SoftwareOne Industry & Partner NewsStans, Switzerland
Mind the Gap! 42% of Companies Lack AI Skills to Leverage Rapid Innovation
SoftwareOne, a leading global software and cloud solutions provider, has released further findings from its Cloud Skills Report, highlighting the need to bridge the Human-Machine divide. The biggest pain point for companies in their digital transformation efforts is ensuring employee skills growth matches the rapid rate of innovation. More than one-third (42%) report currently having inadequate skills to leverage AI and 35% of organisations are struggling to find AI skilled employees.
The research underscores a pressing reality: prioritising close collaboration between human workers and advanced technologies is paramount amidst a widening cloud skills gap and apprehension around AI. This symbiotic relationship is set to redefine organisational dynamics, with 96% of organisations planning to prioritise upskilling their workforce according to the research.
The cloud skills shortage has increased the individual workloads of 65% of respondents and led to significant repercussions, including burnout and high turnover rates within departments. Interestingly, only a tenth of global IT managers (7%) are contemplating quitting due to the skills gap, yet a staggering 74% of companies perceive IT retention issues as a significant challenge.
But these retention issues are compounded by conflicts within teams. 31% of respondents said that the cloud skills gap has caused tension between themselves and their boss, while 36% say it has caused tension within the team. And one in five (24%) of respondents said they don’t feel comfortable asking for additional training to advance their skills.
“Rapid advancements in AI and the cloud offer exciting prospects for companies worldwide, but organisations are sitting on a ticking talent time bomb if they don’t upskill and retrain their workforces now to deliver on the promise of cloud and AI,” said Brian Duffy, CEO at SoftwareOne. “Our research shows the overwhelming majority of organisations are planning to upskill their IT teams in order to fast-track AI adoption and accelerate the cloud journey. By putting people at the centre and showcasing how these innovations can enhance their roles rather than pose threats, organisations can cultivate a culture of empowerment and optimism that helps to increase retention, boost productivity and make work more meaningful.”
To find out more about the Cloud Skills Report, and the role SoftwareOne can play as a cloud managed service provider to help businesses achieve their digital transformation goals, please visit Cloud Skills Report | SoftwareOne.
About the research
The research was carried out amongst 500 IT decision makers from the UK, Benelux, North America, and Australia to understand how the cloud skills shortage is impacting their teams and how they plan to combat it in 2024.
About SoftwareOne
SoftwareOne is a leading global software and cloud solutions provider that is redefining how organisations build, buy and manage everything in the cloud. By helping clients to migrate and modernise their workloads and applications – and in parallel, to navigate and optimise the resulting software and cloud changes – SoftwareOne unlocks the value of technology. The company’s 9,250 employees are driven to deliver a portfolio of 7,500 software brands with sales and delivery capabilities in 90 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, SoftwareOne is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SWON. Visit us at www.softwareone.com
Stuart Marks Global Leader, Content & External Communications41-47 Hartfield Road SW19 3RQ Wimbledon United Kingdomstuart.marks@softwareone.com +44 7879 114427
