The future of work is upon us, and the looming skills gap that Human Resources professionals have talked about for so long needs to be addressed now. The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) poses a significant threat to the human workforce, with some companies like IBM even pausing hiring to evaluate whether AI could complete jobs previously done by humans. It's time to face this challenge head-on.
Markus Bernhardt, Chief Evangelist at OBRIZUM, emphasized the importance of upskilling and staying on top of the latest developments. According to the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2023, more than 40% of workers' skills will be disrupted in the next five years, as organizations increasingly require individuals with complex problem-solving and cognitive skills.
Advancements in technology are the driving force behind the changes in the workforce. Over 75% of companies surveyed by the World Economic Forum indicated that they are looking to adopt technologies like big data, cloud computing, and AI in the next five years. In addition, 85% of organizations identified increased adoption of new and frontier technologies as the trends most likely to drive transformation.
However, this transformation will come at a cost. Rising costs of living and slow economic growth are among the most impactful trends, with six out of ten workers requiring training before 2027. Unfortunately, only half of the workers have access to adequate training opportunities today. This puts workers in a vulnerable position during a time when they do not have the right skills to meet the needs of the changing workforce.
The World Economic Forum's survey identified the fastest declining roles as clerical/secretarial roles, bank tellers, postal service clerks, cashiers and ticket clerks, and data entry roles. However, large-scale job growth is expected in education, particularly among vocational education and university/higher education professors. Jobs for agricultural professionals, especially agriculture and equipment operators, are also projected to increase.
To meet the demands of the future workforce, individuals will need to learn the necessary skills, including
Analytical thinking,
Creative thinking,
Resilience,
flexibility and agility, and motivation and self-awareness. Continuous learning and development will be critical to employee engagement and organizational vitality. Organizations that fail to invest in training will struggle to keep up, especially during prolonged economic downturns.
Human Resources professionals can use the World Economic Forum's survey results to make the case to executives about the importance of investing in learning and development and technology. It is the only way to ensure that organizations have a fighting chance of surviving in this new world. HR can play a crucial role in shaping the future of work and the workforce.
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