How many skills are there in the professional world? About
50,000, according to LinkedIn.[1] And
as technology grows, so will that number. Maintaining and developing skill sets
are important for individuals and businesses alike. Skilled employees are 8.4
percent more productive and 70 percent of employees indicated that job-related
training and development opportunities influenced their decision to stay at
their job.[2]
Technology is interwoven in every part of our life and changing
the very nature of the jobs we do. Within the next two decades, over 90 percentof jobs will require some form of digital proficiency, opening up new demands
in job roles now and in the future. 79 percent of UK leaders believe it’s worth
investing in re- or upskilling their current workforce. On the flip side,
only 18 percent of UK workers are actively learning new skills to help them
keep up with these changes.
There’s clearly a growing skills gap in the UK, and we need to
ensure everyone is confident in both their soft and technical skills in order
to succeed. If there are over 50,000 skills out there, which ones should
employees and organisations focus on this year?
1. Working with and alongside AI
One of the biggest drivers of change is AI. Not just for data
scientists and IT professionals, AI will affect everyone; and it’s important
you and your employees understand how to leverage it for good.
AI is already transforming industries, making us more
productive, and helping to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges. It’s
also among the fastest growing skills on LinkedIn[3].
However, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF), 54 percent of employeeswill need significant re- and upskilling.[4]
At the moment, AI is being used across industries to deliver
better business outcomes, improve customer experience, and drive
productivity. For instance, a chatbot will answer common customer
questions and transfer them to an employee if the questions become more
complicated. This frees up staff to spend more time on complex matters and the things
that require a more human response.
In healthcare, AI can be used to help provide more
cost-effective, personalised treatment by automating elements of what have been
historically task-heavy processes, such as referrals.[5] Financial
services also benefit from better fraud detection and data processing to drive
better outcomes. Whilst in education, AI can be used to help provide morepersonalised learning experiences and give valuable time back to teachers.
And it’s already starting to prove its ROI – organisations on
their AI journey are delivering 5% better business outcomes than those who
aren’t. – Maximising the AIopportunity, Microsoft UK
Tip: We’ve got resources tohelp you and your employees get the most from AI – whether you want to increaseproductivity or create a stronger customer experience.
2. Understanding the cloud
If you haven’t moved to the cloud yet, you’re probably either in
the process or planning to make the move. In fact, 96 percent of respondents to
the RightScale 2018 State of the Cloud [6]survey
use the cloud. Due to this shift, there’s greater demand for cloud-skilled
employees. It’s more than just having IT knowledge or a cloud expert in your IT
team. By understanding the fundamentals of cloud and what it means for your
organisation, you can leverage the best of the technology while ensuring your
data remains secure.
Understanding how to use the cloud will help you be more
productive, collaborative, and agile. To achieve successful digital
transformation, it’s essential to grow your understanding of technology and how
to embed digital in your strategic planning.
Tip: Every business can benefitfrom the cloud. Develop yourcloud skills no matter if you’re an employee, business leader, or ITprofessional.
3. Analytical thinking
Technology has made our lives easier. Thanks to AI, we’re
collecting and have access to vast amounts of information to help us make
better, more informed business decisions[7].
As a result, organisations need people who can make smart business decisions
based from this information.
According to the WEF, analytical thinking will be the top
growing skill in 2022[8].
When we consider how humans and AI will increasingly work together, analytical
thinking will be vital to unleash the full power of this collaboration.
Tip: Data is fast becoming the currency
of business. Improve your big data skills and
learn how to analyse and visualise data to create stronger business outcomes.
4. Soft skills
Being digitally savvy isn’t the only requirement. You also need
to know how to use these skills, when to use them, and what to use them for.
According to the WEF, soft skills are more in demand than ever before. 57
percent of senior leaders today say soft skills are more important than hard
skills. [9]After
all, robots can easily sort through masses of data. But they don’t have the
innate, softer skills such as creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving we
humans have. Best of all, these skills are transferable across roles meaning
they’re helping future proof the workforce.
“Creativity is at the heart of business innovation, and
innovation is the engine of growth.” – McKinsey research
In fact, creativity can separate successful organisations from
the rest. McKinsey found that creative organisations outperformed others in
both innovation and financial performance.[10] The
Adobe State of Create survey says that businesses that invest in creativity
have a 78 percent increase in productivity and 76 percent happier employees.[11] We’re
encouraging creativity from an early stage with our Maker Champions
projects, letting children explore their creativity alongside
computing and engineering.
Tip: 23 percent of employees believe awork environment that offers a mix of diverse spaces that foster collaboration,socialisation, and focussed work would boost creativity. Find out how tofoster creativity in your workforce.
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