A lot of changes are coming, and yet a PwC survey indicates that only 25% of business and HR leaders feel ready to identify the required competencies for meeting technological changes.
In 2020, the World Economic
Forum predicted 50% of employees would require reskilling by 2025, as 85 million jobs are displaced by a shift toward automation. Now, that date is rapidly approaching. Three years ago, the WEF
highlighted critical thinking and problem-solving. By 2023, technological prowess came in first place. Either way, the next few years are bound to unleash fresh potential in talent and abilities.
Digital competence
Computer literacy has become a must-have, as every office uses digital platforms. Skills range from basic digital familiarity (such as with emailing and chatting) to digital product management, UX (user experience with website and apps, for instance), computer problem-solving, social media, communication tools, online security, data privacy management and information searches. Employees today are expected to use devices, software and apps with confidence and ease. Some of this knowledge and fluency has a fairly short shelf life and must be constantly updated. When the pace of change is so fast, it becomes a race against time to keep up.
A related proficiency is data analysis. This can involve manipulating any unstructured data from spreadsheets, infographics, pie charts, marketing campaigns, surveys or sales charts. Analysts must manage this gathering snowball of information, often applying analytical programming languages — MATLAB Python, SQL for writing queries, and Microsoft Excel. They may then translate these results into dashboards, charts, graphs and tables designed to make them user friendly.
The WEF reports the most sought-after expertise is:
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning.
- Cloud computing.
- Product management.
- Social media.
Those adept in these areas are well rewarded across most industries. In fact, one in eight job postings requires one of these skills. Clearly, artificial intelligence and machine learning — growing 370% over the past five years — are current favorites. Meanwhile, some more traditional skills like web development have been trailing, as nonprofessionals learn to build their own websites independently.
Soft skills
You might think we are moving into an impersonal, mechanized workplace of ones and zeros. The reality is quite the opposite. When automation reduces the robotic component of office tasks, it leaves more room for relationship strengths and creativity.
Do not underestimate these “softer” strengths:
- Emotional intelligence (EQ) — empathy, self-control, seeing from another's perspective.
- Creativity — imagination, problem-solving, ideation, connecting unrelated concepts.
- Resilience — flexibility outside the comfort zone, adaptability to change, open-mindedness, handling uncertainty (like not feeling threatened by AI), stress tolerance.
- Interpersonal communication — for teamwork, collaboration, leadership.
- Curiosity.
- Aptitude for learning new skills.
Even if offices are 30% automated by 2030, humans will still need to interpret data and forge creative solutions.
Critical thinking
You can teach somebody to program software or write code, but can you train them in the more human competencies?
Some strengths are frankly innate, like charisma and sensitivity. Others you can teach, like time management or cross-cultural knowledge, to fit a more diverse work community.
An invaluable tool is critical, or systematic, thinking. It may be a straightforward approach to problem-solving for complex challenges. Employees can be taught to cultivate a critical mindset, whereby they evaluate, filter and analyze the facts at hand. Be rigorous — nothing should be taken at face value. Carefully consider the evidence for the business case and reject any hearsay.
Employees can be schooled in a multistep process for responding to business problems and opportunities. They can learn how to analyze the issues and environment, explore a range of potential responses, choose, and then enact the optimal path. In order to form a valid judgment, they need to come to terms with their own biases and assumptions that might cloud their reasoning. Constantly question the integrity and validity of the data supplied. Although there is no one way to think critically, workers can become versed in techniques that will serve them, their teams and their projects.