High-Demand Skills Needed For the Future
We know that the future of work is changing, and in order for businesses to survive and grow into the future there needs to be a significant focus on employee reskilling.
Jobs today don’t look the same as they did 20 years ago. Infact, even in the last 5 years workforce demands have drastically changed. Naturally, organisations should predict that the next few years will likely follow a similar pattern, and if they want to thrive in the future, they have to strategically focus on training for future change in business and the world of work.
What Jobs Will Disappear in the Future?
With technology moving at an increasingly fast pace, numerous jobs have either become automated or obsolete. The first thing businesses need to ask themselves is what jobs will still be needed in the next decade? Because of constant technological evolution, many jobs are guaranteed to become redundant, and employees who are in these roles will have to reskill and upskill them to be relevant for the future.
Take travel agents, for example… This is a job that is notably on its way out. Now, with the abundance of easy-to-use comparison websites and apps, anybody can arrange their own holiday. I have seen many agents lose their jobs as a result of lack of demand for the service, with apps like Booking.com and AirB&B taking their place.
There has been increased talk in the last few years about the reality of a cashless society, with advances in contactless payments. With self-service tills and stations already a common site in supermarket chains and even fast food restaurants like McDonald’s, the demise of the cashier seems inevitable. Looking at fast food restaurants, during 2021, McDonalds already implemented McDonald’s Says Goodbye Cashiers, Hello Kiosks. These innovations – dating back to McDonald’s founding – were not intended to reduce the number of employees; rather, they were designed to make employees more efficient at their jobs.
There will always be a need for customer service. Whether it’s at the self-checkout points, or on the floor amongst busy shoppers, people will always need people. Customer service is a skill that all employees should strive to master if they want to thrive in the future.
What Skills Will Continue to be in Demand?
We’ve established that reskilling is going to be essential, but what skills can organisations be training in now to prepare for a different tomorrow?
Customer service
As I’ve mentioned above, customer service skills are crucial. Often these are centred around core soft-skills such as emotional intelligence, critical thinking, problem solving, patience and adaptability.
There’s a lot of excitement about new technology in customer service, support, and success. The progress of video, real-time messaging, chatbots and artificial intelligence (AI), cryptocurrencies, self-service, and even customer success itself, all present the potential for big changes in the day-to-day workings of customer success practitioners.
Innovation
The world will always need innovators and creators. The sourcing and development of innovative ideas is vital to a company’s long-term success. Without these skilled individuals, the economy wouldn’t develop at all. So what kind of skills should businesses be instilling into their employees that encourage innovation? Analytical thinking, creativity, originality and technology design are just some of the top skills that the workplace will always need, more so now than ever.
Creating an innovative business culture will ensure everyone in the business is working towards improving business practices, efficiency and performance
Digital Literacy
Digital skills are only becoming more essential in businesses. Strong digital skills can lead to efficiency through shortening tasks, leading to increased productivity. A solid understanding of technology and the ability to actively learn and adapt to new technology is a skill that all organisations are going to look for when recruiting a competent workforce.
Data Analysis
Data is king, now more than ever. The variety of data that companies generate contains valuable insights, and data analytics is the way to unlock them in the business.
Data analytics can help your business with everything from personalising your marketing strategy, to identifying and mitigating risks to your business.
Recruiting or upskilling teams in data analytics is vital for future sustainability. Some of the benefits of data analytics include:
- Making the customer experience more personal.
- Guiding business decisions and minimising financial losses.
- Operational efficiency.
How Can Businesses and Employees Prepare For Reskilling?
As much as the business has to play a large role in making learning opportunities available, it becomes redundant without a workforce who has the desire to learn. This is why it’s important that companies look for the right core skills in the recruitment process already. Hire employees who value self-development.
Balancing operations as well as staff training often leads to companies neglecting skills development until it’s too late. Reskilling isn’t something that should only happen when the need arises, organisations should be instilling those skills in their employees now. So what’s the solution to maintain good work flow, while still prioritising development? Blended learning allows staff to learn on-the-go, when it’s most convenient to their productivity.
The idea of change might be daunting for some, but we see it as a growth opportunity, not only for companies, but individuals. Get in touch with Summit so we can develop a training solution that is tailored to benefit your organisation’s work-flow, rather than disrupt it. Let’s prepare your business for the future, today!
About the Author
Sunel de Coning, Head: Sales and Operations for Summit
Sunel has a passion for making teams more productive and business more successful. A business strategist and marketer by profession, she strives to develop innovative plans and activities designed to facilitate competitive growth, juggling different projects, in the pursuit of achieving tight deadlines and quality deliverables.
With her dynamic approach to leadership, big-picture thinker, catalyst for change and innovator – she brings to the team extensive experience in marketing, sales, operational management and agile project management. With over 24 years’ experience in the education and training sector she developed and executed numerous strategic and commercial growth initiatives in pursuit of sustainable business value.
She has great enthusiasm for innovation and loves the journey from uncovering insights to the creation of new business. With her drive to stay ahead of the game, she works closely with the executive team on how to build innovative practices and innovative solutions to achieve the highest level of growth and customer satisfaction.