Majority of executives struggle to upskill staff for new tech: study

Globally, 78% of business leaders predict an uphill battle in training staff on new tech.

Majority of Hong Kong business leaders (90%) find it hard to upskill staff to adapt to new technology amidst the city’s bid to become a global innovation hub, according to a Robert Half study.

About 8 in 10 local companies or 77% said that it is challenging to find professionals who are adept in the new technologies, higher than the global average of 71%.

The study also found that Hong Kong is amongst the least proactive when it comes to helping employees develop skills necessary for new tech. Only three in five or 61% of the city’s companies increased their training budgets over the last few years, compared to 65% in APAC and 64% globally.

To make up for a lack of allocated budget, 48% of HK firms provide staff seminars and courses, 38% allow working with mentors, 36% support online courses, and 29% invite experts for knowledge transfer.

Furthermore, 72% of Hong Kong firms also endorse a flexible staffing model in order to build workforces that will benefit from new tech, compared to 69% globally.

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