Future of work reinvented after COVID-19

Skills required in today's corporate world rapidly evolve as industries become increasingly technology-driven. The ever-changing business dynamics across sectors are heralding a new digital era that calls for a workforce that can be a pulsating part of industry aspirations through continuous learning and engagement. The pandemic proved that digital dexterity and adaptive learning had become two crucial skill sets for aspirants to be future-ready. Let’s look at how the future of work has been re-invented in the post-pandemic era. 

Pandemic trends that will become long-term industry norms

Upskilling Existing Workforce 

Employers recognised the importance of investing significantly more in upskilling current employees than hiring skilled individuals during the pandemic. This helped gain existing employees' trust and loyalty and spurred organisations to achieve 360-degree growth with improved employee performance. With this shift in the employer outlook, every organisation needs to invest at least 2% of its revenue in upskilling programs.

ROI-Based Upskilling

The pandemic also pushed organisations to encourage employees to invest in their career goals through upskilling. Unequivocally, upskilling has resulted in both lateral and upward movements in roles based on the skills required. This opportunity for growth has further encouraged professionals to invest in their upskilling.

Job Training Programs

Such training programs significantly aided professionals during the pandemic by equipping them with the essential skills in a hybrid world. These programmes benefited professionals by giving them the grounds to negotiate better pay packages and be noticed by prominent companies. In particular, in the sphere of technology, acquiring knowledge through specifically tailored courses on Fintech, Data Analysis, Salesforce, and suchlike programs have benefited many career aspirants.

The must-have technology to be future work-ready

With exponential technology always evolving, it is critical for the potential and future workforce members to be equipped with the necessary skill set. The only answer to the technological gap created by disruptive technologies appears to be upskilling and reskilling. The ever-changing dynamics in the technology industry, led by artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotic process automation, are ushering in a new era of intelligent systems that require a workforce that can make the industry pulse throb with continual learning and participation.

Blockchain technology 

It can potentially be employed in a wider variety of financial activities in the future, enabling a secure execution of new forms of digital transactions and documents. As a result, there is a significant need for people who have mastered blockchain technology. Blockchain provides a highly secure ledger of transactions that all parties can verify. The strength of blockchain stems from its accessibility, as opposed to the "lock box" technique of financial protection. Any attempt to falsify or manipulate the data would be found since the shared ledger is visible. 

Automation 

Automation of operations, aided by technologies like robotics and artificial intelligence, offers increased productivity, efficiency, safety, and convenience. It has also enhanced work prospects across technical roles. As a result, professionals and learners must focus on upskilling themselves by acquiring skills and information through online tech courses that allow them to gain new abilities in addition to their regular occupations.

Cyber security 

This may not appear to be a new technology given its lengthy history, but it is growing at the same rate as those other technologies. This is due in part to the fact that threats are always developing. Malevolent hackers aiming to get unauthorised access to data will not give up easily and will continue to find techniques to defeat even the most robust security measures. It is also because new technology is being used to increase security. Cybersecurity will remain a popular technology as it will continue to develop to protect against hackers and data breaches. 

The pandemic has truly tested employees' resilience and adaptability. Adaptive learning skills that can respond to an ever-changing and disruptive landscape with agility and a forward-thinking approach are critical for candidates to survive and prosper in the workplace. While the pandemic has been an extreme challenge, the external world will continue to evolve, and new obstacles will emerge. Professionals will have to overcome these newer challenges and adapt to change consistently. Aspirants need to lead change and develop the ability to sense, decide, and evolve to be future-ready.

The article has been written by Robin Bhowmik, Chief Business Officer, Manipal Global Skills Academy