The Digital Skills Guide

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION:
DO YOU HAVE THE SKILLS TO SURVIVE?
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Digital
Transformation:
Do you have the skills
to survive?
In partnership with

Contents
1 The accelerating pace of change 06...................................
2 The impact of digital transformation 10.............................
3 The lack of skills affects all departments 17......................
4 Why does the digital skills gap exist? 24 ............................
5 Bridging the gap 29...........................................................
Methodology 03................................................................
Overview 01......................................................................
Summary 34......................................................................
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Report Overview
This research sets out
to explore the impact of
digital transformation on
businesses, with a particular
focus on the marketing
department.
The first objective of this report is to
pinpoint exactly what we mean by‘digital
transformation’ and understand the reasons
why it is often misunderstood.
With a clear definition in mind, we move
forward to reveal the ways in which
digital transformation is changing modern
businesses. These changes run the full
spectrum from the conceptual to the
practical, in line with the broad range of
changes we are seeing.
This leads on to the subsequent section,
which reveals the skills that leaders feel are
needed to avail of the digital opportunity.
With the majority of survey respondents
stating that their job has changed notably
in the last 5 years, it is essential to grasp

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the types of training needed to prepare
them for the upcoming shift.
Of course, the accelerated pace of change
brings challenges as well as opportunities.
What is cutting edge today may be obsolete
by tomorrow, so we cannot depend on static
learning resources.
As a result, this report will look at the
innovative ways in which businesses are
not only keeping up with change, but also
staying ahead of the curve through a blend
of training resources.
The links between the marketing
department and the wider business are
of particular interest in relation to digital
transformation. Marketing can lead the
charge, but departments must work in
unison to deliver lasting change that has a
tangible impact.
This report is framed around 5 key findings:
Clark Boyd
Research Analyst, ClickZ
Only 53% of businesses
have a formalized digital
transformation plan.
72% of employees are not
satisfied with the digital
training they receive.
72%
44% of survey respondents
cited data analysis as the
most important skill to
invest in.
44%
64% of respondents say
their role has changed
considerably in the last
5 years.
64%
Only 35% say there is a
plan in place to help them
develop the skills they
need.

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Methodology
A survey was sent out to
the ClickZ community,
with the aim of canvassing
opinions on the challenges
and opportunities digital
transformation brings.
The 500+ respondents included a wide
variety of senior-level marketers, with 50%
coming from a brand background, 42% from
agencies or consultancies and 8% from
marketing technology providers.
The survey consisted of 32 questions,
segmented in line with the structure of this
report. The aim has been to gain insight
into broader trends, but also to hone in on
the essential areas of training that modern
marketers are keen to emphasize.
55% of survey respondents are of director-
level seniority or above (VP and C-Level),
with the data set also representing a spread
of participants across territories:
March 2018

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The data from the survey has informed
the findings in this report. We have also
conducted expert interviews with industry
leaders to provide further insight into the
trends we have observed.
Bruno Gralpois
Former Head of Global
Marketing Operations at Visa
and Co-founder of Agency
Mania Solutions
Bruno Gralpois, Co-Founder and Principal
of Agency Mania Solutions, has been
instrumental in establishing Agency
Management as a central global discipline
for many of the top 200 advertisers,
utilizing strategies for ensuring efficient
collaboration and driving high-impact
results for advertisers and their agency
partners.
This dedication to improving advertiser-
agency relationships has earned him the
moniker: The Advertising Love Doctor.
Claire Whittingham
New Venture Director, AVADO
Claire currently leads the new
ventures business at AVADO, exploring
transformational future skills programs
with major organizations.
Previously she was Managing Director
of Squared Online, a revolutionary new
digital marketing leadership course
developed with Google and powered by
AVADO. She launched and managed the
successful growth of the course, which is
now delivered globally with over 10,000
graduates.
Through an immersive learning curriculum,
Squared Online empowers the leaders of
today and tomorrow to drive change in
a communications landscape constantly
disrupted by emerging technology.
Location
6.5%
38%
20.4%
32.4%
2.8%
Africa
Americas
Asia
Europe
Oceania
0% 100%

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Andy Coghlan
Global Head of MarTech at
Wipro Digital
Andy leads the strategy function, pulling
all the threads of Wipro Digital together to
drive experience-led, high velocity business
transformation that leverages digital
channels and technologies to the fullest.
He believes in Digital not as a standalone
but as a connector, an enabler, an
entertainer and a problem solver.
“”I love the way digital solves
my life, that’s what I am here
to do for you.

