The most in-demand skills for the AI work environment

Often, the soft skills that help to build the connection between an employee, their job, their organisation, and their colleagues have been seen as less important than the more tangible, technical skills that connect employees to the physical function of their jobs. Now through, LinkedIn’s 2024 most in-demand skills data shows that soft skills make up four of the top five skills and that 92% of UK business leaders believe soft skills are more important than ever.

While AI technologies excel at data analysis and automation and can connect employees to the physical function of their jobs, they still rely on human involvement for their development, deployment, and application. Soft skills that complement the technical aspects of AI by fostering effective communication, collaboration, critical thinking, ethical considerations, creativity, and user-centric approach all then become essential in building the connection between employees and their job, organisation, and colleagues. 

The rapid development of AI means the skills needed for jobs are expected to change at least 65% by 2030 and soft skills will be needed to manage these changes Ensuring employees are equipped with the right skills for their role is therefore essential in developing greater understanding and positive working relationships that improve overall workplace culture, improve teamwork and job satisfaction, raise morale, and increase efficiency and performance.

The requirement for soft skills is likely to increase over the next five years with 69% of UK hiring managers believing the fast-paced changes in the work environment will increase the skills gap. To mitigate against this and to make the most of the opportunities presented by AI, organisations are prioritising the development of both AI and soft skills with 34% of UK HR professionals looking to increase AI literacy though online training and development and 29% implementing guidelines on how generative AI should be used within the organisation.

Generationally, 70% of UK hiring managers said Gen Z employees needed additional workplace support to develop soft skills such as communication and collaboration but that Gen Z professionals were keen to learn, with 47% saying they’re spending more time on learning and development to help them in their careers.

The most in-demand skills for 2024 are:

• Communication

• Customer Service

• Management

• Leadership

• Teamwork

• Project Management

• Analytical Skills

• Sales

• Problem Solving

• Research Skills

By combining uniquely human skills with the potential of AI, leaders can give their organisations an edge and contributes to improving overall business performance and organisational success.

Soft skills. Essential to support AI technology?

Often, the soft skills that help to build the connection between an employee, their job, their organisation, and their colleagues are seen as less important than the more tangible, technical skills that connect employees to the physical function of their jobs. But will the rise of AI with its increased demand for technical skills actually make soft skills more important in the ‘4th Industrial Revolution’?

Soft skills refer to personal attributes, communication abilities, and interpersonal skills that enable individuals to work effectively with others and its these skills that create the environment of belonging and purpose that increases employee engagement and productivity and reduces staff turnover. While AI technology primarily deals with data analysis, automation, and problem-solving, there are several areas where soft skills become valuable:

1.     Communication: AI professionals need to communicate complex concepts, findings, and insights to stakeholders, clients, and team members who may not have technical expertise so clear and concise communication ensures that AI solutions are understood, properly utilised, and aligned with the needs of the organisation or end-users.

2.     Collaboration: AI projects often involve multidisciplinary teams, including data scientists, engineers, domain experts, and business professionals so collaboration and teamwork are essential for integrating various perspectives, leveraging diverse expertise, and ensuring that AI solutions address the specific requirements and challenges of the organisation.

3.     Creativity and Innovation: While AI algorithms excel at pattern recognition and data analysis, creativity and innovation are still largely human capabilities. Soft skills related to creativity, ideation, and thinking outside the box can help AI professionals identify new ideas, explore innovative solutions, and envision AI applications beyond traditional approaches.

4.     Critical Thinking: AI systems often encounter complex issues, ambiguous problems, or unexpected challenges that require human intervention and decision-making. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills help in assessing AI outputs, identifying biases, interpreting results, and making informed judgments.

5.     Ethical considerations: As AI continues to advance, ethical considerations become increasingly important. Soft skills like ethical reasoning, empathy, and critical thinking can help in navigating the ethical implications of AI, such as data privacy, bias, and fairness and AI professionals must consider the broader social and ethical implications of their work.

6.     Adaptability: The field of AI is rapidly evolving, and professionals need to adapt to changing technologies, tools, and methodologies. Soft skills such as adaptability, flexibility, and a growth mindset can facilitate the learning and integration of new AI techniques and frameworks.

7.     User Experience: Soft skills like user experience, design, empathy, and user research are valuable in AI projects that involve human interaction. Understanding user needs, preferences, and behaviours can lead to the development of AI systems that are intuitive, user-friendly, and aligned with end-user expectations.

