Why You Need to Train Employees for Future Tech

Why you need to train employees for future tech. Upskilling helps them meet the rapidly developing technology that your company will inevitably implement.

Why You Need to Train Employees for Future Tech

Ninety percent of executives say they pay attention to employee needs when introducing new tech, but half of their employees disagree, according to new research by PwC. It matters because more than half of employees are going to need significant skills training by 2022, according to The World Economic Forum.

The good news is that employees are willing to spend up to two days per month on training to update their digital skills if their employer offered it. Effective, efficient training programs are going to be critical for companies that want to keep up with developing technology while retaining good people.

What drives employee’s interest in advancing digital skills? Almost 40 percent of employees are likely to adopt new tech if it helps them advance their careers or gain status, through promotion or other recognition. For more than 30 percent, it’s curiosity and the promise of better efficiency and teamwork that drives their interest in advancing digital skills.

Conversely, almost a third of employees prefer individual achievement within a predictable environment. They like to stick to established routines, which means they’re least likely to see the importance of digital skills for their work. Additional communication and training might make this segment of employees more amenable to new tech.

What Employers Should Consider Before Adopting New Tech

Before adopting new tech employers should first consider what work is like for employees. Direct feedback from employees can pinpoint exactly where technology can improve the process. A range of employees from all levels and departments should play roles in the planning, selection and design of technology tools. Employee involvement makes them feel valued and can get them invested in the new tech so they’ll be less resistant when it’s rolled out.

“Enterprises aren’t so much falling behind as struggling to keep up with what’s next,” the report reads. “With companies’ near-continuous deployment of new applications, Intelligent Robots Process Automation, and more, employees must quickly master sophisticated new skills, too. And the pressure on companies and individuals to keep up will only intensify: the rise of artificial intelligence will soon make even the most tech-savvy in the workforce look for ways to stay relevant.”