LinkedIn survey reveals 62% Indians daunted by fast pace of changing skills

The LinkedIn study, surveyed 4,136 employees and 844 learning and development (L&D) professionals across Australia, India, Japan, and Singapore,

As traditional industries go through digital transformation, job roles have evolved to the extent that as many as 62 per cent professionals feel "daunted" by the rapid pace of changing skills, a LinkedIn report says.

According to LinkedIn's 'Future of Skills 2019' report, released Thursday, the skills needed to succeed are changing rapidly and demand for talent with rising skills is three-times that of the rest of the talent base.

The LinkedIn study, that surveyed 4,136 employees and 844 learning and development (L&D) professionals across Australia, India, Japan, and Singapore, noted that 82 per cent Indian professionals feel that the skills needed to succeed are changing rapidly and 62 per cent feel daunted by pace of change.

While employees and L&D professionals, both, have recognised the need for learning, 60 per cent of the employees in India feel that time is the most significant barrier they face in pursuing their L&D goals, and 37 per cent think it is the cost factor that acts as a hindrance.

From organisations' point of view, 46 per cent feel the lack of engaging learners acts as a barrier to deliver successful L&D programmes, while 44 per cent of organisations admit that adapting training for younger employees is a challenge.

"Certain skills are becoming less in-demand as different skills are needed to succeed, therefore upskilling talent is key for organisations to meet their business goals," said Ruchee Anand, Head of Talent Solutions amd Learning Solutions - India at LinkedIn.

Paying attention to skills is crucial in recruitment, as previous job titles may not always be an accurate measure of a professional's capability and adaptability strengths in this new world of work, Anand added.

As traditional industries go through digital transformation, tech skills dominate the list of rising skills, but non-tech skills such as social media marketing, compliance, and human-centered design also stand out.

In India, the top three skills that are witnessing a rise are robotic process automation, compliance, and continuous integration.

Rising skills those that have experienced exponential growth in the last few years in adoption by professionals, the report said, adding that "these skills may be nascent now but will potentially see wide-scale adoption in the future".

The research was commissioned by LinkedIn and conducted by ACA Research between March 13 and April 15, 2019. To determine the top rising skills, LinkedIn analysed skills data listed by members on its platform in the last five years and identified those skills that have experienced exponential growth.