As the world becomes increasingly automated, technical or “hard” skills are not enough to future-proof our careers. Instead, soft skills will be among the sought-after skills that employers will consider during the hiring process. Here are the five most critical soft skills in the future.
Empathy and genuine communication will never be replaced with technology, as human interaction is essential in these areas. Research shows that more than 50% of consumers prefer to chat with a person than an automated chatbot. More companies have currently taken a step forward into offering empathy and communication training to their employees, especially in the customer relation sector.
According to a study, the future of work will heavily rely on soft skills such as critical thinking and creative problem-solving. Though we are moving forward in technological advancement, in the end, we will be the ones making critical decisions and innovative solutions – not the machines.
Creativity jumps from being the tenth most crucial job skill to being the third in 2020. Essentially, creative roles will be safe from automation. The importance of creative skills will increase, and so will the demand in the future.
Data-based algorithms and scheduling assistants can help businesses to save time in posting digital content. However, strategic thinking is needed to derive a strategy and solutions from the accumulation of information through automation tools. Thus, to implement successful business strategies, strategic thinking skills are essential.
Conflict management skill will also be an important soft skill for today and the future. With a more complex workplace due to generational gaps, nationalities, and ever-changing marketplace; the ability to handle conflict professionally is a bonus for every worker.
Suffice to say, with the progress of modern technology, more soft skills will be required to fill in the non-automated jobs in the future. Some believed that the machines would take over the human position; thus, we need to work on our soft skill to remain competitive in the future.
Empathy and communication
Critical thinking and creative problem-solving
Creative skills
Strategic thinking
Conflict management