The future of work is already here and is bringing significant changes to the workforce. While some of these changes create new career opportunities, others may be concerning. With the rise of technology, automation, and artificial intelligence, addressing the skills gap right away is an immediate challenge for human resources professionals. This article discusses these changes, including the threat of generative AI replacing humans at work, disruption of workers’ skills, the need for training, and importance of developing analytical thinking skills for the future of work.
The Skills Gap Must be Addressed Now
Human resource professionals often inject the idea of the skills gap into discussions on the future of work. The skills gap refers to a mismatch between an individual’s skills and what they need to do their job successfully. In the context of the workforce of tomorrow, the skills gap will increase as the required skillsets continue to evolve rapidly, becoming more complex. This means that organizations need to start addressing the skills gap now to remain sustainable and competitive. They must provide their employees with opportunities for skills development and training to remain agile as organizational roles change rapidly.
Threats of Generative AI Replacing Humans at Work
The rise of AI has brought some considerable threats, and generative AI is one of the most concerning. Generative AI is a machine learning technology that can create new content such as images, text, or videos. From the medical industry to engineering, and even in creative roles like journalism, generative AI can create content faster and more accurately than humans. While new career opportunities will emerge in the field that develops and manages these technologies, this also means that many professionals in various industries might lose their jobs due to automation.
Disruption of Workers’ Skills and The Need for Complex Problem-Solving Skills
Disruptive forces in organizations require employees to move with unprecedented speed, agility, and discernment. According to research, over 40% of workers’ skills will be impacted in the next five years. Employers have a greater need for employees who possess more complex problem-solving and cognitive skills. It’s not just IT-based skills like programming that employers need, but also critical thinking, data analysis, communication, and leadership skills, that can enhance crucial decision-making.
Rising Cost of Living and Slow Economic Growth
The next most impactful trends are the rising cost of living and slow economic growth. These trends indicate further changes ahead in employee benefits and remuneration. Companies will likely experiment with new financial models that help them remain competitive, and negotiations with employees on pay and benefits may become difficult in some industries.
Training Opportunities and Decline of Certain Roles
The ability of employees to learn new skills and receive training will become increasingly important in the era of an increasingly digital workforce. According to a recent study, six in ten workers will require training before 2027, but only half of them have adequate training opportunities currently. This mismatch could lead to a significant reduction in employee productivity.
Additionally, we are seeing a decline in certain roles such as clerical and secretarial roles, bank tellers, postal service clerks, cashiers, ticket clerks, and data entry roles as automation reduces the need for human labor.
Job Growth in Education and Agriculture
Despite all the challenges, there is room for optimism in certain sectors. We will see job growth in education, especially in vocational education and university/higher education professors. With regards to the latter, there will be opportunities in non-academic areas as well, such as alumni relations, fundraising, and peripherally related roles. Additionally, jobs for agricultural professionals, particularly agriculture and equipment operators, will increase as technology and automation transform the industry.
Importance of Learning Future Skills
In order to keep up with the demands of the future of work, employees need to learn the skills that matter most. According to a survey, 58% of respondents believe that analytical thinking is one of the most important skills for the future of work. Analytical thinking involves the ability to examine information, break it down into its parts, and create new connections between the parts to gain a better understanding of a problem. With complex problems on the horizon, organizations will value analytical thinking more in their employees to keep up with the pace of change.
The future of work is already here, and while it is bringing significant changes to the workforce and job market, it is not all doom and gloom. With the right mindset and training, professionals can stay ahead of these changes and emerge stronger. In conclusion, the skills gap must be addressed now, and organizations must provide employees with opportunities for skills development and training. There is a risk that generative AI may replace humans at work, but opportunities and roles in developing and managing automation technologies will arise. The importance of analytical thinking cannot be overemphasized, and learning this skill and others like it will be critical in keeping up with the pace of change.
