Tomorrow’s most in demand skills

Molly Bedingfield

The global pandemic has disrupted global markets and changed the face of some industries. At the same time, prompted employers to look at the capabilities their workforces will require in the years ahead.

That’s particularly timely, given that the World Economic Forum announced that “The world is facing a reskilling emergency. We need to reskill more than one billion people by 2030.”

At Robert Walters, we’re seeing first-hand what hiring managers will require from their workforces to thrive in the future.

Which skills are the in highest demand?

A global Robert Walters survey from hiring managers said the five most in-demand skills for the future are soft skills:

1. Communication

Organisations will need people who can not only see the commercial potential of technology, but also translate their vision in ways that inspire colleagues.

2. Business intelligence

Data will be the fuel that drives new products, services and innovations. Professionals who can convert data into business intelligence will be highly sought after.

3. Management/leadership

Markets will be fast moving, and organisations need leaders who can steer and motivate teams to deliver continuous change.

4. Collaboration

Many organisations will have increasingly remote workforces, requiring people who can collaborate and foster culture in virtual teams.

5. Crisis management

In a highly volatile marketplace, employers will seek professionals who can proactively mitigate risk, manage cyber security and assist organisations during challenging times.

Emerging skills:

Hiring Managers should look to identify those professionals who demonstrate that they are ready to adapt, as the digitisation of the workforce continues to evolve. Those professionals who have been exposed to digital transformation and have the digital skills to play their part as technologies continue to develop will be in high demand.

Identifying skills gaps:

Tools already exist for employers to identify current and future skills gaps specific to their industry and organisation. Arctic Shores is a game-based assessment vendor that helps leaders understand the skills and traits of their employees and create a ‘fingerprint of success’ - what ‘good’ will look like for the organisation in future.

Faethm is an Australian start-up which uses an AI analytics SaaS platform to extrapolate and predict the workforce impact of dynamic forces such as AI, COVID-19 and robotics on future jobs. Tools like these can help leaders decide where to redeploy talent, hire new recruits and upskill their current workforce.

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