5 future skills your organisation needs to develop now

Skills. Skills. Skills. Wherever you go, whatever you do, it seems that everyone is talking about the need to develop new future skills. Is it a fad? Is it a reaction to increased automation? Is it something else entirely?

A study conducted by the World Economic Forum found that by 2022, 52% of all employees will need reskilling. And it’s not just new skills that we need to worry about, but future skills. Skills that we don’t even know we need yet. So, you see, it would be foolish to think that skills development is a fad.

Add to that, the ever-changing landscape of the modern world has made it essential for organisations to continuously adapt and learn to stay ahead of the curve. Failing to do so can have dire consequences. Especially, when you consider the fact that the average lifespan of a company listed on the S&P 500 has decreased from 67 years in the 1920s to just 15 years today.

So, what future skills does your organisation need to develop now to stay ahead of the curve? Here are 5 future skills your people need to develop now:

1. Digital Literacy:

As the world becomes more and more digitised, it’s becoming increasingly important for employees to be digitally literate. This means having the ability to use computers and other digital devices to perform basic tasks, such as sending emails, using social media, and conducting internet searches. More importantly, it means being able to use digital tools to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently.

For example, a marketing manager needs to be able to use digital marketing tools to create and track campaigns, a human resources manager needs to be able to use HRIS systems to manage employee data, and an accountant needs to be able to use accounting software to create financial reports.

They need to know more than one tool too. Because as any digital native will tell you, the tools are always changing. This is why employees need to be able to adapt to new tools quickly and easily.

2. Data analytics and visualisation:

The ability to collect, analyse, and interpret data is becoming increasingly important in the modern world. With so much data available, organisations need to be able to make sense of it all and use it to their advantage. Data analytics and visualisation skills will help your employees do just that. Your employees need to have foundational knowledge in maths and statistics and be able to use data visualisation tools to effectively communicate their findings.

For instance, a marketing manager needs to be able to use data visualisation tools like Tableau and Google Data Studio to create compelling data-driven reports, a sales manager needs to be able to use data analytics to track KPIs and performance, and a product manager needs to use data automation tools to assess customer behaviour.

3. Design thinking:

As the world becomes more complex, so do the problems we face. To solve these complex problems, we need to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions. That’s where design thinking comes in. Design thinking is a problem-solving approach that involves coming up with creative solutions through the use of empathy, imagination, and experimentation.

A company that’s trying to increase sales might use design thinking to come up with a new marketing campaign. Or a company that’s trying to improve customer satisfaction might use design thinking to come up with a new customer service strategy. For instance, Netflix used design thinking to come up with its now-famous recommendation algorithm.

4. Agility and adaptability:

In today’s rapidly changing world, it’s more important than ever for organisations to be agile and adaptable. This means being able to quickly adapt to change and pivot when necessary. It also means being proactive instead of reactive and being open to new ideas and ways of doing things. To develop agility and adaptability, organisations need to create a culture that values learning and growth.

A study by IBM found that the most successful organisations are those that are “constantly reinventing themselves” and “embracing change. ” In other words, they’re the ones that are always trying to improve and evolve. To be successful in the future, your organisation needs to develop a similar mindset.

This is where having agile teams comes in. Agile teams are self-organising and cross-functional teams that can quickly adapt to change. They’re typically used in software development, but they can be used in other industries as well. For instance, an agile marketing team might be able to quickly adapt to a change in the market or a new product launch.

5. Social Influence:

As the world becomes more connected, the ability to influence others is becoming increasingly important. With social media, employees have the potential to reach a large audience and have a significant impact on the organisation’s reputation. To be successful, your employees need to be able to effectively communicate your organisation’s message and values and build relationships with key stakeholders.

For instance, organisations have to cultivate and nurture influencers from within. These are the individuals who have a large social media following and who are respected by their peers. They’re the ones who can help promote your organisation’s products and services and build relationships with customers and prospects.

But the social influence goes beyond social media. It also includes things like public speaking, networking, and community involvement. For instance, a community relations manager needs to be able to effectively communicate with the media and build relationships with key stakeholders.

Wrapping Up

Skills development is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. By investing in the development of future skills now, you’ll be better prepared to meet the challenges of the future and stay ahead of the competition.

What future skills does your organisation need to develop? Write to us at [email protected]