Indian companies led worldwide in terms of offering skilled training programs to their employees in 2020, according to Skilling Today, a global report by talent mobility provider Randstad RiseSmart.

Human resource managers at 77% of companies surveyed in India said they implemented programs for employees to either upskill or reskill themselves to meet changing business needs, said the report. This topped the global average of 68% of organizations that offered skills training to employees.

The survey considered 1,099 HR professionals and 1,142 employees across eight countries and 20 industries. In India, it considered 152 HR professionals and 154 employees across companies of various sizes.

As much as 81% of Indian companies said they maintain skills inventory—far more than any other region. While Indian companies had the highest percentage of workforce reductions, those with skilling initiatives in place were also by far the most likely (53%) to offer skilling to separated employees.

“Globalization, the rise of automation and other disruptions have put significant pressure on employers and employees to take a continuous approach to learn and upskill — and the pandemic has only accelerated the need for employees to develop new skills,” said Dan Davenport, president, and general manager, Randstad RiseSmart.

He said to achieve long-term business success, it isn’t enough for organizations to simply provide employees with a list of training and skilling opportunities to consider.

Among the global economies surveyed, India was found to be the only region where IT skills (65%) and web development (64%) took precedence over soft skills (62%). In another major divergence, the most-wanted skills in the coming year among Indian companies are AI (45%), adaptability (32%), and creativity (31%). Across all respondents, both HR professionals and employees agreed that upskilling and reskilling add value to an organization.