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6
The accelerating
pace of change
The increasing pace of
change in the modern world
is driven by a proliferation
of new technologies and the
data they create.
Gartner estimates that 8.4 billion “Things”
are on the Internet in 2018, a number that
is predicted to rise1
to 29 billion by 2022.
Businesses that understand and embrace
these trends are putting data at the heart
of their organizations - with exceptional
results. McKinsey reports that truly “data-
driven” companies are 6 times as likely to
retain customers and are 19 times2
as likely
to be profitable.
The reasons for this are self-evident
on the surface, but the challenge
grows increasingly complex on further
investigation.
1: https://www.ericsson.com/en/mobility-report
2: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights

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In essence, consumers are creating signals
each time they interact with an online
asset. Businesses who develop the nous to
interpret these signals can deliver better
experiences for their customers.
That should be the ultimate objective for
any company, so it should not be surprising
that those who achieve it are reaping the
rewards.
3: http://reports.weforum.org/digital-transformation/wp-content/blogs.dir/94/mp/files/pages/files/
digital-enterprise-narrative-final-january-2016.pdf
Reaching this goal is much easier said than
done, however.
In line with the increased complexity of
the technological landscape, consumer
behaviors are changing rapidly.
Expectations increase too; people demand
more and bar gets higher every year.
Historically, companies have been slow to
adapt. Technology, on the other hand, is
always evolving.
This creates a heady cocktail.
Businesses must adapt to ever-changing
consumer behaviors, keep abreast of the
latest technological developments, and
constantly reinvent their offering to stay
ahead of the competition.
As the chart below demonstrates, the
typical fortune 500 company took 20 years
to reach a $1 billion valuation. The current
crop of unicorns took only 4.4 years on
average to reach such lofty heights.
Change
Time
Martec’s Law
Technology changes exponentially, yet organizations change
logarithmically.
Management must strategically choose
which technological changes to
embrace, given the highly
constrained bandwhidth for
absorbing organizational
changes.
This chance gap widens over time, eventually requiring a
“reset” of the organization
22
0
Years
Typical
Fortune
50
GoogleF acebookC louderaT esla Average
Unicorns
Uber CloudFlareA irBnB Snapchat Xiaomi
Source: Accenture3
20.0
8.1
6.2
5.9
5.1 4.4 4.3
3.4
2.8
2.3
1.7
Technology
changes at an
exponential rate
Organizations change at a
logarithmic rate
Google Facebook Cloudera Tesla CloudFlare AirBnB
Time to reach a valuation of $1 Billion or more
The typical fortune 500
company took 20 years to
reach a $1 billion valuation

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This brings with it an increased threat to
companies that stand still while all around
them is constantly shifting.
Over the last decade, we have seen
longstanding businesses like Toys R Us and
Blockbuster fall foul of this innate tension.
It is a challenging situation, but not one
businesses can choose to ignore.
So how can companies prepare for constant
change?
This is where the concept of digital
transformation enters the fray.
At ClickZ, we define digital transformation
as the re-alignment of, or investment in,
technology and business models to more
effectively engage digital consumers at
every touchpoint in the customer lifecycle.
The inclusion of both technology and
business models is telling. Digital
transformation as a term can be misleading,
as it connotes a marked change that has a
start and an end.
New technologies are an essential part of
the digital transformation process, but it
must be understood as an ongoing process.
As such, new operating models are equally
important to ensure that progress is
maintained over time.
Data is used to understand consumers, but
a truly data-driven business also uses this
information to update its internal processes
and deliver better results.
Brands and agencies alike are racing to
make these changes. Agency giant Publicis
has announced plans to spend 300 million
euros4
on training to develop new ways of
working across its departments and offices.
Training is a fundamental part of a
successful digital transformation, beginning
with the skills required to use new
technologies and analyze data. 35% of
survey respondents cited data analysis
as the most important skill in their
marketing team today, followed by website
management on 24%.
Undoubtedly, coding and data analysis
skills will remain central in the digital
skills landscape, but these are not the only
factors the industry needs to consider.
Claire Whittingham from AVADO notes that
the modern marketer will possess these
hard skills, but will also be “agile problem-
solvers who know how to collaborate.”
We are therefore seeking a blend of skills
that ready employees for today and prepare
them for whatever comes tomorrow.
This is reflected in many of the available
training programs, but questions remain
about whether businesses are investing in
the right areas.
The results of these training schedules
must be tangible, too.
4: http://www.publicisgroupe.com/en/news/press-releases/publicis-2020-sprint-to-the-future-en-1
5: The Great Training Robbery, Harvard Business School
6: https://hbr.org/2017/06/to-better-train-workers-figure-out-where-they-struggle
“”the modern marketer will
possess these hard skills, but
will also be “agile problem-
solvers who know how to
collaborate
Claire Whittingham

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US businesses spend over $160 billion per
annum5
on training and education, but 55%
of executives6
feel that they cannot prove
the return on such a significant investment.
That creates a challenging paradox.
Education is traditionally a long-term
investment and often works best when
it creates a curious and perceptive set of
critical faculties. Such a mindset cannot be
created quickly, however, which suggests
business may want to work in closer
partnership with college-level educational
institutions to help produce the workers the
modern world needs.
In essence, we are dealing with a
multifaceted situation that has brought
about a digital skills shortage across
all industries. This situation cannot be
resolved with stop-gap solutions and a
range of different parties will need to work
in tandem to increase the standards of
training at college and professional level.
Bruno Gralpois, former Head of Global
Marketing Operations at Visa and Co-
founder of Agency Mania Solution, cites
the example of the Pathways 2020 Talent
Initiative, from the Association of National
Advertisers (ANA), as a reflection of the
broad challenge we are facing. This
initiative aims to bridge the gap between
industry and academia and it is a suitably
long-term plan.
As it stands, businesses also require a short-
term return on their investment in training.
The demands of the current landscape
are such that training must demonstrate
at least some profitable application in an
employee’s day job.
Marketing plays a pivotal role in driving this
transformation, as it is closely aligned with
the digital landscape and is heavily shaped
by the latest technological advances.
Nonetheless, marketing cannot work in
isolation from the rest of the business.
Business strategy and marketing must be
aligned to bring about the overhaul needed
to compete in the modern landscape.
Developing a digital-first mindset should be
a company-wide initiative, with marketing
taking a leading role in driving sustainable
change.
“”Departments must
work in unison to
develop a leaner
approach - digital
transformation is
not just about the
marketing team.
Claire Whittingham

