Action needed to tackle shortage of digital skills in workforce

Businesses must take action to address a shortage of digital skills among their staff, an area they are seeing as increasingly crucial to their operations, according to new information published today by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

Its survey of more than 1,400 businesses across the UK found that 84 per cent cited digital and IT skills as more important to their business than two years ago, and half said these skills were significantly more important.

The BCC also said the lack of suitable skills is curtailing productivity, and the study found that more than three quarters of businesses face a shortage of digital skills in their work- force. Negative effects of a lack of suitably qualified staff cited by respondents included a higher workload for existing staff (52 per cent), increased operating costs (29 per cent), and prompting difficulties in meeting customer requirements (28 per cent).

Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said: “Digital skills are vital to growing produc- tivity in Scotland’s businesses and to getting our economy back on track. Without access to the right skills, too many of our businesses will not reach their full potential.

She also said the Scottish and UK governments must “work harder to reduce business costs through taxation in order to free up the resources that businesses need to invest in these skills for the future”. 0 Scottish Chambers chief executive Liz Cameron