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.

Adjacent skills. The answer to the skills gap?

With a widening of the skills gap and the on-going talent shortage, organisations are having to adapt their recruitment processes. The days of having people fit into strict job descriptions are long gone, now it’s about finding applicants with adjacent skills or upskilling existing employees who are capable of taking on in-demand roles.

Adjacent skills are skills that are closely related and complement each other through shared similarities. These skills are often used together in various tasks and jobs, and having proficiency in one skill can enhance the development and mastery of another. There are several reasons why an adjacent skills strategy can be effective:

• It can fill a skills gap. By recruiting and developing people with skills just outside what’s required, you can close the gap.

• It’s a cost-effective way to build skills. Training existing employees is generally more affordable than recruiting externally.

• It can help with succession planning. Identifying high-potential employees who can develop the required skills means you can start preparing them for future roles.

There will of course be times when using adjacent skills just won’t work but inflation, the great resignation, quiet quitting and a possible recession means organisations need to stay flexible to ensure that they have access to the necessary talent when its needed. To achieve this, leaders need to connect their people and their adjacent skills with the organisation’s ever-changing needs in a strategic way through well-targeted reskilling and upskilling programmes.

The shift to internal mobility

Although some sectors saw increased unemployment levels during the pandemic, many organisations are now finding it hard to recruit highly qualified candidates. This makes it all the more important to access the skills already existing in the organisation so the focus moves from external recruitment to internal mobility.

Internal Mobility programmes give employees the opportunity and training to take on a new role or even a career path with in their organisation. Through prioritising career paths, cross-training and lateral career moves, skills and experience can be transferred and nurtured internally and employees up skilled.

A successful IM programme needs to consider the organisations future strategy and then align what skills are needed now and in the future to achieve these aims. It also needs to understand the requirements of learners as well as the business so a programme is developed that engages everyone.

Studies have shown that employees are eager to develop themselves further. For some people it’s even a requirement for staying with a company. In 2022, internal mobility anchored in the company culture and made easily accessible could be the best way to develop, nurture and ultimately retain talent.