reinvent themselves, improve the overall health of their business, and motivate staff, they are placing an increased emphasis on employee development. In fact, a new survey conducted by Skillsoft and IDG found that 83 percent of decision makers are making training and development a critical priority.
“The nature of work – and consequently the nature of the workforce – has evolved at a rapid pace. Digital transformation, a global pandemic, and a changing workforce have caused companies to rethink how they conduct business and the talent required to innovate, meet customer needs, and exceed employees’ expectations,” said Jeffrey R. Tarr, Chief Executive Officer, Skillsoft. “Where there is change there is opportunity, and this disruption is driving workplace reinvention and a heightened need for learning. Competency is the new currency, and by creating cultures of learning and development where every team member has access to the tools needed to develop new skills and succeed, employees and businesses alike can achieve their full potential.”
In 2021, Skillsoft observed strong growth in total hours of Percipio learning consumption across Compliance (120 percent increase), Technology & Developer (36 percent increase), and Leadership & Business (30 percent increase). Amidst a highly disruptive year for cyberattacks, Skillsoft also saw a 30 percent increase in consumption of Percipio security-related content. In analysing the 20 most popular topics across all disciplines, IT and technology-related subjects comprise 40 percent of the list, with security courses holding two of the top three spots. Additionally, nearly half of the list comprises power skills such as communication and understanding unconscious bias.
As employees continue to adapt to new workplace dynamics and take on added management and leadership responsibilities, in 2021, Skillsoft also saw strong interest in its Percipio Aspire Journeys, sequential learning pathways that build on current skills and provide guided roadmaps to success. The three most completed Percipio Aspire Journeys were “Virtual Work in the New Normal,” “Leadership Development Core Journey,” and “First Time Manager Journey.”
Furthermore, more than 12.7 million digital badges were earned and shared via social media upon completion of Percipio courses and Percipio Aspire Journeys in 2021, a 48 percent increase. Of the 20 most awarded badges, 85 percent were for security, cloud computing, and software development courses.