In this age of rapid technology, job requirements are ever-changing. With technological advancements, automation has come into play in an even more pervasive way and employers are to expect a displacement in existing jobs.

According to the Future Jobs Report 2020 by The World Economic Forum, it is estimated that by 2025, 85 million jobs may be overtaken from humans to machines, and amidst this COVID-19 pandemic, this timeline will likely be accelerated. But not to fret, it is also evaluated that a total of 97 million new roles are expected to emerge in the seam of this technological age. Business leaders expect employees to pick up new skills on a job, and with artificial intelligence having an increased prominence and role in our workplace, here are the skills you can acquire to stay ahead of the curve.

Creativity

This skill is a unique inherent, human characteristic that no automation or algorithm can replace. To fully understand the benefits of all things in the future, from new products, to new ways of working and technologies, it is imperative for us to be creative and tap upon this distinctive human trait that we have been endowed with.

The future of our workplace will rely on new intelligent ideas that no robot can undertake, making human creativity indispensable.

Problem Solving and Decision Making

While automation such as machines and data collect and process information in great detail that would be impossible for humans to gather, they are unable to come to the best conclusions in realising the implications of their decisions from a broader perspective.

Decision-making is a skill that artificial intelligence is unable to keep pace with humans. To
be effective, being able to make decisions are crucial. Any organisation will require
innovative solutions and ideas to continuously improve the progress of its corporation.

With the ability to solve complicated problems using logical and evaluative arguments based on the unique, dynamic situations and circumstances of which change is a constant, being able to make a decision that is deemed best for the organisation is a crucial skill that employers will value – something of which machines will not be able to evaluate, problem solve and make decision, based on human intuition or what we call gut feel.

Human intervention is required through our ability to problem solve and make decisions, What are the relevant job functions of workers should undertake the work to be done, in order to achieve the best and most productive outcomes for the organisation? How do we delegate the type of work tasks that we can leverage on technology?

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking requires you to put forward innovative solutions and ideas, solve complex
problems and assess arguments using reasoning and logic. Analysing the flow of information
from different resources is the first step of critical thinking. After which, someone who is a
strong critical thinker will use logical reasoning instead of emotions, to find the best solution
to the problem. People who can think critically will be highly sought after in the workforce.

Social Communication Skills

In this age of increased use of artificial intelligence, the ability to share knowledge and
meaning between people will be an essential skill that employers are constantly looking out
for. This suggests that by developing your ability to interact effectively with others by using
the right tone of voice, body language and selection of words based on the unique circumstance and context you are facing, it will give you the advantage to get the right
message across to achieve an agreed consensus and outcome.

Stress Tolerance

Being able to remain relaxed and composed when you encounter difficulties is crucial.
Possessing a positive stress tolerance is the ability to stay calm without getting
overwhelmed by one’s emotions of helplessness and other negative emotions. To possess
and inculcate this skill, make sure to engage yourself in self-awareness consistently and
focus on one area of stress at a time. It is important to instil this skill to ensure that you will
be unphased no matter the difficulty or obstacle. This skill is essential and will propel you for
future success.

Emotional Intelligence
A skill that exists within us humans that artificial intelligence lack is the ability to be
conscious of, in control, and communicate our own as well as others’ emotions. If you
possess empathy, honesty, and function well with others, you show high emotional
intelligence. Artificial intelligence or automation will not easily substitute the human being’s
capacity to communicate with others. Having high emotional intelligence is a skill that will
be necessary for employment in the workforce.

Technical Skills
With our current industrial revolution being steered by technological innovations, everyone
will require an established amount of skill in technology. No matter what role or industry,
having a good level of technical skills is important. Basic foundations include database
administration; being able to access data and decide on the necessary actions moving
forward. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home is inevitable, and it is
important to possess technical skills to work more efficiently and stay relevant with the
times.

Adaptable and Flexible Mindset
Lastly, every person who enters the workforce has to go in with an active mindset to learn
and grow continuously. An individual who possesses a growth mindset knows that
improving on their skills and abilities is a constant effort, and it is this mindset of
adaptability and change that leads to greater achievement. This skill will allow you to take
on any challenges in the future, learn from failures, and actively pursue fresh and new
information.