Thanks to COVID-19, the job market has become uncertain in many countries. Organisations have been streamlining their operations and so individuals need to ensure that they possess marketable skills. We outline seven in-demand skills for 2020 and beyond.

 

We are well past the midpoint of 2020,  and so it is opportune to revisit plans conceptualised earlier in the year, and to course-correct as needed. However, unlike previous years, the  COVID-19 (also known as the coronavirus) pandemic has disrupted most of the best laid plans. It has also revealed strengths and deficiencies across many industries and sectors, which has trickled down, to some degree, to organisations and businesses.

The decline in economies worldwide has resulted in widespread job loss, and the loss of income to many who are lucky enough to still be employed. On the other hand, organisations are grappling with the changes in their business or operating models, precipitated by the pandemic. As a result, many have been leveraging technology more than ever, not only to function, but also to ensure that they are operating efficiently and effectively. Additionally, and to some degree, the disruption and uncertainty caused by COVID-19, is allowing organisations to be more intentional about their operations, such as by more carefully considering new hires, and ensuring that current posts are necessary for the business to maintain.

To that end, we, as individuals, must also be strategic and intentional in how we market ourselves, whilst ensuring that the skills we possess are relevant to the positions we currently hold, or to those to which we aspire. Below, are a combination of hard and soft skills that are considered indispensable for today’s work place – during COVID-19, and as we all try to navigate our way through this pandemic.

 

1.  Adaptability

If there is anything we have all had to learn over the past few months, it is to be adaptable – to roll with the punches. At the time of writing, COVID-19 has no cure, and neither are there well-developed and effective protocols to manage the illness. As a result, it is unclear for how much longer we will need to be flexible and accommodating of requirements and constraints that might be instituted to try to manage the rate of infection.

Having said this, and although being adaptable is essential, it is also necessary to have the backbone to stick to your guns, should it be required. However, having a positive attitude, being professional and amenable to changes in the work environment, are excellent qualities to possess – especially when situations emerge that are beyond the control of organisations.

 

2.  Creativity

Ultimately, this skill is about thinking outside of the box. One of the things many organisations, and businesses in particular, have been learning through this pandemic, is that the status quo – how they did things pre-COVID-19 – might no longer be useful and can no longer be followed.

Depending on the business and/or the industry in which the organisation operates, management may have had to go back to brass tacks, re-examine previously-held notions, understand current imperatives, and essentially rebuild the business from the ground up. For others, all they had to do was pivot their business models slightly. However, the key takeaway is the fact that organisations are now operating in a more dynamic – and still unpredictable – environment, and the extent to which team members can come up with new ideas to help the organisation adjust, or even leverage the situation, will be highly beneficial and appreciated.

 

3.  Collaboration

Although over the past several years, being a ‘team player’ has become as important quality, which individuals loudly declare on their résumés, the extent to which individuals can collaborate is likely to be tested considerably moving forward. In many countries worldwide, and although work-from-home arrangements have been relaxed, employees are teleworking more.

Collaborating digitally and with little or no in-person interaction can be a challenge to many; but it is even more crucial for there to be open and clear communication, and for conflicts to be managed. However, when done right, when the members understand the agreed goal and their role towards achieving it, highly collaborative teams can be a powerful drivers of an organisation’s success.

 

4.  Emotional Intelligence

Similar to being a team member, emotional intelligence has been a buzzword in the recruitment space for years. Briefly, emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to perceive, evaluate, and respond to your own emotions and the emotions of others, and is an excellent quality to have in order to manage interactions in the workplace.

For the most part and pre-COVID-19, much of the workplace interactions would have been in person. However now, increasingly, they are digital, either via text, email, phone and video. When communication is text-based, emotion and nuance cannot always be inferred, which can lead to conflict. The extent to which one is emotionally intelligent, can make for smoother interactions and help in managing and resolving conflicts.

 

5.  Cloud computing

In having employees dispersed and no longer working at a central location, increasingly, the organisations are being run via the cloud. Hence, individuals who are knowledgeable about the types of clouds available, useful tools and platforms, plus also possessing the needed skills for organisations to optimise their operations for the cloud, would have highly relevant and marketable skills.

 

6.  Business and data analysis

The digital transformation so many organisations had been resistant to embracing is being eroded by their growing reliance on technology. However, it also means that increasingly, the organisation’s data is digital. Thanks to this pandemic, there is a sense that the ‘margin for error’ for many organisations is very small. In other words, they cannot make too many mistakes or missteps, as competition and the declining economy have made the business environment considerably tougher

Being able to interrogate and analyse the data is crucial in order to better understand an organisation’s operations, its inputs and drivers, sales and even customer behaviour. More importantly, understanding all of this data will help the organisation to make more informed decisions, which depending on the industry, may be critical to its longer-term survival.

 

7.  Digital project management

Coupled with collaboration, managing teams and projects is an essential skill, especially to shepherd the development of new products and services, which must be delivered on time and cost-effectively. However, and under the circumstances, it may no longer be possible for project managers to have in-person meetings with clients and all key inputs into a project, and neither might they be able to see tangible results at various stages of the process.

There is thus a need for digital project management skills. Individuals ought to be able to use key tools and techniques to manage projects digitally, whilst also possessing core project management skills.

 

In summary, and although it has been just about six months since COVID-19 gained prominence, it has irrevocably changed the workplace and business landscape. Hence, the above skills are likely to be in demand well into the future.

 

 

Image credit:  Gerd Altmann (Pixabay)