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As companies digitalize, 'significant' employee skill gaps emerge

September 7, 2018

Most organizations are undergoing a digital transformation that directly affects how they do business, but 70 percent of employees have not mastered the skills they need for their jobs today, and 80 percent don't have the skills needed for current and future roles, according to Gartner Inc.

"More than two-thirds of business leaders believe that if their company does not become significantly digitalized by 2020, it will no longer be competitive," Brian Kropp, group vice president of Gartner's HR practice, said in a press release.

Gartner has found that 64 percent of managers don't think their employees are able to keep pace with future skill needs and will need to help employees keep pace by building "connected learners."

"In order to remain competitive in an increasingly digital world, companies must transform the skills of their workforce, both on a macro level by determining the skills their market and clients are calling for, and on a micro level, by showing employees the personal benefit to upskilling and offering experiences for them to do so," said Sari Wilde, vice president of the HR practice at Gartner.

Employees who are connected learners are eight times more likely to be high performers, Gartner said.