Employers feel confident their workforce has the skills to succeed post-COVID

Employees have improved their professional and personal skills despite the challenges of COVID-19.

Over 40% of employers say their staff improved their technical skills over last year, according to a study by Sage, a business management platform. A quarter of employees improved their analytical skills and 20% saw improvements in their project management abilities.

Technology played a huge role in helping employees navigate the pandemic and streamline their work process. Seventy-seven percent of employers say they plan to increase their budget this year to implement new tech tools, the report found.

Read more: Employee education is the key to preventing costly skills gaps

Technology is a critical tool to provide the training and support employees need to advance and grow. Learning and development platforms like Articulate, PwC’s ProEdge and LinkedIn Learning offer opportunities for employees to identify knowledge gaps and advance their professional skills.

“Businesses saw great success implementing new programs, offering flexible work arrangements and prioritizing commitment to the communities in which they operate,” Nancy Harris, managing director of Sage, said in a release. “As the world begins to reopen, it is critical that organizations continue to leverage creativity and technology to foster stronger relationships with employees for continued growth.”

Both employers and employees have expressed fear over a growing skills gap due to the challenges of remote work. Just 38% of employees feel their employer has been helping them learn new skills during COVID, according to research by IBM. However, more than a third of employers plan to increase their budget toward skills building in 2021, according to LinkedIn.

Read more: 8 tech tools to improve employee productivity

Helping employees grow and succeed falls on management and many have risen to the challenge. A third of organizations say their leaders' management skills have improved during COVID, according to the Sage study. Empathetic and proactive managers are the key to understanding the benefits that will support the growth of employees and the organization as a whole.

“If someone is advocating for something that will make them better at their job or more productive, that will bring more value to the company,” says Tracy Timm, founder of the Nth Degree, a career coaching company. “Be objective in thinking about how a new project or an hour for lunch or more flexible work will make that person better at their job.”

Read more: PwC wants to close the digital skills gap with latest tool

Employers feel confident that their employees will help them advance beyond COVID: 73% of organizations anticipate seeing their revenue reach pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2021, according to Sage. Keeping employees engaged in skills-building and trained on the latest technology will be the key to continuous growth.

“Investing in employee training is an essential part of strengthening culture, attracting and retaining employees and quickly adapting to the changing world of work,” says Lucy Suros, president of Articulate. “Employers will need to become a positive force in their employees’ overall life experience if they want to remain competitive in the hiring market.”