In partnership with
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The impact of digital
transformation on
businesses
The increasing complexity
of the technology landscape
has left some companies
struggling to keep pace.
Many organizations are playing catch-up
already, while only an exalted few are
investing to stay ahead of the curve.
Just 53% of business have a formalized
digital transformation plan, with 13%
unsure of whether one exists or not.
Does your business have a formalized
digital transformation plan?
53%
Yes
34%
No
13%
Unsure

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In a similar survey in 2013, we asked the
same question and 42% responded in the
affirmative.
We could say that we have at least seen
progress since then, but we need only
consider the sweeping changes experienced
in the past 5 years to comprehend the scale
of the challenge that remains.
Moreover, the notion of a formal plan
suggests a fixedness that is perhaps not
entirely fitting in such a fluid ecosystem.
As such, even businesses with a clear plan
are offered few guarantees that it will stand
the test of time.
It is interesting to note how this varies by
industry, too. While no vertical shows an
overwhelmingly positive response to this
question, there are notable variations across
the different segments.
7: https://www.clickz.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/05/The-Pulse-of-Digital-Transformation.pdf
47%
No
11%
42%
Yes
Unsure

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Education and automotive companies lag
behind, with only 35% and 40% stating that
they have a digital transformation plan in
place, respectively.
Finance, retail, IT, and FMCG (Fast-Moving
Consumer Goods) all stated that over 60%
of companies have prepared a digital
transformation plan.
63% of survey respondents work at
companies that are at least 10 years old,
which may partially explain the data here.
Nonetheless, one could argue that these
are exactly the companies that must be at
the forefront of innovation to maintain and
grow market share.
With this in mind, it is perhaps surprising to
learn that the majority of companies would
not describe themselves as transformative.
In fact, just 23% of respondents would
describe their organization as disruptive,
with 11% stating that they are falling
behind the curve.
This is a particularly telling result, as less
than a quarter of businesses feel that they
are on the front foot in such a vital moment.
Amazon is an oft-cited example in these
contexts, and with good reason. The
ecommerce giant launched the Kindle
at a time when book sales were still a
key revenue driver for the business. The
release of Amazon Prime Video threatened
Amazon’s DVD sales, but the company took
a long-term view and was ready to disrupt
itself in the short-term before someone else
did.
With this in mind, it seems that few
businesses have adopted a similar
philosophy and have instead settled for
intermittent innovation, as was reported by
34% of survey respondents.
71%Finance &
Accounting 29%
Yes No Not Sure
51%Marketing &
advertising 16%33%
35%Education 10%55%
64%Retail 5%32%
63%Information
Technology
15%22%
40%Automotive 60%
66%FMCG 33%

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23.4%
34%
31.9%
10.6%
An additional 32% of respondents say their
company ticks along and does what it can,
but is neither innovative nor disruptive.
This is of course not to say that these
companies are unaware that competitive
threats exist. In fact, the most common
comment among respondents when asked
about threats to their business related to
the competition. Interestingly, this was
often coupled with a reference to the
unpredictable nature of these threats.
Companies know that they may be disrupted
and that this could happen overnight, but
remain unsure of how to defend by going
on the offensive.
It is worth noting that responses to
this question did show some variation
depending on the employee’s level of
seniority within the organization. 28%
of C-Level respondents described their
organization as disruptive, with only 17% of
Manager-level staff believing this to be the
case.
There were also some subtle, but insightful,
differences in the perspectives of brands
when compared with agencies.
Disruptive, we are
looking to re-invent
our industry
Innovate but not
transformative
Neutral, we tick along
and do what we can
We are falling
behind the curve
Disruptive, we are looking to re-invent our industry
Innovative, but not transformative
We are falling behind the curve
Neutral, we tick along and do what we can
We haven’t embraced digital at all
What best describes your company?
What best describes your company?
70%
0%
Brand or Client Side Agency or Consultancy
14.3%
35.4% 35.4%
13.7%
1.2%
20.3%
46.6%
25.6%
6.8%
0.8%

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There is a greater weight placed on
optimism about this topic for those working
at agencies or consultancies, which we
should perhaps expect given that brands
tend to look to consultancies for guidance
on these questions.
The general lack of confidence in this arena
is shaped by a combination of individual
factors. The lengthy nature of the list below
and the broad spread of responses starts to
shed light on why some organizations are
locked in stasis.
So many external factors are seen as
significant shapers of modern business
that formulating a coherent digital
transformation plan may seem close to
impossible.
Which 3 external factors are having the
biggest impact on your business?
Social Media 40.3%
Mobile 38.4%
Changing
consumer 32.7%
New
technologies 29.5%
Digital
measurement 28.9%
Social Media 26.9%
Mobile 22.9%
Changing
consumer 17.5%
New
technologies 16.2%
Digital
measurement 15.2%
Social Media 14.3%
Mobile 8.9%
Changing
consumer 5.4%
New
technologies 2.9%

