Last year has been a year full of challenges and tribulations for many individuals worldwide. 2020 will always be a year known by many as the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a primary catalyst for changes in the social and economic climate. However, the pandemic wasn’t just another public health crisis; but also caused an economic recession that might set much of the economy back by a few years.
This has caused many companies to rethink much of their strategy to ensure business continuity, especially when most businesses lose revenue from the plummet of demand caused by the pandemic. Although 2021 is known for being a more “optimistic” year for many individuals, many of the events that transpired throughout 2020 will continue towards 2021.
But suppose there’s one silver lining from 2020. In that case, we have learned many lessons that we can incorporate into much of our daily lives, including business strategies and technological development. Still, these “aftershocks” from a destabilized global economy will reverberate throughout much of 2021 (and beyond). This means that we’ll need to make various changes to how we conduct and manage businesses.
Who will be affected the most by much of these changes in the financial and social climate? It’s usually employees and much of the working class that needs to make ends meet for their families. That said, the workforce will need to adapt to the ever-changing professional climate.
Ever-shifting Trends
Since the nature of work is continuously evolving to meet people’s needs, it’s only logical that organizations and businesses adapt to these changes. Much of the “norms” and standards that we have are also constantly being disrupted by technological innovations. What might have been the standard last year in terms of data collection and research might not be widely used in the near future.
With almost everything being digitized in our daily lives, corporations and enterprises will need to incorporate these technological changes into the workplace, or they’ll be left behind by their competitors. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals work from home to mitigate the risk of transmission while also increasing employees’ productivity.
With more companies switching towards a digitized means of operating, it’s easier to manage and supervise the workforce without needing to be physically present. Many of these rapid changes in how businesses work have identified particular issues and gaps with how employees interface with their equipment and tools, especially among remote workers who lack the necessary technical skills.
With thousands of businesses competing for their target market and increasing the demand for their services, enterprises can’t take the chance. To succeed in the new normal, a business must face new challenges to grow. Management teams will need to start identifying and honing skills among employees that are integral to this growth.
So what are some current trends and skills that we should focus on in 2021? How do we develop such skills? Here’s what you’ll need to know.
Technical Skills
The recent pandemic has shown a gap in the technical skills that the current workforce has, especially when it comes to those that are doing remote work. Some institutes specialize in technical education, which can help employees and managers familiarize themselves with a plethora of different skill sets. Luckily, you can take some Skills future courses that can help you achieve that. Upskilling is the best course of action as of the present moment. Not only will this help hone technical skills that will come in handy in the future, but this will help drastically increase competency in any workplace.
Many essential workers will need to learn necessary computer skills during the pandemic, especially those that work remotely. Besides basic computer literacy, managers will also need to learn how to formulate strategies and decisions based on data and information.
Interpersonal Skills and Soft Skills
In the professional world, you’ll need to have the proper personality and demeanor when interacting with others. This means that inter and intra-personal skills will always be among the best ways of fostering a relationship with other co-workers.
This is especially important when most employees will be working remotely. However, empathizing with employees that are not physically present can be a challenge. Still, soft skills are important for managers, recruiters, and human resource personnel. Leaders will need to develop these skills to manage a workforce through crises and internal affairs successfully.
But what are some current soft skill trends this year?
- Empathizing with Employees — Since 2020, there has been a spike of mental health cases related to most people staying at home. If this is the case, empathizing with employees on how they are feeling can help retain a happy workforce.
- Versatility — It’s no surprise that the pandemic has caused a shortage of workforce for many industries. This means that employees will need to hone their skills in a variety of different tasks. Being flexible during this year means that the workforce will need to face any problems that might get in their way.
- Adaptive Mindset — Business leaders should always be quick on their feet when adapting and solving business problems. Compared to other years, 2021 will need great thinkers that can quickly formulate business strategies and ideas. After all, being able to adapt to future needs is the best way of maintaining operations.
In 2021, there are various trends and skills that aspiring professionals will need to learn to adapt to an ever-changing environment. Fortunately, some institutions can help educate students in honing their technical and interpersonal skills. These skills will come in handy in the near future.