Covid pandemic has served as a reason for the world to adopt digital methods to get tasks done efficiently from remote locations. The pandemic has witnessed an evolution in work cultures across the globe as companies have started adopting policies that would have sounded impossible in the previous year. From Microsoft allowing all its employees to work from home permanently to companies like Zoom Inc. whose stock price jumped 463% this year due to a surge in the number of users, the tech giants are grinding to stay up with the market’s sudden change in demands.
The question that arises is what’s next? Does the world revert back to its usual ways once the pandemic is over or, do we keep progressing towards a complete digitalization? A study showed that even in 2021, 25 to 30% of the workforce will be working from home. We have to agree that over the past few months, our dependence on software and tools to get tasks done has grown exponentially, and that dependence would continue to grow.
Our dependence on such tools is correlated with how the tech industry has evolved and will be evolving. Every employer aims at getting work most efficiently fashion. This goes without saying that automation reduces the effort and time it takes to get a job done. Even before this pandemic, Oxford University released a report in 2019 stating that by 2030, 8.5% of the workforce will be replaced by automation. That’s around 20 million jobs to be lost.
So how do you keep up with such evolving market scenarios? Here are three essential skills of 2020 to start with:
- Being familiar with computers and programming: We don’t need to emphasize why computers are important in the modern world. No matter if you are working in a technical field or a business profile, your day to day work would involve handling various software and tools. This is where programming comes into play. Being familiar with the basics of how those tools work will be of great use while you’re trying to find your way around them. Programming also builds your critical thinking processes and analytical skills thus helping you find efficient solutions to the problems you’re trying to tackle. It’ll also open you up to numerous job opportunities in roles like business intelligence and data analyst/scientists.
- Critical Thinking: The modern world relies on massive chunks of data to function on. An individual’s ability to understand, interpret and use that data to improve decision making and problem-solving is a key skill. Individuals dealing with such massive piles of data often tend to have a better pay. The ability to analyse data, create arguments and think regarding its implementation is a skill which is in high demand yet the market under-delivers on the number of professionals capable of working in such roles. Therefore, developing of these areas will help you stand out in your workplace.
- Communication skills: Every brand is trying to expand their markets in 2020. The pandemic has already increased our dependence on digitalization and that makes it easier for brands to connect with people across the globe. Knowing how to communicate effectively, explain and present your ideas irrespective who the audience might be is a must. Your ability to communicate also serves as an indicator of your confidence and builds an impression among your colleagues. The ability to think and come up with solution goes to waste if you cannot explain and present it to others.