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Social media, the shift to mobile, and the
ensuing changes in consumer behaviors are
viewed as the 3 most impactful trends, but
there are plentiful others that are seen as
very significant.
A broad spectrum of factors have been cited
in response to this question, from data
security to personalization and automation.
Recognizing these trends is only a starting
point, of course.
When asked whether their company is ready
to avail of these opportunities, only a small
number of respondents (18%) said they felt
very prepared.
This makes for an interesting comparison.
We can see a wide variety of factors that
are cited as significant shapers of a modern
business, combined with a telling lack
of confidence to make the most of these
opportunities.
One future-proof practice is the use
technology to understand consumers.
Though the technologies will change
and so too will consumer behaviors, all
businesses need to invest in this area.
Marketing has always been about this core
principle and we are increasingly equipped
with the tools to help us deliver optimal
experiences.
22% of respondents to the survey feel very
confident that that their company is using
technology to understand the consumer
lifecycle. This means that they will have a
clear view on the demand states of their
audience, the best ways to assimilate the
brand into their lives, and also the metrics
to provide insight into the effectiveness of
marketing activities.
How prepared are you as a business to take
advantage and utilize these factors?
18.4%
53.3%
23.5%
4.8%
Very prepared
0% 100%
Somewhat
prepared
Not prepared
but might be ok

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An almost equivalent proportion (16%) said
that they are not particularly confident or
not confident at all, however.
While 45% feel somewhat confident in their
company’s understanding of the consumer
lifecycle, there is still a lot of room for
improvement here.
Gaining insight into audiences is vital,
as it shapes all branding and marketing
activities. Without confidence in this core
practice, there is a lower chance that these
efforts will have the intended impact.
Undoubtedly, the marketing department
plays a central role in consumer insights
and can therefore take a leading role in
developing and sharing this knowledge
throughout the business.
This awareness of the factors underpinning
the digital transformation challenge is
helpful, but it requires further investigation
before we arrive at a way forward.
Next, it is worth defining the skills that are
needed before discussing who should be
responsible for leading these initiatives.
How confident do you feel in your company’s use of
technology to understand the customer lifecycle?
70%
0%
21.6%
45.1%
14.3%
15.9%
31.2%
Neutral

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The lack of skills
affects all departments
The importance of skills
training has only increased in
our advanced technological
age.The incorporation of AI
into products like Google
Analytics and Salesforce
Einstein can enhance the
capabilities of employees,
rather than replace them
altogether.
All employees need to understand how to
get the most out of these technologies.
A base level of digital and data literacy
is now non-negotiable, throughout the
organization.
Our survey asked respondents to rate their
own level of digital knowledge compared
to the wider business and the senior
leadership team.
Just under 50% stated that they held a good
level of digital knowledge, with a further
34% saying that they have an excellent
understanding of the digital landscape.

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When asked about the level of digital
knowledge across the organization, the
proportions start to shift. 48% of respondents
believe that there is a good level of
knowledge across the business, but 18%
believe that there is only ‘some understanding’.
Moreover, 5% stated that there is almost
no digital understanding throughout the
company.
The proportions shift further when asked
the level of digital knowledge among the
senior leadership team.
Here we can identify that a sizeable 42%
of people rate the digital knowledge of
their senior leadership team as either ‘some
understanding’ or ‘almost no understanding’.
Personal digital competency ratings
Entire business digital competency ratings
1.6%
16.8%
47.6%
34%
Almost no
understanding
0% 100%
Some
understanding
A good
understanding
An excellent
understanding
4.9%
28.2%
47.6%
19.4%
Almost no
understanding
0% 100%
Some
understanding
A good
understanding
An excellent
understanding

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The chart below shows these three datasets side by side and the gradients are marked, but not
always that dramatic.
Senior leadership team digital competency ratings
Digital competency
8.4%
34.3%
40.1%
17.2%
Almost no
understanding
0% 100%
Some
understanding
A good
understanding
An excellent
understanding
Almost no
understanding
Some
understanding
A good
understanding
An excellent
understanding
Personal
Entire business
Senior leadership team
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1.6%
4.9%
8.4%
16.8%
28.2%
34.3%
40.1%
34%
19.4%
17.2%

