By Aditi Roy

New Delhi, May 20 (IANSlife): A fortnightly survey reveals that India has a strong appetite for online learning and says that more than 3 in 5 Indian professionals (63 per cent ) will increase their time spent on e-learning programmes.

Based on the survey findings of 2,323 respondents, LinkedIn's third Workforce Confidence Index shows Indian workforces' cautious optimism towards future opportunities with a composite score of +50 (a rolling average of weeks April 13-19 and April 27-May 3).

This findings say that Indian professionals are increasing their time spent on online learning as a response to remote working, a shrinking job market, the need for upskilling, and the need to stay mindful through these challenging times. Survey results show that 60 per cent of Indian professionals want to gain more industry knowledge, 57 per cent want to learn how they can advance in their careers, and 45 per cent want to better their communication capabilities through online learning.

The need to balance job responsibilities with household chores has left the Indian workforce yearning for efficient planning as findings show that 43 percent of Indian professionals want to learn better time management, stay organised, and prioritise better. Findings further state that it is not always about professional learning as 40 percent of Indians say they want to learn something interesting and unrelated to their line of work, while 30 percent wish to improve their emotional well-being.

"A diverse set of skills can take you a long way in this uncertain climate, therefore upskilling has emerged as the need of the hour and it is encouraging to see Indian professionals leverage online learning to navigate the challenges. Our data also shows that time spent in viewing LinkedIn Learning content by Indian professionals have jumped up by 176 percent in the past two months, and 'remote work foundations' and ‘strategic thinking' are some of the top courses they are looking at," said Ruchee Anand, Director, LinkedIn Talent and Learning Solutions, India.

Here's what India is learning based on the learning platform data:

Remote working and productivity courses are top picks for Indians

The top 5 courses viewed in April were

Time Management: 'Working From Home',

'The Six Morning Habits of High Performers',

'Remote Work Foundations',

'Tips for Working Remotely' and

'Strategic Thinking'

LinkedIn Learning data also compares the consumption rates of courses between March and April, and findings show that: 'Writing a Resume', 'Managing Stress for Positive Change', and 'Interpersonal communication' were among courses that saw the sharpest increase in views in April, when compared to March.

This suggests that Indians want to learn how they can present their achievements, evolve as professionals, and manage stress efficiently in these uncertain times. Findings further suggest that Indians are fortifying their technical skills as data also features 'Learning Python' and 'Excel Essential Training (Office 365)' in the top 10 list of most viewed courses. 'Writing a Resume' ranks at #11, and suggests the growing importance of a strong resume to help you stand out among other job-seekers in the coming months.

Since the rise of remote working in March, data suggest the biggest content-wise surge from managers, students and senior professionals. In India, it shows that viewing content on LinkedIn Learning grew by 252 percent for all managers, 242 percent for first-time managers, 226 percent by students, 211 percent by senior leaders, and 194 percent by Baby Boomers.

Leaders around the world are turning to online learning to cultivate the communication, leadership, and management skills they need to lead teams through this uncertain time. Managing through change, learning news ways to pivot, building resilience, and developing strong communication and other transferable skills is key to learners today.