Skills for Success: Supporting business leaders with digital adoption – in partnership with The Open University

4 March 2024

Be the Business worked with The Open University on a report to understand the skills that are needed to help support SMEs with successful technology adoption.

We know that three years’ worth of innovation took place in three months as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. However, we also know that of those businesses that adopt technology, most (53 per cent) are unsuccessful.

Both digital skills and leadership and management expertise play a role in increasing the likelihood of successful technology adoption. But are business leaders aware of the value of these attributes and how willing are they to upskill both themselves and their employees?

And, beyond the need for business leaders to take a proactive approach to skills development, what are they looking for from the learning and development ecosystem? What should training provision for SMEs look like going forwards?

SMEs and micro-businesses account for 99.7 per cent of the total business population in the UK and, with technology a key driver of productivity, the national economic opportunity from an increase in successful adoption is huge. This report seeks to answer the key questions around digital adoption, skills development and what more needs to be done to stimulate economic growth and raise firm-level productivity.

Access the full report is available below, as well as a webinar looking at the findings of the report.