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Of course, there are also questions to ask
about whether perception matches up to
reality. The most notable difference is that
individuals believe their personal level of
knowledge to surpass that of the wider
company.
The Dunning-Kruger effect8
, used to denote
cases where people overestimate their own
capabilities, cannot entirely be discounted
here. Nonetheless, even if this is the case,
we can still see that people are more
comfortable saying their knowledge is ‘good’
rather than ‘excellent.
As a result, we can say with some certainty
that there is a general lack of confidence
across the board in the digital literacy of
businesses.
It is interesting to dig further into this to
pinpoint the skills that are particularly
lacking across the board. This, in turn, can
start to provide some initial structure to a
training program for digital literacy.
When questioned on the most important
skills for a successful marketing
department, data analysis was the clear
winner with 34%. The other skills are a
blend of technical and strategic, once more
demonstrating the complexity of achieving
the right blend of capabilities within a
company.
There were some noteworthy variations
between brand and agency respondents for
this question.
Data analysis was an even more
overwhelming favorite among agency
respondents, appearing in 38% of responses
compared with 32% among brand
participants.
Agency employees also voted for strategic
planning as a core priority 33% of the time,
compared with just 14% among brand or
client-side employees.
8: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
What skills are most important in your
marketing team right now?
34.5%Data Analysis
24%Website Management
21.8%Strategic Planning
20.3%Social Media
18.6%Copywriting/Publishing
16.9%Paid Search Management
16.7%Coding/Programming
13.8%Email Marketing
12.4%Mobile Strategy
11.1%SEO
10.7%Technology Enablement
9.3%Graphic Design
8.6%Public Relations
7.9%Event Planning/Production
7.9%Video Production/Editing
4.8%General Management Skills
4.5%
AnswerChoices
Responses

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Conversely, brand respondents saw paid
search management and social media
skills (21% and 24%, respectively) as more
significant than their agency counterparts
did.
This could be a sign of a broader shift, as
brands take control of their paid search
and social media efforts, but partner with
consultancies to support with strategy and
data analysis.
Looking to the future, data analysis remains
the most important skill to develop over
the next 5 years. This was selected by 43%
of respondents, compared with 34% who
considered data analysis to be a vital area to
invest in today.
Artificial intelligence was also selected by
24% of businesses as a growth area, along
with technology enablement and coding/
programming. At a broad level, computing
skills, data analysis, and strategy are viewed
as the most important categories to invest in
for the future.
We can compare these skills side by side to
identify trends in skills predicted to increase
in importance, and a few that are predicted
to be less significant in 5 years’ time.
What skills are most important to invest
in over the next 5 years?
What skills are most important?
Data
Analysis
Today
5 years
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
W
ebsite
M
anagem
entStrategicPlanning
SocialM
edia
Copyw
riting/Publishing
Paid
Search
M
anagem
ent
Coding/Program
m
ing
M
obile
Strategy
SEO
SEOTechnologyenable...
34.5%
43.5%
24%
13.1%
21.7%
33.9%
20.3%
13.4%
18.6%
15.5%
16.9%
11%
16.7%
24.8%
12.4%
28.2%
11.1%
11.3%
10.7%
27%
4.5%
23.8%
43.34%Data Analysis
33.9%Strategic Planning
28.2%Mobile Strategy
27%Technology Enable
24.8%Coding/Programming
23.8%
15.5%Copywriting/Publish
13.5%Social Media
13.1%Website Management
13%Lead Management
11.7%Video production
11.3%SEO
11%Paid Search Management
9%Email marketing
7.2%Public relations
4.8%General Management
4.5%Blockchain
AnswerChoices
Responses
2.4%Event Planning
1.7-%Graphic Design

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There are some skills in particular that are
seen as vital to invest in over the next 5
years, as shown in the table above. This table
highlights the percentage of businesses
that see a skill as essential to have today,
compared to their view on which skills will be
important in 5 years.
This reveals a blend of technical skills,
strategic capabilities, and also the nous to get
the most out of new technologies.
All are viewed as important today, but their
growth in importance when looking to the
future suggests these are wize areas to
invest in as soon as possible.
On the other hand, 4 skills have decreased
notably in importance when respondents
look to the future.
Skill Today 5 years
Artificial Intelligence
Technology Enablement
Mobile Strategy
Strategic Planning
Data Analysis
4.48%
10.69%
12.41%
21.72%
34.48%
23.79%
27.03%
28.21%
33.86%
43.45%
Change Variation
Artificial Intelligence Technology Enablement Mobile Strategy Strategic Planning Data Analysis
Skill Today 5 years
Website Management
Social Media
Paid Search Management
Copywriting/Publishing
23.93%
20.34%
16.90%
18.62%
13.10%
13.45%
11.03%
15.52%
Change Variation
Website Management Social Media Paid Search Management Copywriting/Publishing

In partnership with
23
These are skills that are predicted to be
aided by machine learning technologies.
As such, it will not be quite so important
for staff to train in the functionalities of
these platforms. The key will be to derive,
interpret and action the insights that
technology can deliver for us.
However, when asked only 35% of
respondents stated that there is a plan in
place for companies to deliver the skills
training that their staff is craving.
A very significant 45% said that there is no
plan and they know they need this if they
are to gain the skills their role will require.
That is a rather concerning state of affairs,
so the industry needs to act as a whole to
equip the workforce adequately.
On the whole, we can piece together a
picture of businesses that are less than
confident in their ability to avail of the
current landscape, and who also know that
the skills required to thrive in 5 years will
be radically different again.
Undoubtedly, a digital skills gap has opened
up and action must be taken if companies
are to prevent it from widening further.
Only 35% of respondents
stated that there is a plan in
place for companies to deliver
the skills training that their
staff is craving.
Is there a plan to implement this training?
70%
0%
Yes, there is a plan and
I am looking forward
to learning more
34.8%
20.4%
No, there is no plan,
but I know I need it
Not sure
44.8%

