greytHR Releases ‘Employer Expectation Survey Report’ on World Youth Skills Day

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 15: As part of the World Youth Skills Day initiatives, greytHR, a full-suite HRMS platform provider, has released the Employer Expectation Survey Report. The report explores the most sought-after skills in 2024, the impact of AI on workplace expectations, and what employers anticipate from today’s youth.

Rolled out to business owners and HR professionals, the survey had 1,156 participants from 30+ industries. Approximately, 82% are from knowledge-based and service industries like IT, ITES, banking/financial services, consulting, and technology, among others. The remaining 18% of the participants are from other sectors.

When asked what skills matter most, 40% of employers highlighted role-based technical skills. Soft skills emerged as the second most valued category at 25%. When asked about AI and digital transformation, 30% of them reported their significant impact on skill requirements.

No longer a nice-to-have, soft skills have become universally important. A significant majority of the survey, 52%, consider soft skills important for all roles. Only 8% believe their importance varies with hierarchy or seniority.

A combined 60% of employers view AI skills as important. To be specific, 35% consider it as equally important and 25% deem it more important than formal degrees. In terms of learning preference, 49% of employers favor self-driven learning for acquiring AI skills, followed by on-the-job learning (30%).

Girish Rowjee, Co-founder and CEO of greytHR, states, "Our findings show that today’s employers are looking for more than just academic achievement. They need people who are ready to handle today’s fast-paced tech environment ‒ individuals who are quick learners and can keep up with rapid changes.”

Overall, the results highlight the need for a workforce that can quickly adapt to technological changes and continuously update their skills. The report also highlights a significant trend towards valuing practical and AI skills over traditional formal degrees, reflecting the evolving priorities in hiring practices. Also, employers seek candidates who combine technical expertise with strong interpersonal abilities and adaptability.

Read about the methodology and findings of greytHR’s report here: Employer Expectation Survey