Only 1 in 5 employees believe that their company is preparing them for a more data-oriented and automation-oriented work environment (specifically, 21%), according to the latest study by Qlik, a leading company in data analysis, management and integration. This data contrasts with the fact that most managers predict a disruption in the workplace due to the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).
35% of employees surveyed say they have changed jobs in the last 12 months because their company did not offer them enough opportunities to improve their professional skills (upskilling). Therefore, there is a need to improve the training of workers to respond to a transformation of the labor market that is already underway.
The report ‘Data Literacy: The Upskilling Evolution’produced in collaboration with The Future Labs, combines information obtained from expert interviews and a survey of more than 1,200 managers (C-Level) and more than 6,000 hard-working employees worldwide. The results, which were largely consistent across all geographies surveyed, reveal how the rapid growth in data use is expanding companies’ aspirations for its potential and, in turn, transforming working practices.
As organizations move from passive consumption of data to a state of Active Intelligence, where data is continuously integrated into work practices to enable immediate decisions and actions, the report predicts how this will affect skills requirements and career opportunities.
Data literacy: as essential as knowing how to use a computer
The study revealed that both managers and employees expect data literacy (understood as the ability to read, work, analyze and communicate with data) it will be the most in-demand skill in 2030. And 85% of managers believe it will be as essential a skill in the future as knowing how to use a computer is today.
This reflects that managers are increasingly aware of the true value of data for companies. Employees surveyed around the world say that the use of data and its importance in decision-making has doubled in the last year. Meanwhile, 89% of managers expect that all team members will now be able to explain how data has been the basis of their informed decision-making.
Driving smarter, more automated work practices
The demand for data skills reflects the significant change taking place in the workplace due to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). The managers who participated in the study believe that the work practices of employees will change to be more collaborative, thanks to intelligent tools that will help them make better decisions (84%) and be more productive (83%).
To realize their full potential, 40% of managers surveyed (C-Level) anticipate that their organization will hire a “Chief Automation Officer” in the next 3 years, a percentage that will exceed 99% in the next decade. But investment cannot be limited to high-level hires: those on the front lines will need support during this transition. And 58% of employees surveyed believe data literacy will help them stay relevant in AI-driven jobs.
“We often hear how employees need to understand how AI will change the way they work, but what’s really important is being able to help them develop the skills that allow them to create value after implementing intelligent algorithms,” he says. Elif Tutuk, Vice President of Innovation & Design at Qlik. “Data literacy will be critical to expanding workplace collaboration beyond the human-to-human relationship, so employees can augment machine intelligence with creativity and critical thinking.”
Only 11% of employees are confident in their current level of data literacy
The shift to a more data-driven and automated workplace creates a huge opportunity for those with data literacy. All managers surveyed said they would be willing to offer a salary increase to candidates who could demonstrate data literacy. On average, this increase would be 26%. For example, for the average Spanish employee, this translates into an increase of more than €6,300 on your annual salary.
Despite the fact that it is perceived as essential to the success of the company – both today and in the future – only 11% of employees surveyed feel fully confident in their knowledge of data. However, the most common belief among company managers is that it is the individual’s responsibility to prepare themselves with the skills for the future workplace, above that of their current employer or educational institutions.
Where organizations are increasing their data training, the study shows that it is offered primarily to those working in specific data-related roles (58%), such as analysts and data scientists. Only one in ten offer this training to those working in HR, finance and marketing (12%, 11% and 10% respectively), despite the fact that more than two thirds of employees working in these roles say that literacy in data is already required to perform its current role (70%, 74% and 67% respectively).
In contrast, more than three-quarters of employees invest their own time (78%) and money (64%) in filling the professional skills gap that the company of the future needs, spending an average of almost 7 hours a month and almost more than 2,500 euros ($2,800) a year. However, many of them have already expressed their dissatisfaction, since 35% of employees say they have left a job in the last 12 months because their company does not offer enough job opportunities. upskilling and training.
“The way we interact with and use data has transformed in the last two years and will do so even more as we move towards a smarter, more automated workplace,” he said. Paul Barth, Global Head of Data Literacy at Qlik. “But the ambition and investment in leading-edge data practices continue to outweigh the commitment to address current data literacy gaps. Managers must recognize that if they want their employees to improve their use of data for decision making and, in turn, drive positive outcomes, their support and better opportunities for leadership will be needed. upskilling”.