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24
Why does the digital
skills gap exist?
We need to look beyond the
professional arena if we are
to grasp the complexity of
this question.
As a result, the workforce is not prepared
for the modern world when they graduate,
increasing the burden on businesses to get
staff up to speed.
A vicious cycle can develop, as the
already shallow talent pool drains quickly.
Concurrently, the marketing landscape
grows in complexity and even more training
is required just to keep up.
As Bruno Gralpois notes,“The digital skills
gap has widened so much that it looks
more like an abyss than a gorge.”
“”The digital skills gap has
widened so much that it
looks more like an abyss
than a gorge
Bruno Gralpois
Former Head of Global Marketing
Operations at Visa and Co-founder
of Agency Mania Solutions

In partnership with
25
Businesses are investing heavily in training,
but our research shows that it is either
insufficient or it is being spent in the wrong
areas.
Respondents to our survey were asked
which department they feel receives the
most investment at their company.
Marketing is the runaway leader here, with
almost half (47%) of the vote. Research and
Development (R&D) lags behind, with just
16% stating that this department receives
most investment. Marketing should be one
of the change leaders, nonetheless - even if
it can’t achieve digital transformation alone.
The challenge, of course, is that so much
of this budget is spent delivering on the
same strategies and tactics, rather than
on developing the new skills a modern
marketing team needs.
This situation becomes starker still when
we assess the number of employees that
claim to be satisfied with the training the
receive.
72% of respondents stated that they are
not satisfied with the digital training they
receive and would like more investment in
this area.
72% Of respondents stated
that they are not satisfied
with the digital training
they receive
Which function do you feel as though is
getting the most investment?
47.3%
28.2%
16.2%
4.9%
3.6%
Marketing
Sales
R&D
Accounting &
Finance
HR
0% 100%

In partnership with
26
In fact, 43% of respondents state that there
is no digital skills training program at their
company. A further 12% are unsure whether
one exists, while 45% reported that their
company does have a formal digital skills
program.
This surely accounts for some of the
dissatisfied staff in the previous survey
question, but not all of them. If the majority
either do not have a training program or are
unsure if they have one, they are of course
less likely to be satisfied with the training
they receive. There are plenty more still who do have a
formal training program at their company,
but do not feel it equips them to do their
job to their full potential.
If we look only at the 45% of respondents
who do have a formal training schedule,
only 39% of these people are satisfied that
they get enough training.
We can therefore surmise that most of the
digital training programs that companies
have developed are not fulfilling their
employees’ requirements.
43%
Yes
45%
No
12%
Unsure
Are you satisfied with this level of digital
skills training you have access to?
(Respondents that have a
formal training program)
Are you satisfied with this level of digital
skills training you have access to?
80%
0%
Yes, I don’t need any
further training
28.3%
No, I would like
more training
71.7%
80%
0%
Yes, I don’t need any
further training
38.8%
No, I would like
more training
61.2%

In partnership with
27
Some light is shed on this situation
if we analyze the amount of training
employees receive. The largest proportion
of respondents (39%) say that they are
provided with 1-5 days of digital training
per year.
Almost a quarter (23%) receive only one
day of digital training each year, with only
13% having access to 20 days of training or
more.
This seems entirely out of kilter with the
constantly changing digital landscape, and
perhaps starts to illuminate some potential
solutions. Rather than a static, one-off
resource, training must be an ongoing
investment that requires input both from
the training provider and from staff.
Simply providing more training or allocating
more days to training is not necessarily the
answer.
One might also wonder why businesses are
providing so little digital training when the
majority of staff are aware that they need it.
In response to this question in our survey,
some interesting answers were revealed:
Almost a quarter (23%)
receive only one day of
digital training each year
22.58%
39.07%
15.05%
10.04%
13.26%
1 Day
1-5 Days
5-10 Days
10-20 Days
20+ Days
0% 100%
How much digital skills training do you
personally receive on average per year?

In partnership with
28
Budget is a clear constraint, as are the
internal approval processes that tend
to hold these initiatives back. Notably,
businesses with over 5000 employees cited
internal processes as the largest (53%)
contributor towards a lack of training.
24% of businesses also find it difficult to
find the time, which is an understandable
restriction. If a company is already finding it
hard to keep up, it seems logical that their
time is best spent working on their daily
tasks. Conversely, this can also lead to the
company falling further behind.
This paradox is one that has to be resolved
if a company is to move forward, however.
The desire to be disruptive, to gain a
competitive advantage by being on the front
foot, should supercede any reservations
about having enough time to improve.
22% of respondents also said it was too
difficult to locate the right talent in the
market, both to deliver change within
the organization and to act as thought
leaders. One challenge here is that senior
management can think of talent in a holistic
sense, rather than honing in on skills and
aptitudes that can be developed. Data
analysis is vital, but that does not mean
replacing marketers with statisticians will
solve a talent shortfall.
A further 18% are unsure of where to start,
which is a pervasive issue in the industry.
An increasing number of tailored training
programs are in the market, but awareness
is not always as high as it could be.
What is preventing you from
receiving this training?’
40%
33.1%
24.1%
23.8%
21.7%
No budget
Too expensive
Internal approval
Lack of talent
in market
0% 50%
18.3%
17.2%
15.7%Nothing at all
Unsure where
to start
Lack of a
change lead....

