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The shift from analog to digital has accelerated during the past few years in the Middle East, and in the process, nearly everything has changed. And this mass digital transformation is also sparking new ways of generating economic value.

Large corporations and small businesses are harnessing digital technologies to invent new products, jobs, platforms, and even virtual worlds, making it imperative for workers to enhance their digital skills.

According to a new Kaspersky survey, 81% of employees in the UAE feel they need better digital skills in their work with computers and other digital equipment, while 63% are afraid of losing their jobs within the next five years due to a lack of IT competencies. 

Only 9% are sure they are not at risk of losing their job because of poor IT knowledge.

Department heads and top managers think they will likely lose their jobs due to a lack of digital skills in the next five years. They are also most wary of the need for constant self-education and staying ahead of technological trends.

A lack of digital skills will impede a person’s career and create serious risks for cybersecurity in organizations. According to recent research by the World Economic Forum, 95% of cybersecurity threats are in some way caused by human error.

Just one phishing email or ransomware download can cause financial and reputational damage to a company. All employees, from top managers to interns, need cybersecurity training.

“Employees should be cyber savvy if they want to remain in demand, and companies should help them to tackle digital challenges and develop cybersecurity skills,” said Emad Haffar, Head of Technical Experts at Kaspersky. 

In their report, Kaspersky experts recommend a few methods to improve digital skills, which include conducting regular checkups to understand what digital skills are most needed for business, Organizing digital literacy courses and training for employees so they could improve their skills, and educating employees on trending cyber threats like phishing, scams, ransomware attacks and how to recognize and avoid them.