Irish employees feel they are lagging when it comes to digital skills

Irish employees are more likely to feel they lack necessary skills to use new technology than other Europeans, a new study shows.

The Ricoh survey of 3,600 workers across 22 countries, including 250 from Ireland, shows almost half of Irish employees are concerned they are lacking proficiency in digital skills. This compares to an average of 40 per cent for workers in Europe.

“The fact that almost half of Irish workers feel they lack the necessary skills to fully utilise new technologies is quite worrying. It points to a serious lack of investment in digital skills training,” said Chas Moloney, Ricoh director for Ireland and the UK.

“The findings show that we’re lagging behind our European counterparts in this area. To ensure that Ireland retains its competitive edge, this issue needs to be addressed and resolved as soon as possible,” he added.

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The study finds 33 per cent of European employees worry about losing their jobs due to their lack of skills with 67 per cent wanting more training in new technologies from their employers.

Despite some misgivings, most employees surveyed are positive about the potential of new technology to help them work in smarter ways, such as giving them immediate access to data and reducing repetitive tasks.

Almost two-thirds of respondents said automation technology will enable them to be more productive, while 52 per cent believe artificial intelligence will also have a positive impact on their role.

“Despite the headlines about robots taking over the workplace, most employees see the benefits of automated technologies, particularly where it frees them up to do more interesting work,” said Mr Moloney.