In partnership with
29
Bridging the digital
skills gap
The solution to the digital
skills gap is as multifaceted
as the current digital
landscape is.Aligning the
two will require a consistent
and unified effort from a
range of parties.
Some shape can be provided to this
endeavor by assessing the types of training
that employees find to be the most
beneficial.
Over three quarters of people would like a
mix of in-person and online training, with
20% preferring online-only training.
20%
Online
4%
In-person
76%
A mix

In partnership with
30
This set of preferences is quite consistent
across different industries and levels of
seniority within organizations. We can see,
however, that the smallest companies (1-
10 employees) have the highest level of
preference (26%) for online-only training,
with the largest companies (5000+
employees) showing a very significant
demand for both online and in-person
training.
The consensus is rather clear. There is a
real thirst for more digital training, across
the different skill areas we have discussed
above, and the majority of businesses
want online training combined with some
workshops, lectures, and digital bootcamps.
This is a helpful starting point as we
consider bridging the digital skills gap.
A structured program is essential, but this
must be combined with an innate sense
of curiosity about people and technology.
Training is only ever as effective as students
allow it to be, of course.
We should think about training much in the
same way we think about our company’s
audience. This is where marketers should
have an innate advantage, as this is a core
tenet of any successful strategy.
0% 100%
Online In-Person Both
25.7%Q4: 1-10 72.4%
1.9%
8.3%Q4: 5000+ 86.1%
5.6%

In partnership with
31
Training should fit in seamlessly to people’s
schedules and add clear value for them. As
Claire Whittingham of AVADO highlights,
there are numerous trends in digital
training that are helping create this sense
of value, including:
Social learning, via a
digital campus that lets
students interact with
each other and advance
their learning
All of this adds a sense of customization
to digital skills training and therefore
increases its chances of being successful
with a modern audience. These are all
principles that we would apply in a
marketing strategy and they are equally
valid when trying to engage a professional
audience.
There is a need for staff to contribute to
bridging the digital skills gap, too.
As Bruno Gralpois notes,“Every employee
is a change agent in today’s business
environment.”
While the onus is on businesses to partner
with the right training providers, employees
must assume responsibility for their own
development too.
The backdrop to this ongoing, flexible
training is a structured program like
Squared Online, which combines all of
these elements with a rigorous digital skills
roadmap that prepares staff for the modern
workplace. Added to workshops and other
in-person lessons, businesses can ensure
that their training has an impact.
Another vital success factor for digital
training is the demonstration of short-term
influence on an employee’s performance at
work. Investments, such as the 300 million
Euros set aside by Publicis for employee
training, will naturally need to show
some tangible returns. All businesses will
understand that education is a long-term
discipline, but it not unreasonable to expect
a short-term impact too.
Bite-sized learning
modules that provide an
opportunity to pick up
actionable tips in short
sessions
Podcasts are creating
an opportunity to learn
during employees’ daily
commute.
Interactive training
modules engage students
and help to entrench what
they have seen throughout
their lessons.
Initiatives like lunch-break
lessons can provide on-
demand videos for staff to
develop skills.
SOCIAL LEARNING BITE-SIZED LEARNING INTERACTIVE TRAINING
PODCASTS INITIATIVES

In partnership with
32
The definition of that return on investment
will shift based on one’s position in the
company and the nature of the company
itself, but there are some common metrics
we can all apply.
Providing digital training can significantly
increase staff retention rates, for example.
As the fight for talent intensifies, those that
can train and retain their staff will be at a
natural advantage. Some may be concerned
that this will only make staff more
attractive to other would-be employers, but
the reverse has been shown to be the case.
Employee performance reviews are
another excellent way to assess whether
training has delivered a clear benefit to the
individual and the business. By monitoring
the scores for core digital competencies,
it will be possible to track this progress
and attribute it accordingly to any training
initiatives.
All of this should have an impact on how
the business operates, too. Maintaining the
same working practices will allow staff to
slip back into their old habits and patterns.
The agile approach to working is an
excellent way to introduce a fitting mindset
for the digital-first age. Training can help
develop this approach and its benefits
will be very clear within the working
environment.
As Andy Coghlan, Global Head of MarTech
at Wipro Digital, states,“Bringing together
different departments leads to much
more agile processes that can constantly
create prototypes. This is a much more
suitable working environment to deliver
the experience-led campaigns that modern
marketing demands.”
“”Bringing together
different departments
leads to much more
agile processes that
can constantly create
prototypes. This is a
much more suitable
working environment to
deliver the experience-
led campaigns that
modern marketing
demands
Andy Goghlan
Global Head of Martech at Wipro Digital

