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Training and development in digital skills a priority for SMEs in 2020

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The majority of leaders of small and medium enterprises in the UK aim to improve their digital skills as part of development plans for 2020, new research shows.

Of the business leaders with plans for training, 38% said wanted to improve their knowledge of software, the internet and social media. In the retail sector, this grew to 51% as the high street battles the impact of growing internet sales.

With a clearer position on the UK’s future in Europe, 25% are looking for professional guidance on the impact of Brexit.

Among younger business leaders, environmental issues are a key concern for 29%, compared to a national average of 15%.

Gavin Wraith-Carter (pictured), managing director of Hitachi Capital Business Finance, said: “Standing still in a business world as competitive as today for most leaders is simply not an option. Businesses will all have specific challenges to address as the market shifts and technology evolves. The best way of staying a step ahead of competitors is to invest in skills across the business.”

Hitachi Capital Business Finance, a division of Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC, provides business asset finance to SMEs and bigger corporations across the UK and has an asset portfolio of more than £1 billion.