Soft skills are increasingly being recognised as crucial in the field of AI. While AI technologies excel at data analysis and automation, they still rely on human involvement for their development, deployment, and application. Soft skills complement the technical aspects of AI by fostering effective communication, collaboration, critical thinking, ethical considerations, creativity, and user-centric approach, all essential in successfully navigating the new world of work.

Gen Z. Do they have the skills to thrive in the workplace?

Ever since Gen Z entered the workforce, concerns have been raised as to whether this online generation possesses the soft skills necessary to thrive in the workplace. The underdevelopment of these skills is blamed on an overuse of technology and time spent online but research has shown that large numbers of Gen Z realise that these skills are missing and are keen to take on the training and development needed to enhance their career prospects.

With few in-person opportunities to observe how the workplace ‘works’ or to experience formal and informal in-person interactions during the pandemic, its little wonder that Gen Z are behind on the skills needed to thrive in the workplace. They have learned to work independently with little collaboration or interaction and, without regular practice, we all lose the ability to communicate  – to make a point clearly and confidently, contribute effectively in meetings, take part in discussions calmly and rationally and to be confident talking with peers.

Gen Z priorities have been shaped by vastly different experiences and upbringing. Their values and attitudes demonstrate that authenticity, empathy, inclusiveness, and flexibility are important to them but they also hold learning opportunities among their top priorities. This of course creates an opportunity for organisations to attract, cultivate, attract, and retain this new talent.

The World Economic Forum expects that by 2025 Gen Z will make up 27% of the workforce so it makes sense that organisations are seen as an attractive proposition to this new generation. Gen Z-ers are looking for companies that will support them through a continuous learning process that will help them reach their goals. Whether that’s through formal training, coaching or mentoring, Gen Z want to ensure their employer gives them the best chance of a stable, long-term career.

Soft skills. The key to productivity, staff retention … and success

In the past, soft skills such as communication, teamwork and emotional intelligence have often been seen as less important than more tangible, technical skills. Although this perception has been changing, at times of recession or when budgets start to be cut, training in soft skills is one of the first things that organisations axe. But in the longer term, cutting back on soft skills training can be being detrimental to your organisation as these are the skills that can improve productivity and help to create a workplace culture that improves staff retention.

A study by Boston College, Harvard University and the University of Michigan, showed that soft skills training in areas like communication and problem solving boosted productivity and retention by 12 %, and delivered a 250 % return on investment based on these increases. A further study of over 2,000 business leaders and employees by Ethical Angel revelled that 9 out of 10 of the business leaders surveyed believed that their businesses would be more productive if their staff had better developed soft skills.

Whilst technical skills connect employees to the physical function of their jobs, soft skills help to build the connection between them and their job, organisation and colleagues. Soft skills help to create an environment of belonging and purpose that increases employee engagement, something that is also known to directly impact on business outcomes such as productivity. 

To work effectively with one another, we need the soft skills that allow us to understand and interact with other people and emotionally navigate situations.  Ensuring employees are equipped with the right soft skills for their role is therefore essential in enabling them to communicate and collaborate more effectively and also to develop greater understanding and the positive working relationships which improve the overall workplace culture. This in turn can improve teamwork and job satisfaction, raise morale and increase efficiency and performance which all contribute to increased productivity and better employee retention.

As UK business faces the possibility of economic slow down and recession, organisations will need to be on top of their game as they navigate through enforced change.  Emotionally intelligent employees with soft skills such as resilience, empathy, communication, problem solving, teamwork and self-confidence, will needed more than ever to make a real contribution to improving overall business performance and ultimately an organisation's success.

The importance of soft skills

As UK business sets its sights on recovery and growth from the pandemic, more than ever emotionally intelligent employees with soft skills such as resilience, empathy, communication, problem solving, teamwork and self-confidence, are needed to help the organisation navigate through current and future change.

Advances in technology and the increase in home working means many roles have evolved and ensuring employees are equipped with the right soft skills for their role is essential. Looking at what soft skills their teams already possess and then what other qualities they would like them to have is the starting point. Then, on-the-job learning, coaching and feedback, as well as training courses can help an employee in their development. These skills should then become part of the company’s culture with the opportunity for continuous development to encourage individual and personal growth.

In an ever-changing environment, where businesses need to be on top of their game to succeed, employees who demonstrate these qualities can make a real contribution to its success.