In partnership with
33
This is echoed by Procter and Gamble, who
have brought together talent from different
agency holding groups9
to work together
on creative projects in concentrated
periods of activity. This helps to close the
spatio-temporal gaps that so often hinder
collaboration.
In a time of accelerating change, we
also need faster ways of producing
work that connects with audiences. An
important aspect of this is bringing our
working practices up to date, to ensure
we can deliver on the modern consumer’s
expectations. Businesses need to be
collaborative, agile, and curious about
technological advances.
Finally, businesses should encourage their
staff to develop a digital-first mindset by
engaging with the latest technologies.
This can lead to a more open and
innovative atmosphere in which staff of all
levels feel empowered to assume the role
of change-maker. It also provides empirical
insight into the mind of the audiences we
are trying to connect with through these
ever-changing media.
9: https://www.wsj.com/articles/p-g-to-bring-ad-holding-company-rivals-together-to-form-new-creative-agency-1523277000

In partnership with
34
Summary
The digital skills survey has
highlighted just how much
work remains for true digital
transformation to occur
across all businesses.
Digital transformation encompasses
everything from training through to working
processes and the incorporation of data into
all aspects of business operations.
This begins with the capabilities of staff,
as businesses that can make the most of
the technology at their disposal will take a
significant competitive advantage.
However, 64% of survey respondents say
their role has changed considerably in the
last 5 years, but only 35% say there is a plan
to help them develop the skills they need.
Throughout this research, there is a sense
that businesses know they need to develop
new skills, which is a useful starting point.

In partnership with
35
Nonetheless, we must place this in context
in a world that is changing at a faster pace
than ever before. The skills gap will only
widen without a concerted effort to close it.
That will require collaboration between
educational institutions, digital learning
providers, and businesses if it is to be
effective in the long term.
In the immediate short term, the emphasis
is placed squarely on businesses - often
led by the marketing department - to take
action.
Marketing is uniquely placed to drive this
change, as its activities depend on the
use of data and technology to connect
with consumers. This transformation must
be aligned to business strategy, however.
Marketing may lead the change, but it needs
everyone else to get involved too.
The challenge relates to the corporate
mindset, too. Only 23% of businesses in our
survey described themselves as disruptive,
with the majority choosing much more
tentative terms to describe their market
position, such as ‘neutral’ and ‘we do what
we can.’
So, what can businesses do today to start
developing the skills they not only need
today, but also for the next five years?
“”Digital training
requires constant
investment. It is an
ongoing process
that should be a
core consideration
for any business
Bruno Gralpois,
Former Head of Global Marketing
Operations at Visa and Co-founder of
Agency Mania Solution

In partnership with
36
There are plentiful answers to this question,
for those prepared to play an active role
in developing personal and company-wide
digital competency. In summary, businesses
should focus on the following areas:
Data literacy:
34% of people see data
analysis as the most important
skill today. Work to develop
a base level of data literacy
across all departments to
ensure that everyone can
contribute to a data-driven
culture.
Embrace technology:
This applies to your MarTech
stack, your training programs,
and the devices your customers
use to interact with your
brand. A digital-first mentality
develops through habit.
Use online and in-person
training:
20% of people want online-
only training, and a further
76% want a blend of online
and in-person training. Online
training allows for social
learning and collaboration,
while in-person training can
lead to intensive workshops.
Use the best of both to provide
a full learning experience.
Engage employees like a
marketer:
Modern audiences prefer
on-demand experiences
that assimilate into their
daily lives. This means using
podcasts, recorded webinars,
and bite-sized lessons to
give control to students.
This markedly improves
engagement rates and lets
businesses shape the learning
curriculum to their needs.
Put training into practice:
Training is a continuous
process, so don’t wait for it to
end before putting its lessons
into action. Incorporating
agile working methodologies
can start to change your
company’s approach and
instil the need to be flexible,
collaborative, and creative.
Set metrics for success:
Education should be
measured by its impact, rather
than just certificates. The
metrics for success will differ
by business, but think about
the problems you would like
to solve and work with your
training provider to create
a suitable measurement
framework.

About AVADO
In partnership with
At AVADO we believe in creating inspiring
learning that has a lasting impact - whether
that’s helping you progress your career or
transform your business.
We design, build and deliver world-
leading education for individuals and
businesses. That includes our range of
globally recognized online professional
qualifications, and our suite of digital
transformation solutions delivered both
online and in-house.
We ensure that your organization becomes
digitally forward thinking by changing
people’s mindsets and rapidly giving your
teams the capabilities they need to succeed
in today’s workplace. From your senior
leadership team to managers and executives,
your organization will develop into one that
is both agile and digitally savvy.
For more information you can visit
avadolearning.com or contact Charlie Cornish
at charlie.cornish@avadolearning.com.
About ClickZ
Founded in 1997, ClickZ has grown to
be one of the largest digital marketing
communities in the world today.Alongside
the growth of Facebook, YouTube and more,
ClickZ has been there, providing the latest
news, insights and intelligence along the
way.
With digital marketing at our core, our
articles, podcasts, webinars, events, and
reports cover marketing technology, the
impact of emerging technologies and the
overarching digital transformation journey
that is upending even the most established
companies.
We help you stay smart and empower you
with the tools to drive growth within your
business.
For more information you can visit
ClickZ.com or contact Sam Lawson at
sam.lawson@clickz.com.

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