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Tech skills not valued by businesses
But they will be in future, says Microsoft's Bill Gates...

By Natasha Lomas

Published: Friday 14 December 2007

IT skills are still not getting the recognition they should. A plethora of 'softer' skills - such as planning, communication and problem solving - are all valued more highly by top business leaders in the UK today, according to a survey.

Top skills required for business success now

1. Team working and interpersonal skills
2. Initiative
3. Analysing and problem solving
4. Verbal Communication
5. Personal planning and organising
6. Flexibility
7. Information literacy and ICT skills
8. Commercial awareness
9. Creativity
10. Written communication
11. Empathy
12. Numerical reasoning

Skills needed for business success in 10 years time

1. Team working and interpersonal skills
2. Information literacy and ICT skills
3. Verbal communication
4. Analysing and problem solving
5. Personal planning and organising
6. Initiative
7. Commercial awareness
8. Written communication
9. Flexibility
10. Creativity
11. Empathy
12. Numerical reasoning

More than half of respondents to the survey said interpersonal and team-working skills are more important than ICT skills. Tech skills came seventh on a list of the top skills required for business success. Team working and interpersonal skills topped the list, with numerical reasoning coming last (see the grey box for the full rankings).

However, the future looks brighter for those with technical know-how. When asked which skills will be crucial for job success in 10 years time, ICT was ranked as the second most important - behind team working and interpersonal skills.

Younger business leaders are also more likely to place greater value on tech skills in today's workplace, according to the results.

The survey, which polled more than 500 senior executives, was commissioned by Microsoft. Company chairman Bill Gates said the ability to communicate well and share ideas is an important part of innovation - in the software arena and beyond.

Gates added in a statement: "One of the most important changes of the last 30 years is that digital technology has transformed almost everyone into an information worker. In almost every job now, people use software and work with information to enable their organisation to operate more effectively."