Building skills for the future
In a recent virtual panel discussion with LinkedIn, ‘Your Way Forward: Embrace change to create the future of work’, featuring experts from Pfizer, Vice Media, and Unilever, the discussion focussed on building skills for the future. This insightful session highlighted the importance of learning and the changes we can expect over the coming years.
So, what do the experts say?
From a survey, LinkedIn expects members skills to change from 39% to 44% by 2025. They also discovered that employees who feel their skills are not being put to good use are 10x more likely to look for a new job. The panel went beyond this, with a view that there is a need to move from fixed roles to the use of skillsets in order to meet company objectives, organising workforces around those skillsets for best performance.
What are the experts actually doing themselves?
Unilever, for example, is now putting learning at the very heart of its people strategy, with a recommendation to support staff through ‘future-fit’ plans. These plans look at the skills they have, their career goals, their own values and purpose, and how to support their wellbeing. The panel also talked about how skills-first hiring enabled them to reduce bias and to create an inclusive workplace, “Skills-first hiring is just effective recruitment, and it leads to more inclusive and equitable hiring practices because it allows you to place equity at the framework of decision-making.” Daisy Auger-Dominguez, Chief People Officer, Vice Media Group.
What kind of skills should we be looking for?
While technical skills and capabilities immediately spring to mind and are of course essential, there was an emphasis on soft skills, which support greater leadership and a positive company culture. Skills like empathy, self-care and coaching (as opposed to overseeing) were highlighted as important, while a suggestion of ‘grit’ to show passion and perseverance in their work was also suggested. Opportunities to add more skills, to grow their skillset and to contribute positively, are hugely important.
All panellists agreed that skills and company culture should form the basis of HR agendas, in order to attract and retain talent.
If you are looking to hire or feel ready to move towards the next stage in your career, please get in touch or connect with us/send a message on LinkedIn.
With warmest regards,
the Suzie Walker Executive Search team
Suzie Walker Executive Search is a firm of specialist headhunters with an expert team recruiting interim and permanent senior leaders for marketing and digital roles in consumer-facing FTSE 350 and private equity-backed companies. Find out how we can support you by connecting with a Consultant below.
