Tech Skills for Business Success: Your 2024 Guide

Technology skills and tools throughout all industries continue to develop, allowing businesses to analyze data to learn more about customers, identify new revenue streams, and more. While it may seem challenging to keep informed on the latest developments, the ability to adapt and learn new skills helps promote positive growth in various areas.

This article will introduce you to several in-demand tech skills that benefit businesses today and how you can begin to develop these skills in your workplace.

What are tech skills?

Technology skills are related to digital and computer-based tasks. While tech skills will vary depending on job responsibilities, some examples of technology skills people perform in the workplace today include email management, audio and video editing, data management, and search engine optimization (SEO).

To obtain technology skills, employees can take online or in-person courses. Another option is to find a mentor to provide one-on-one training, developing a plan for improvement once they identify areas that need growth.

Tech skills for business success

It’s essential to equip team members with relevant tech skills to stay updated with technological advancements. Here are some of the most relevant and in-demand skills to look for.

Cloud computing

Cloud computing enables businesses to eliminate the need for servers and storage devices. Instead, you can access all your data and services through the internet from anywhere in the world. This is a more efficient solution and an effective way to lower expenses.

Knowing how to maintain and develop cloud computing systems is beneficial to utilize cloud computing effectively. Some common cloud computing platforms include Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure. Those with the skills and knowledge of cloud computing hold job titles such as cloud computing technologist, cloud services associate, virtualization specialist, and cloud support specialist.

Read more: How to Learn Cloud Computing: 5 Steps to Get Started

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence allows businesses to leverage vast amounts of data and analytics through automation. When making product recommendations, artificial intelligence observes consumer behavior to make informed suggestions based on similar, previously viewed products. Customer service also benefits from artificial intelligence, as chatbots utilize artificial intelligence to understand requests and provide support. Professionals with artificial intelligence skills often hold positions in fields such as data science, software engineering, and research science.

Cybersecurity

Being the victim of a cyber attack is highly consequential for a business. Not only does a cyber attack disrupt operations by causing systems to fail and make it challenging to provide services to customers, but the financial consequences can also be significant. Additionally, cyber attacks can damage a business's reputation, as customers and investors lose trust.

As technology becomes more prominent in the workplace, proper cybersecurity is critical. This allows organizations to protect sensitive data and prevent disruptions. Cybersecurity skills involve performing risk assessment, digital forensics, and penetration testing. Careers for cybersecurity professionals include security administrators, security analysts, security engineers, and cryptographers.

User experience

User experience, or UX, allows businesses to understand the wants and needs of consumers better. The UX process includes several essential steps, such as product and market research, prototyping, and product testing, to learn more about how users interact with a product. Implementing UX allows you to ensure customers have a positive experience with your products.

Valuable UX skills include information architecture, wireframing, and design theory. Job titles such as UX designer, UX architect, information architect, and UX researcher exist for those with UX skills.

Data analysis and visualization

Data analysis offers several advantages for businesses. Data allows you to make informed decisions rather than experimenting with unproven ideas. Additionally, data analysis provides insights into customers and their preferences to build targeted marketing campaigns and identify opportunities for new products. Data visualizations identify trends and patterns and present findings more engaging and impactfully.

Data analysis and visualization-specific skills include computer programming, machine learning, and data cleaning. Some positions with such skills are data scientist, data analyst, big data architect, business analyst, and database administrator.

Digital marketing

Through digital marketing efforts, businesses can reach prospective customers online. This requires hiring people with the skills to create content, leverage social media, and implement other strategies, such as email marketing campaigns.

Utilizing digital marketing strategies is extremely important since you can reach a significantly larger audience than traditional marketing plans. Additionally, with digital marketing, you can directly measure a campaign's success to understand better the return you’re getting from your efforts. Positions in digital marketing include titles such as content strategist, social media coordinator, and SEO manager.

Read more: What Is Digital Marketing? Types, Skills, and Careers

Tips for employee skill development

Promoting a culture where skill development is valued in the workplace is particularly beneficial for businesses. It gives you a competitive advantage by having a workforce equipped with skills in the latest trends, and it helps employees feel valued and challenged to grow.

Here are some helpful tips to promote skill development with employees:

• Develop individual plans that align with people's specific career goals.

• Provide effective training for new employees.

• Implement cross-department training to help employees gain skills in other business areas.

• Provide regular feedback on performance to identify areas for improvement. 

Getting started with Coursera

On Coursera, you can find highly rated courses to develop skills in various tech areas. For example, in the course Introduction to Cloud Computing offered by IBM, you can learn about cloud computing trends and business cases for the cloud.  The Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate allows you to learn several critical analytical skills, including data cleaning, analysis, and visualization. In addition to data analytics, you can also take the Google UX Design Professional Certificate and learn how to create wireframes, prototypes, and test designs.