The future of digital jobs: Which skills will be the most important to businesses?

Diving into the digital jobs future is exciting and full of opportunity. With insights from over 500 industry insiders, we’re spotlighting the essential digital skills that are grabbing employers’ attention.

And this is more than just tracking ‌digital trends. It’s all about creating innovative and inclusive workspaces anywhere in the world.

We’ve got the strategies for both employees and employers looking to take the digital lead to foster these skills.

Get ready to jump into a world where digital savviness meets global talent.

What are digital skills?

Digital skills encompass a broad range of abilities that enable individuals to use technology effectively. From basic computer literacy to advanced software programming, these skills facilitate tasks like managing information, communicating online, and creating digital content. They're essential in today’s digital workplace, empowering people to navigate, collaborate, and produce work in an increasingly connected world.

Where do our numbers come from?

We've surveyed 500+ employers and employees who work in digital-first or tech industries such as software development, digital marketing, AI, and VR. We want to help you understand the future of the industry.

The survey questions were carefully designed to determine which digital skills are in the highest demand and to uncover how the digital age is expected to influence the future world of work.

The top 3 digital skills for future jobs

If you’re considering a new role, just starting your career, or looking to improve your skill set within digital industries, you need an understanding of which skills are the most important. Without the right digital skills, it’s hard to compete for the best roles in an increasingly global employment market.

From mastering the art of social media to decoding the complexities of data science, here are three of the top skills to level up your digital workforce game:

1. Social media expertise

Employers and employees alike chose social media proficiency as the most crucial skill. Social media proficiency and excellence demand creativity, strategic thinking, and a clear understanding of how to convey messages effectively to large audiences via digital media. Communication skills, crisis management skills, and brand strategy knowledge build the foundation for mastering this area.

2. Digital marketing

The second most crucial digital skill overall is digital marketing. Though this skill is often combined with social media proficiency, it has a slightly broader impact. Typically, digital marketing expertise requires a strategic understanding of content production, SEO, PPC, email marketing, and data analysis. These channels need to be aligned based on the objectives and resources of an organization.

This skill set helps businesses generate leads, increase demand, and attract traffic, and with the right strategy and execution‌ — ‌digital marketing skills will help people in all roles more effectively drive conversions.

3. Software development

Software development as a skill is important because it brings businesses online, helps business operate more efficiently, drives sales, and helps customers interact with the business easily. Skilled software developers juggle programming languages, tackle user needs, and innovate under pressure. Their knack for transforming complex challenges into sleek, user-friendly systems fuels business innovation and growth.

The top 10 most crucial digital skills:

When focusing on the results from just employers within the survey, the top three skills change slightly with a greater focus on operational roles such as Digital Project Management (21% of employers said this was crucial) and Digital Business Analysis (21%), as well as the need for specific skill sets around Digital Design and Data Visualization (20%).

As the global workforce changes, the following skills should also be a key focus:

• Digital literacy

• Critical thinking

• General tech knowledge

Each of these is crucial to your ability to remain flexible within the dynamic digital world.

Most important digital jobs in the future

With software development another crucial skill in the present day, according to our survey participants, it’s not shocking that software jobs were high on the most important future digital job list..

The global demand for software engineers and programmers has been steadily rising over the past few years, and with digital innovation constantly driving change, workplace managers play an essential role in helping other employees manage changes within organizations.

Keep in mind that as tech changes, the most important digital jobs change, too. Below are the job titles that respondents believe will be important to businesses in the future.

Take strong notice of innovation-focused job roles like head of automation and machine learning engineers that are flagged as important in the future. As technology advances and data analysts uncover new trends, businesses look for ways to improve efficiency and build a stronger platform to scale.

The list of the most important digital jobs is fluid. Depending on specific advancements, jobs in programming, cybersecurity, and digital business and sales are ones to watch.

Staying up-to-date on tech advancements gives you the flexibility you need to shift with the global digital workforce.

How employers can help employees build digital skill sets

Technology is evolving rapidly, and the tech used by hybrid and remote teams ranges in both the number of tools and the complexity. That means employers also have a responsibility to support their employees with improving digital proficiency, especially as some skills may be specific to the organization’s work streams.

Equipping employees with robust digital skills isn’t just an investment in their growth‌ — ‌it’s pivotal for staying ahead. As global workforces redefine business norms, proactive training makes sure that your team not only adapts to the market but excels in it. The goal is to turn challenges into opportunities for innovation and a competitive edge.

Growth-focused employers and HR teams can consider the following four practical tactics to support employees with digital learning.

Internal training

It may seem obvious, but internal training should always be a top priority. A quarter (26%) of employers surveyed said they don’t provide technology training. Although many digital tools can be self-explanatory and provide useful self-help guides, efficiency is lost if employees have to muddle through a new tech tool. It’s also important to monitor and measure the effectiveness of any new tool or program introduced to your business. If your team is finding difficulties, create internal training modules or on-demand demos to walk new and existing users through to maximize success.

Virtual training options

Virtual training options are crucial as companies embrace remote work. All employees, regardless of their locations, should have equal learning opportunities.

An inclusive workplace culture in this context means acknowledging and valuing the diverse cultural backgrounds of a global workforce so that each team member feels seen and supported.

Flexibility with tools

Offering flexibility with tools acknowledges that not everyone learns and works in the same way. Allowing choices, from Mac or Windows laptops to preferred project management tools, maximizes both output and productivity. This is an easy way for an employer to show their commitment to their team’s success and overall well-being.

Explore new tech

Our survey revealed that nearly 30% (28.8%) of employers still use tools/software that are 11–15 years old. With technology changing rapidly over the last decade, it’s worth exploring new tools and techniques to help both your employees and the overall success of your business. Doing so increases the efficiency of your team and helps you remain competitive in your field.

Prioritize security

In the global work scene, making security a top priority is key. Your team and clients need to know that their information is safe.

Implementing strong measures against data breaches protects your data‌, builds trust, shows professionalism, and strengthens the foundation of each remote collaboration.

It'll come as no surprise that digital skill sets will continue to be in high demand in the coming years. While it’s important for potential employees to consider these skills when seeking new job opportunities, it’s also important for employers to support their businesses and employees by keeping up with digital trends.

It can be difficult to stay up-to-date on trends, especially in today’s day and age. But it’s crucial to remain competitive in the global marketplace.

Tools and tech to position yourself at the top

With over one in five (21%) businesses not providing technology training, there's an opportunity for individuals to set themselves apart by bringing ‌this experience to a new role and company.

The job market is already highly competitive, and with easier access to global employment and the transition to remote work — employers are casting the net wider to search for the world’s best talent. If you already have knowledge of relevant priority tools used within digital-first businesses, you can set yourself apart from other candidates.

We asked respondents which digital tools tech industries use most. The most commonly purchased tools are listed below:

With so many companies using remote and async work in their operating model, it’s no surprise to see digital communication tools like Slack, Gmail, and Loom listed within the top 10.

Embrace the digital future with Remote

The digital workforce and global marketplace will continue to shift in the years ahead.

Fortunately, Remote’s global HR platform makes riding the waves of tech easier than ever. As the demand for digital skills grows, we stand ready to support you on your journey, whether you’re mastering these skills yourself or leading a remote team that’s doing so.

Embrace the future with Remote and transform how you work, learn, and succeed in the digital world. Get started today.