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"In the age of automation, adaptability rules."

Nicole Slangen Learning Specialist

The heartbeat of an organization

That’s how an employee is described in the 2018 Workplace Learning rapport by LinkedIn.

The report, based on a survey among professionals across the world, shows the challenges that organizations and employees deal with. “Businesses are fighting to stay ahead of the curve, trying to hold onto their best talent and struggling to fill key positions. Individuals are conscious of staying relevant in the age of automation.”

How can an organization make sure that talent stays with them? How do you, as a professional, make sure that you stand out?

The Workplace Learning report is always ahead of the curve to report on the newest trends. These two trends stand out for me in this year’s publication.

Trend #1

Soften the impact of automation.
In the world of automaton, there’s an increasing demand for critical employees who are adaptable and stand out with their excellent communication. That’s exactly what makes humans different from a robot.

You can only implement technological innovation when your employees know how to handle this and take advantage of the benefits. A lot of processes can be automated, but there’ll always be a need for interpersonal skills. People will always be needed to make sure that the impact of automation can be successful.

Trend #2

Balance today’s challenges with tomorrow’s opportunities.

This is the second trend that I’ve been noticing. A lot of organizations are focused on the needs of their current employees, thereby forgetting to look towards the future. What are the skills we’ll need in 2025? Your organization has the responsibility to not only deal with what’s happening right now, but also to bridge the future gap that’s coming.

Hype or reality?

The report pays specific attention to millennials, an often-discussed generation. While each generation has their own skills, there seems to be an actual hype regarding the millennials. In the words of a co-worker at TinQwise: “There are so many think pieces on them, but jeez – they’re only human, really.”

The survey demonstrates that a lot of organizations will start up specific Learning & Development programs for this target audience. By the year 2025, as many as 75% of all employees will be a millennial – and organizations are keen to connect these ambitious professionals to make sure they commit themselves for the long run. I would argue that it’s always crucial to challenge your employees and inspire them to want to stick around, regardless of the generation they belong to.

Top priority for 2018: training soft skills

The LinkedIn survey also inquiries about the biggest challenge for 2018. The answer was resounding: both managers and employees said that training soft skills was the most crucial thing they’d have to do. Technological innovations are great, but they truly require adaptive professionals. That’s why the 2018 agenda is filled with training and workshops regarding communication, cooperation and leadership: “In the age of automation, adaptability rules”.

How do you get the job done?

At TinQwise, we develop a lot of learning trajectories that will run for the long term. We do this for knowledge-based training, but also soft skills such as developing talent. Learning is nothing something you can just get over with. There’s so much more to gain when you’re training someone in cycles: for example, by creating a personal learning path and repeating the new knowledge along the way.

Working with learning trajectories also provides people the opportunity to apply the knowledge and test things out in a work environment. When they come back to learn some more, they’ll have gained experience and will see how they can improve their skills. In the end it’s all about getting better results: not just now, but also in the future.

Is your organization ready to face the future?