Technology

The Skills Race: How to Train Hard & Soft Skills in a Rapidly Changing World

The world is changing fast. The astonishing rate of new technology adoption means employees might need to re-skill multiple times over a single career—and it’s every company’s responsibility to ensure their people get adequate training in novel hard skills, but also softer, people-focused skills. How much is different? Since 2015, job skill sets have changed by about 25% — a number which is expected to double by 2027 — and many of these changes involve technology. While it’s true that technological advancements consistently create more labor opportunities than they remove, these advances are also creating a divide in the workplace. Generally it’s younger workers with the most valuable hard skills, while soft and people skills are split between generations. It’s clear that going forward, companies will need to invest in keeping all of their employees up to scratch and learning key skills. With fast-changing industries and bigger age gaps than ever, how can companies tackle the growing problem of skill relevance? Are soft skills still relevant in 2023? While there’s an ongoing debate as to whether calling them “soft skills” somehow diminishes their importance, there is no part of the modern workforce that doesn’t benefit from soft skills. Entry-Level and Low-Skill Labor—For employees in these roles, soft skills like communication, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving can significantly impact performance. Being able to clearly communicate with coworkers, understand instructions, adapt to changing circumstances, or resolve conflicts with customers or colleagues is crucial. They’re also essential for the path to advancement. Mid-Level Employees […]