The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) is an evolution in efficiency. Much like the first, second and third industrial revolutions, it already has – and will continue to – make some jobs redundant while triggering new jobs that haven’t yet been imagined. However, when it comes to the types of skills that will be most valued as we adapt to the modern workplace, there’s another list of valuable human skills and attributes that will be in high demand – spelling good news for those who are not inclined to become IT specialists.
Ironically, the more businesses embrace technology, the more core human skills become valued. This is precisely because of the interface between people and technology, and because of where the human jobs will fit in as machines take on menial, repetitive tasks with far more accuracy and predictability than any person.
Rather than be afraid that machines will take their jobs, workers should consider how they can add value as humans, because that remains invaluable. Insaaf Daniels, Human Capital Business Partner at redPanda Software shares her thoughts on the four skills and attributes that will be in high demand as technology advances:
- Creativity
Workers of the future will need to be able to harness creativity to fully reap the benefits of the new workplace. They’ll need to be creative in their ideas and the way they do work. This is a beautifully human characteristic. This is what gave birth to all the great inventions – next time you give Alexa an instruction, take a moment to appreciate the creativity that went into designing that piece of technology.
- Judgement and decision-making
Like creativity, two other human traits that will become increasingly important as we navigate the 4IR are judgement and decision-making. While these are often referred to as soft skills, they are vital in the automated workplace.
Technology is superior to humans when it comes to calculations and processing, but humans are, and will continue to be, integral to deciding what to do with all the data, and how they want it processed. One of the most important considerations for businesses as they move into the 4IR is that they are generating huge amounts of data, but what are they going to do with it, and what decisions are going to be made when anomalies surface, for instance? They’ll hire people to make those calls.
- Leadership
As new technology emerges at breakneck speed, leadership is vital. Specialists working in project teams need to have people leading them, but importantly, the actual teams themselves will need to be made up of people with the attributes of leaders who are able to solve problems on the go. Beyond that, there will always be the need to deal with issues unique to people, such as politics and productivity.
- Active learning
An active learning attitude and growth mindset is probably the most important attribute as it futureproofs careers. This is vital to keep pace with advancements in technology. Developing an active learning culture is a collaborative effort between employer and employee, where people who actively upskill are set on a career path in the organisation.
On a practical point, consider an organisation that needs to switch from one technology or platform to another. This company is obviously going to identify those people who have a growth mindset to lead this transition.
Looking ahead and replacing fear with opportunity
It is glaringly clear that the employee of the future does not need to be the person developing the technology. The developers and data scientists will drive this part of the evolution. The rest of the new, relevant workforce will be able to understand technology, understand why it is being implemented and know how to work with it and interpret insights from it. This worker will be creative, comfortable making decisions, show leadership and willing to continually learn.
