Gartner: 55% of staff unhappy with digital upskilling

The findings come as companies race to build AI-related skills, but Gartner's research suggests a disconnect between intention and impact. While nearly two-thirds of leaders say they are actively pursuing upskilling, the majority of employees feel their efforts fall short. The core issue appears to be that training is often treated as a standalone event rather than integrated into daily tasks.

Gartner specifically points to the need for a more practical approach in the AI era, where learning happens while using AI at work, not just through formal courses. It also highlights that management's own engagement with AI matters—leaders who adopt AI themselves tend to see better results. This suggests the burden is not only on employees but also on managers to model and support continuous learning.

The implication for businesses is that they may need to rethink how they measure training success. Gartner advises moving beyond completion metrics to assessing whether work performance changes. As AI capabilities expand, the ability to apply new skills in real job contexts could become a key differentiator, though the article does not specify when such changes might occur.