Drama of the 21st century, yes, but nothing new. Skill obsolescence has always existed, and working practices have been evolving for centuries. But now it’s happening at full speed! Recent years have seen alarming figures pointing to the derisory lifespans of technical skills. Drawing up a list of the professions most impacted by digital transformation is all well and good, but accelerating employability within your company is even better!
Are we all equal when it comes to the changing face of work?
Predictions about the future of work herald both the death of certain professions and the birth of others requiring a whole new range of knowledge and technical skills. While it’s tempting to believe that skills obsolescence only affects certain sectors, nothing is less certain. It can affect a wide range of professions, from the HR person who publishes recruitment ads to the employee on a production line. Yet the profiles of less-skilled workers deserve our attention.
“Medium-skilled jobs are increasingly exposed to these profound transformations. Over the next 15 to 20 years, the development of automation could lead to the disappearance of 14% of current jobs, and a further 32% are likely to be profoundly transformed.”
Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of theOECD
To the question of whether we should be afraid of skills obsolescence, we answer “absolutely not, quite the contrary!”
Recruiting in the knowledge that everything is going to change!
Skills obsolescence is a reality that we can anticipate today.. The first step in this direction is to map the skills present in your organization. For companies subject to this requirement, the obligation to maintain a forward-looking management of jobs and skills (GPEC) may seem daunting. However, establishing a skills repository structures your talent acquisition, training and even management efforts. reskilling.
Then, why not broaden the scope by reviewing your recruitment channels or primary criteria? Your strategy can revolve around candidate potential and growth opportunities. Look for soft skills such as adaptability, listening skills, creativity and critical thinking, all of which contribute to a smoother rise in skills. In this context, an inclusive recruitment campaign focusing on soft skills brings new perspectives, in particular change-oriented interpersonal skills. In this sense, the personality tests integrated into the recruitment process are designed to reveal character traits or abilities that do not usually appear on a CV. During interviews, HR can also probe candidates by asking them questions that seek to identify a way of thinking that complements their day-to-day tasks: curiosity, ability to mobilize their resources, positive communication, etc.
Developing a learning culture
The obsolescence of our professions means that we need to move with the times, particularly in the face of digital transformation. A survey Deloitte survey shows that 72% of managers consider employee adaptation a priorityThis includes retraining, changing jobs or taking on new responsibilities.
Motivated by the employees themselves, skills development is far more stimulating and more likely to satisfy everyone’s desire for advancement. Reflecting on the realities of the sector, its future developments and the issues at stake together can rekindle vocations and be a source of motivation. Each of us can carry out a personal reflection that could become part of the company’s collective effort. This can take the form of learning a new way of working. management style or training in a technique offered by a competitor or requested by customers, for example.
97% of people surveyed by Deloitte say they lack information about their employees. There is a clear need for invite employees to express their career development aspirations. In this way, you can combine collective and individual challenges, and create a learning culture that benefits both employees and the company.
Making skills obsolescence everyone’s business
Instead of a prescriptive approach, the contribution of managers and employees helps to find effective solutions. Since it is they who are responsible for carrying out day-to-day tasks, they are in the best position to explain why certain tools or processes need updating. They are invaluable contributors to the skills repository and the renewal of job descriptions. Gone are the anxiety-inducing reviews of past failures, the annual performance review is transformed into a dynamic, forward-looking process of joint reflection !
Under the impact of digital transformation, the obsolescence of skills invites us to better support and accompany employees, on whom the survival and growth of companies depend. To achieve this, the company must play host to a learning culture and collective intelligence. In this way, it can contribute to finding solutions not only to skills obsolescence, but also to other societal challenges such as socio-professional inequalities, the digital divide and job insecurity.
