If you’re unfamiliar with the work of carbon accountants, machine learning specialists, sustainability educators and manufacturing process engineers, you have plenty of company. And if “human skills” aren’t already required of your employees, you aren’t alone.
But it’s time to get up to speed on both.
A seismic shift in the proficiencies needed to fill jobs that didn’t exist a few years ago is pushing employers and HR leaders to radically change how they recruit, hire and retain the best people. It’s all about skills-based hiring.
Out with the Old, in with the New
Before we talk about emerging occupations in the new world of work, let’s review those becoming obsolete.
In the World Economic Forum’s analysis of the fastest-declining jobs, most clerk positions—banking, postal service, ticket, data entry, payroll, finance, insurance and material recording—are going the way of the dinosaur. Also becoming extinct are openings for administrative and executive secretaries, news and street vendors, and legislators, the WEF said.
At the same time, there are a host of new jobs filling today’s talent pipeline. These include anything in AI, clean energy, technology and advanced manufacturing.
LinkedIn predicts these Top 10 in-demand jobs will emerge in the coming year:
1. AI and machine learning specialists,
2. Data scientists and analysts,
3. Healthcare professionals,
4. Cybersecurity experts,
5. Software developers,
6. Renewable energy technicians,
7. Environmental scientists,
8. Logistics and supply chain managers,
9. Remote and hybrid work specialists, and
10. E-commerce and digital marketing professionals.
It doesn’t take a computer scientist to know AI is exploding and completely changing the dynamics of the workforce. Companies focused on emerging technologies are trying to be on the cutting edge of what’s happening in the market and getting a chunk of the success.
Machine learning is an AI process in which computer systems identify patterns in datasets to make or refine decisions and predictions without being explicitly programmed to do so. Examples include facial recognition, language translation and self-driving cars.
Another hot sector is renewable/clean energy—not just solar and electric vehicles but also EV battery storage, sustainable building construction and certifications, and technology aimed at reducing our carbon footprint.
Semiconductor manufacturing is also experiencing a massive comeback after being severely impacted by COVID-19. The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, aimed at reestablishing U.S. leadership in this sector, shoring up global supply chains, and strengthening national and economic security, is driving this expansion. The Act is a $280 billion spending package over 10 years that includes research money and $53 billion for manufacturing.
Climate change and its threat to human well-being and the health of the planet has many manufacturers and other businesses taking a hard look at improving their sustainability practices. Consumers are demanding that companies ensure their operations are environmentally friendly, and as a result, environmental scientists and sustainability educators are in high demand.
Skills, Skills, Skills
The most desirable skills required in today’s constant state of business disruption are those your grandparents may have valued when hiring clerks for their general store. Broadly defined by LinkedIn as “human skills,” they’re simply those abilities AI doesn’t have.
Adaptability is number one. Workers who can pivot with the changes in the market, at their companies and in their jobs are highly sought after in today’s economy.
Other Old-World skills identified by LinkedIn as highly sought-after are communication, customer service, leadership, project and people management, analytics, teamwork, sales, problem-solving and research. Independent, critically thinking individuals with strategic, productive mindsets and trustworthy characters are in demand.
However, finding these individuals requires hiring leaders to take a step back to understand what skills are needed and to create an effective hiring strategy. If your company does not have the internal support to accomplish the hiring goals at hand, consider growing your talent acquisition staff or teaming up with an external recruiting partner.
Additionally:
- Evaluate the skills required in your organization and hire for them rather than screening primarily for specific college degrees or coursework.
- Look for people willing to stretch themselves, grow into a career and pivot as business needs evolve.
- Be super dialed into candidates who not only are tech-savvy but also are customer-centric.
- Invest in emerging cloud-based talent platforms and other new technologies so your employees’ experiences – from onboarding to retirement – are seamless.
The Retention Puzzle
Along with recruiting, take stock of your existing workforce. Burnout is rising and corporate loyalty is waning because a growing number of employees feel expendable. It should come as no surprise that, when presented with a higher-paying position, many jump ship.
This is where a strong cultural identity comes into play. Companies with a clear mission and a desirable environment win the day with valued employees who wouldn’t entertain working anywhere else.
Along with culture, having a clear outline of what promotion and growth at your company look like is also a must. After all, investing in, rewarding, and recognizing employees for the company’s growth and advancement goes a long way in keeping top talent in place while reducing the cost of recruiting, onboarding and training new people.
Tanner Brown is a practice leader at Duffy Group, a global recruiting company based in Phoenix, Ariz.
To learn more about the future of the workplace, be sure to attend next month’s HR Future of the Workplace NOW event from December 10th to 11th. The riveting discussion about the evolving role of leadership coaching in today’s workforce will discuss topics like:
• How training can improve emotional intelligence and strategic thinking,
• The role leadership plays on employee engagement and burnout,
• How to improve internal leaders,
• What makes leadership coaching effective,
• And more!