Microsoft has hailed its investment in the UK as it looks to help the nation’s businesses recover from the effects of the pandemic.
Speaking at the company’s Microsoft Envision event in London, UK CEO Clare Barclay noted the role that it has played for many businesses and workers across the nation.
"We play an incredible role in driving growth opportunity and prosperity across the UK,” she declared.
Microsoft UK push
The event was held as Microsoft celebrated 40 years in the UK, with Barclay revealing that the company now boasts 7,000 workers across 15 main locations.
"We are proud to be part of the fabric of the UK,” Barclay declared, noting that the company works with around 25,000 partners, and highlighting Microsoft’s work in industries from healthcare to hospitality.
This drive is only set to continue, as Microsoft looks to help address the growing skills gap seen across much of the UK.
The company had declared its aim to upskill 1.5 million people by 2025, partnering with the UK government to offer a number of initiatives and training drives for workers of all levels. Barclay revealed that this effort has now trained up to 850,000 people already, but that there is still “a lot of work to do”.
Barclay also noted the change in demand for different skills and areas of focus, not just for employers, but employees as well.
Referencing recent Microsoft research, she emphasised how more workers are now demanding flexibility when it comes to their way of work, with over half (52%) saying they would prefer a hybrid or fully remote model.
“The last two years turbocharged the pace of digital adoption,” she noted, “in the last couple of years, employees are considering a very different way of working.”
