With AI Reshaping Work, 94% Indian Companies Plan To Reskill Employees: LinkedIn
The report found top three areas of focus for learning and development professionals as upskilling employees, aligning learning initiatives with business objectives, and fostering a learning culture.
As artificial intelligence continues to transform workplaces, 94% of Indian companies plan to reskill their employees this year, according to LinkedIn's latest Workplace Learning Report. While over half of the companies surveyed said they would offer online training and development programme.
The report identified the top three areas of focus for learning and development professionals in India in 2024 as: upskilling employees, aligning learning initiatives with business objectives, and fostering a culture of learning.
Employers in India are focusing on the development of employees' skills in order to provide them with more job security and confidence. Around 53% of Indian companies are offering online training and development programmes to support this. Additionally, 54% of organisations are providing opportunities for employees to experiment directly with generative AI tools.
In addition to AI expertise, employers are now valuing applicants who have soft skills and a willingness to learn. The report showed that 91% of Indian L&D professionals consider human skills to be increasingly competitive.
Hiring managers in India ranked soft skills like problem-solving and critical thinking among the top five abilities that are crucial in the AI era. Communication will be the most in-demand skill on LinkedIn in all of Asia Pacific, including India, in 2024.
“Last year, we saw a 21x surge in job postings mentioning ChatGPT or GPT on LinkedIn, reflecting the growing demand for tech skills as businesses explored AI,” said Ruchee Anand, senior director at LinkedIn India.
“This year, we are seeing a pronounced shift towards skills—both technical and soft skills—to thrive in the era of AI. With skills for jobs globally expected to change by 68% by 2030, we are seeing a greater emphasis on learning both technical and soft skills, with a majority of employers surveyed agreeing that this balance will be critical for organisations to succeed in the age of AI,” Anand said.
According to 48% of hiring managers in India, career progression opportunities will be given to existing employees, with internal mobility given priority in order to advance employees' careers. Additionally, 96% of L&D professionals said that by assisting employees in acquiring the skills necessary to transition into new internal roles, they can demonstrate business value.
The report also showed that 38% of companies supported "helping employees build the skills needed for the future of work," and 31% supported "providing competitive salary and benefits" as a means of attracting and retaining top talent.
