The Advancement of AI and Automation Will Increase the Need for EQ and Other ‘Soft Skills’
By Pierre A. Towns | August 12, 2019
The Brookings Institute’s 2019 Report on Automation and Artificial Intelligence indicates “approximately 25% of U.S. employment (36 million jobs in 2016) face high exposure to automation in the coming decades (with greater than 70% of the current task content at risk of substitution)”.
The Society for Human Resource Management published the following infographic which indicates missing job skills that are hampering recruiting.
Rapid advancement of AI and automation will address the technical skills shortage and as it does, it will increase the value of ‘soft skills’. A physician’s bed-side manner will become more important than her ability to interpret MRIs because AI will handle that part of her job far better than she can. Enterprises that understand the increased importance of ‘soft skills’ and get ahead of this trend will be in a better position to attract, select, retain and engage employees who are a great fit to support the enterprise’s future technological environment’s growth.
In addition to ‘soft skills’ becoming more important in traditionally non people-oriented roles, as employees advance in their careers, often undervalued ‘soft skills’ are the difference between topping-out or success as a functional group or enterprise-wide leader.
Organizations need to develop ‘soft skills’ as well as nurture employees’ self-efficacy which regulates one’s ability to develop. HRCConsultants.com can show you how!
Pierre A. Towns is the Managing Partner of Human Resource Capital Consultants Inc., (HRCC) and teaches at the College of Business Administration, California State University San Marcos. He has taught Organization Behavior for the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California (USC) and has guest lectured at the Andersen School of Business, UC Riverside. He is a former not-for-profit and for-profit ‘C’ level executive and has worked for Room to Read, MedUnite, ARCO, DreamWorks, Wells Fargo Bank and Monsanto. Mr. Towns earned an MBA from USC and, a B.S. in Economics and B.A. in Administration from U.C. Riverside. He has also been a guest speaker at International and domestic conferences.
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