The World Economic Forum released its latest The Future of Jobs Report in April this year. The report summarizes trends in the international labor market, obtained through a unique cross-sectoral and global survey of Chief Human Resources, Chief Learning Officers and Chief Executive Officers of leading global employers.
According to the report the top 5 macro trends shaping the labor market are:
1. Increased adoption of new and frontier technologies (86.2%)
2. Broadening digital access (86.1%)
3. Broader application of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards (80.6%)
4. Rising cost of living for consumers (74.9%)
5. Slower global economic growth (73.0%)
The report surveys which skills leaders consider to be core skills for their workforce. The top 15 skills for 2023 are listed below:
1. Analytical thinking
2. Creative thinking
3. Resilience, flexibility and agility
4. Motivation and self-awareness
5. Curiosity and lifelong learning
6. Technological literacy
7. Dependability and attention to detail
8. Empathy and active listening
9. Leadership and social influence
10. Quality control
11. Systems thinking
12. Talent management
13. Service orientation and customer service
14. Resource management and operations
15. AI and big data
Leaders are also asked which skills they consider to be on the rise. These are listed below:
1. Creative thinking
2. Analytical thinking
3. Technological literacy
4. Curiosity and lifelong learning
5. Resilience, flexibility and agility
6. Systems thinking
7. AI and big data
8. Motivation and self-awareness
9. Talent management
10. Service orientation and customer service
11. Leadership and social influence
12. Empathy and active listening
13. Dependability and attention to detail
14. Resource management and operations
15. Networks and cybersecurity
Analytical thinking, Creative Thinking and Resilience, flexibility and agility are considered the most important skills currently and on the rise.
Finally, leaders are also asked to prioritize which skills will be the focus of Upskilling and Reskilling from 2023 to 2027. This indicates where growth is to be expected in the next 4 years, Significantly, AI and Big Data as well as Leadership, join the trio of Creative Thinking, Analytical Thinking and Resilience, flexibility and agility that consistently rank in the top 5.
1. Analytical thinking
2. Creative thinking
3. AI and big data
4. Leadership and social influence
5. Resilience, flexibility and agility
6. Curiosity and lifelong learning
7. Technological literacy
8. Design and user experience
9. Motivation and self-awareness
10. Empathy and active listening
11. Talent management
12. Service orientation and customer service
13. Environmental stewardship
14. Resource management and operations
15. Marketing and media
Business Jam offers a collaborative space where you can engage with the debate on these skills by learning from our free resources, giving your opinion about the skill requirements, taking one of our courses or purchasing Training Materials for your company to upskill your employees.