Management, software development, sales, Java among most in-demand skills in India: LinkedIn

Software development, communication, leadership are some of the most in-demand skills in India, according to a LinkedIn survey. Sales, engineering, Java have also made it to the list. In the report, LinkedIn stated that skill sets for the same job have changed by 30 per cent since 2015, and is expected to change more than 48 per cent by 2025. 

The report added that professionals have become more motivated to learn as skilling is driving hiring, development, and retention of talent. Indian companies are adopting a skills-first approach to hiring with more than 50 per cent of recruiters on the job-sharing platform using skills data to fill roles. This is higher than the global 45 per cent, LinkedIn stated. 

Indian professionals spent 4.6 million hours learning on LinkedIn, which is double the time spent by professionals in the US. According to LinkedIn’s ‘Workplace Learning Report’, upskilling employees is the top priority for learning and development (L&D) leaders. Moreover the top solution to improve retention in companies is to provide learning opportunities. 

Eighty-eight per cent of learning and development (L&D) pros agree that L&D has become a more strategic function in 2022, while 85 per cent L&D leaders agree that learner engagement has increased in their companies. 

Spending on L&D is expected to grow this year. Seventy-one per cent of of L&D leaders in India expect to have more spending power in 2023. The percentage of L&D leaders working with talent management have grown from 48 per cent in 2022 to 58 per cent in 2023, while it has grown from 49 per cent in 2022 to 54 per cent in 2023 for employee management. 

The report stated that upskilling employees is the No 1 priority of L&D in the country, following by aligning learning programs to business goals, creating a culture of learning, and improving employee engagement. 

Ninety-four per cent of L&D pros in India agree proactively building employee skills will help navigate the evolving future of work, while 83 per cent agree that it is less expensive to reskill a current employee than hire a new one.

Ninety-nine per cent of organisations are concerned about employee retention. “Companies that hire for skills and cultivate a culture of internal mobility by investing in upskilling and learning opportunities will find it easier to attract and retain top talent,” said Georgina O’Brien, Director, APAC Learning and Engagement, LinkedIn. 

The report said that despite tough macroeconomic conditions, learning in-demand skills will remain key for professionals to become more employable in 2023. 

Also read: Four in five professionals looking for a new job in 2023; preparing for an economic downturn: LinkedIn