According to a new survey by Clutch, a B2B research, ratings, and reviews company, critical thinking skills, including problem-solving and adaptability, will be most important in the future.
Creative-Touch / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Hiring managers are nearly twice as likely to value problem solving skills (13%) compared to digital or technical skills (8%), the survey finds.
Among workers, more than a third (40%) rank critical thinking skills including problem-solving and adaptability highest, compared to 14% who choose digital or technical skills.
The survey suggests companies that offer professional development training can help their employees build confidence-boosting skills. Other survey findings include:
Women Less Optimistic Than Men About the Future of Work
Women reported being less optimistic than men about the future of work; when asked how they view their future career prospects, more than a quarter (27%) of working women said they feel worried or neutral, compared to 20% of men.
Workers overall have a positive outlook about their future careers, the survey finds. Over three-quarters (76%) are optimistic about their future careers, compared to one in five workers (20%) who say they are worried.
However, gender differences correlate with other factors that impact optimism, including decision-making authority at work, according to the survey’s findings.
Men’s Optimism Is Tied to Their Likelihood of Having Decision-Making Authority at Work
The survey suggests that men are more optimistic about the future because they are more likely to have decision-making authority in their job.
Higher levels of authority correlate with higher levels of optimism. For example, over 90% of business owners and 80% of business managers say they are optimistic about their future career prospects, compared to 70% of individual contributor employees who do not have decision-making authority.
Men are significantly more likely to hold leadership positions, compared to women. More than half of men surveyed (53%) are business owners or managers, compared to only 32% of women.
However, research shows that businesses that prioritize gender diversity tend to earn higher profits, build more successful work processes, and have more meaningful relationships with colleagues and clients