63% of employees in the United Arab Emirates feel the lack of digital competencies

According to a new Kaspersky survey[1], 81% of employees in the United Arab Emirates feel the need for better digital skills in their work with computers and other digital equipment. 63% are to some extent afraid of losing their jobs within the next 5 years because of the lack of IT competencies. Only 9% are sure they are not at risk of losing their job because of poor IT knowledge.

Among those who think they are most likely to lose their job because of the lack of digital skills within the next 5 years are department heads and top-managers. They remain most wary about the need for constant self-education and staying ahead of the trends.

The lack of digital skills may not only impede a person’s career, but also produces serious risks for the cybersecurity of the organization where this person is employed. The ‘human firewall’ is one of the key defenses from cyber incidents. Recent research showed that 95% of cybersecurity threats are in some way caused by human error[2]. Employees can open a phishing link or download ransomware on corporate device and it’ll produce financial and reputation losses for company. This is why workers on any levels — from top managers to interns — should receive proper cybersecurity training.

“Many are afraid of losing their job due to the explosive advancement of AI / ML solutions. While some individuals and organizations are wary of automatization and refrain from using it, others adapt their processes to get the most benefits from the newest technologies. 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,” comments Emad Haffar, Head of Technical Experts at Kaspersky. “Kaspersky offers the Automated Security Awareness Platform to contribute to the education and upskilling of employees at all levels. The Platform is an online tool that builds strong, practical cyber-hygiene skills for employees throughout the year. Launching and managing the Platform doesn’t require special resources or arrangements, and it provides the organization with built-in help at every step of the journey towards a safe corporate cyber-environment.”

To help your employees to improve their digital skills, Kaspersky experts recommend:

• conduct regular checkups to understand what digital skills are most needed for business and educate their employees;
• organize digital literacy courses and trainings for employees so they could improve their skills. Use Kaspersky Automated Security Awareness Platform — an online learning tool that would help to train employees about relevant topics in cybersecurity;

make sure employees know about trending cyberthreats like phishing, scam, ransomware attacks and how to recognize and avoid them.

[1] 2,000 employees across SMBs & enterprises were surveyed in the Middle East, Turkiye, Africa region in August 2023.                                 

[2] The World Economic Forum. The Global Risks Report 2022