As AI infiltrates its way into all aspects of business, ZDNet reports that employees do not possess the skills required to operate effectively over the course of the next two years. The source of this research is Skillsoft’s Global Skills Intelligence Survey, which canvassed the opinions of 1,000 HR and Learning & Development professionals. 28% said skill gaps limit their ability to expand into new markets, and 37% fear losing top employees to competitors offering stronger development opportunities. There’s an urgent need for both e employers and employees to keep up with the pace of change.
“Significant percentages of skills are no longer relevant. The skills that we’ll need in 2030 are only just evolving now. If you’re not making upskilling and learning part of your core business strategy, then you’re going to ultimately become uncompetitive in terms of retaining talent and delivering on your organizational outcomes.”
Orla Daly, CIO, Skillsoft
A report by MIT suggests that, overridingly,, the problem comes from organisations’ inability to integrate AI into their operations. What can be done to fix this? Start with skills, not titles – 91% of those surveyed say employees overstate their abilities in leadership, AI, and technical domains. 28% cited a lack of technical AI expertise. Between 40% and 60% of new hires arrive with critical capability gaps. Measuring and testing skills is crucial, and not just every year. It must be a continuous process. It needs to be at the centre of organisational operations.
“You need to make measurement central to the business strategy, and have a program around learning, so it’s part of the everyday culture of the business. From the executive level down, you need to say learning is a core part of the organization. Learning then turns up in all of your business operating frameworks in terms of how you track and measure the outcomes of programs, similar to other investments that you would make.”
Orla Daly, CIO, Skillsoft
Only 18% of HR professionals admit to doing this already. Why not use AI to make it easier for employees to develop and improve professionally an unlock the resistance to change reported among more than 40% of workers.
“Success is about leaning into AI as an enabler, more so than just simply a productivity enhancer — that’s the differentiator for businesses. Everyone’s going to get to that foundational level of using AI to do things a little bit more efficiently. But figuring out how to use AI to impact the business strategy will be the difference.”
Orla Daly, CIO, Skillsoft
There’s a disconnectedness between learning and actual business operations.
“Organizations have been challenged with this issue for a long time, in terms of learning programs being somewhat of a check-the-box exercise. One of the big benefits in tech right now is the hands-on component. Some of my team, who are non-technical staff members, who were just curious, showed me the agents they’ve built and what they’ve learned by leveraging tools like Copilot.”
Orla Daly, CIO, Skillsoft
Rather than make it an add-on, connect skills to directly to jobs that people do and tie training to specific tasks. Identify where AI can help solve business problems and act.