10 Skills You Need to Learn to Thrive in the Job Market Today (INFOGRAPHIC)

Technology is continually evolving at a rapid rate. While this is good news to most of us, the pros of advanced tech don’t come without cons.

According to a 2018 report released by The Organization for Economic Co-operations and Development (OECD), machines could automate 14% of current jobs. That means people working those jobs could be unemployed or redeployed in other job functions.

And projections such as these are increasing.

In 2016, reports revealed that robots are expected to replace 5 million jobs by 2020. However, updated reports in late 2017 are now saying that automation is threatening 800 million jobs by 2030. That’s a colossal figure that has a significant impact on a lot of workers in different industries.

Are You Prepared to Adapt to the New Age of Work?

Learn from the way people lived and worked and the way businesses operated during past industrial revolutions. Businesses across various industries had to either adopt new technologies and systems or cease to exist. Workers had to update their skills or risk being unemployed. The same is true today.

This generation marks the fourth industrial revolution. The rise of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and biotechnology, to name a few, are disrupting and replacing repetitive work. With that in mind, it’s important to think of how your company will hire talent in the future and engage customers.

What skills will be required to thrive in the workplace a few years from now? What does your company need to ride the wave of automation? These are important questions to think about.

Yes, jobs may be lost, but new positions will also arise to address the needs of the modern world. What’s important for creaive workers, entrepreneurs and employees is to ensure that their skills stay relevant to market innovations and technological improvements.

Update Your Skillsets to Meet Evolving Market Needs

Launch employee training and development initiatives for yourself and your team as early as now, so you can identify areas where your talents and skills need to be updated and improved. A comprehensive employee training program will not only benefit your company but your employees as well.

Business owners, workers and management should also learn to adapt and strengthen the skills required for their jobs. Even though machines excel in systematic and mathematical skills, they won’t be able to replace humans in situations that need motivational, creative, and empathetic roles.

These situations include managing groups of people, spearheading projects, and coming up with novel ideas. Machines will only follow what humans command them to do, meaning opportunities in soft skills, people skills, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence, to name a few, will still be required.

Technology will also quicken the pace of the already fast work environments people are accustomed to, which will require sound judgement and excellent decision-making skills for crucial moments.

Keep an Eye Out for New Opportunities to Arise

It’s also important to note that some jobs that didn’t exist before will now open in the market, and these changes will also increase the demand for other job functions. Adapting to evolving market changes requires new or updated skills that the new generation of workers needs to start cultivating.

Some of the most sought-after jobs in the coming years are expected to include jobs as data analysts, medical experts, and marketing specialists. Of course, each company will have its own unique needs that require the input of skilled professionals to grow the business however they see fit.

Technology won’t stop advancing, and you may see more jobs being replaced in the future. While this may sound terrifying, it’s encouraging to look at the changes taking place in the business world as a learning opportunity for people to grow in areas that have been previously unexplored.

Skills of the Future You Need to Learn - Infographic

Indeed, it’s crucial for you to know and understand the skills you need to start cultivating to thrive in the new age of work. So, are you interested in keeping your skillsets current and relevant?

Philippines-based management training and consultancy provider Guthrie-Jensen Consultants, Inc. has created an insightful infographic that highlights some of the top skills you’ll need to thrive.

Check out the infographic below to learn more about what’s coming in the fourth industrial revolution.