Future-of-work not only requires AI, ML and Analytics but also power skills

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic impact on the economy across the entire world. While almost all sectors have been hit, and are reeling under the effect of the pandemic, online learning platforms have witnessed a surge in demand. With most employees working from home under present circumstances, a large number of them have turned to online learning to gain skills that may help them even in the future.

“The recent lockdowns have played a major role in attracting learners to the digital domain. There has been a growth in the adoption of e-learning by working professionals across many industries, for mainly two reasons - to learn new skills and to refine the existing skillset. Organizations are aware that they cannot pause the learning process of their workforce, as upskilling and reskilling are one of the many ways to keep employees engaged, motivated, and productive, especially during such times. The trend is also visible in the education sector. In India, many schools, colleges, and educational institutions have adopted online learning to continue learning for their students,” said Kamal Dutta, managing director of Skillsoft and SumTotal for the India and SAARC region in an interview with DataQuest.

Furthermore, this surge that is being witnessed by digital training platforms is likely to continue even after the crisis ends. “As organizations realize the long-term impact of this crisis, one of the key focus areas would be the continual learning and development of their workforce. There will be a need for a more dynamic and skilled talent pool that creates more value for the company. Organizations will come up with learning interventions that help employees build diverse skill sets and not just prepare for the next senior position. Reskilling and upskilling will become an integral part of how organizations function in the future,” he added.

Courses that learners have opted for the most during this period

Kamal Dutta says that a rapid transition from offline to remote working, demands an employee be digitally dexterous. Due to this, there is an obvious inclination towards programs that makes one tech-conversant to help virtually collaborate with colleagues and clients. This has also highlighted the need for effective communication skills that is critical to connecting with your teams. Learners are not only joining programs that help them deal with professional challenges but are also going for courses to tackle stress, stay positive, and agile during this time.

Skills Technology Companies look Forward to Post-COVID 19

Even though data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other such skills are in demand, technology companies in the future will also look for power skills according to Dutta. “Post-crisis, organizations will require dynamic talent and skilled workforce that will help them bounce back and solve strategic business issues that may impact the future of work. Business leaders, HR professionals, and employees will have to assume a greater role to help organizations smoothly navigate through any similar crisis. The future of work not only requires functional tech skills like AI, ML, Analytics but also a set of power skills which regardless of the industry and the level of management you are in cannot be mimicked by machines,” he asserted.