IDC Report Highlights Microsoft Office as a Vital Skill for IT and Business Teams
Essential Productivity Tools in an AI-Driven Work Environment
A new IDC InfoBrief, commissioned by Microsoft, has identified Microsoft Office as a top technical skill for IT and line of business (LOB) teams. The report, titled “Thriving in an AI-driven Future: Defining Critical Skills and Tools as Jobs Evolve,” emphasizes the significance of proficiency in productivity tools integrated with generative artificial intelligence.
The study surveyed 800 business and IT leaders globally, revealing that 65 percent of LOB managers consider Microsoft Office the most crucial tool for their teams’ success. Similarly, 65 percent of respondents highlighted Microsoft Teams as the most important tool for enhancing collaboration and productivity.
Amy Loomis, Vice President of Research for Future of Work at IDC, noted the evolving nature of skills development: “Skills development has gone from an anchor experience in higher education to being an ongoing experience as part of the flow of work. Whether starting as a new graduate or an experienced professional leader, the end goal is to adapt and learn the most critical tools for driving productivity, business, and organizational success.”
In addition to proficiency in Microsoft Office, department managers identified other essential skills for new hires, including flexibility (42 percent), creative problem-solving (41 percent), and organizational abilities (34 percent).
Paige Johnson, Vice President of Education and Media Industry Marketing at Microsoft, reinforced the importance of these tools: “Our tools continue to be foundational to success in the knowledge economy. As a leading provider of AI technology, these tools with built-in AI functionality will help ensure that students are ready for what is next in the world of work.”