Top 5 Power Skills for 2025
A Pearson study analyzed labour market trends in four major economies: the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. It found that while technical skills and expertise remain highly valued, the five most sought-after skills (now and in the short-term future) are all human skills. Otherwise known as "transversal skills", "behavioural and relational skills" or "soft skills", human skills are essential for success in the world of work. Unlike technical or business-specific skills ("hard skills"), they are transferable between different fields of activity and professions. Described as "Power skills", human skills are increasingly valued by employers.
What does "Power Skills" mean?
"Power Skills" refers to interpersonal and behavioural skills that have a significant impact on professional and personal performance. These skills are called "power" because they increase a person's ability to succeed in a variety of contexts, independent of job-specific technical skills. They are easily transferable from one position, one sector of activity, from one work environment to another. They are durable: they remain relevant over time, unlike technical skills that quickly become obsolete.
What are the 5 Power Skills to have in 2025?
The Pearson study highlights the five Power Skills that are most sought after by employers today:
- Communication: The ability to express thoughts and ideas clearly, and to listen to, understand, and respond to others' ideas.
- Customer Service: The provision of service to customers before, during, and after a purchase.
- Leadership: The ability of an individual, group or organisation to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organisations.
- Attention to detail: The ability to be precise and accurate in tasks, taking care to notice small details and ensuring that all aspects of a project are completed accurately.
- Collaboration: The ability to develop constructive and cooperative working relationships with others.
The 5 Power Skills to invest in development
The Pearson study highlights the five Power Skills that are projected to be most in-demand by 2026 and in need of greatest improvement and investment:
- Collaboration: The ability to develop constructive and cooperative working relationships with others.
- Customer Focus: Actively look for ways to assist customers and clients.
- Personal Learning and Mastery: The ability to acquire knowledge or skills through one’s study or experience.
- Achievement Focus: The ability to take on responsibilities and challenges with little or no supervision, develop one’s own way of doing things, and depend on oneself to get things done.
- Cultural and Social Intelligence: Have awareness and understanding of other’s reactions.
How to evaluate these Power Skills?
The evaluation of these Power Skills can be done using reliable psychometric tests, designed according to rigorous scientific standards:
- Personality inventories: To assess communication, collaboration and interpersonal skills. They measure different personality traits, i.e. behavioural and interpersonal tendencies, which are grouped around several axes: relationships with others (leadership, sociability, cooperation, empathy, etc.), emotional management (resistance to stress, flexibility/adaptability, etc.), approach to work (reliability, attention to detail, respect for rules, perseverance, initiative, etc.) and way of thinking (innovation, analytical reasoning, independence, etc.).
- Cognitive Ability Tests: To assess their intellectual potential, learning and adaptation abilities, data analysis skills, grasp of new concepts, reasoning, and problem-solving skills in search of innovative solutions.
- Critical Thinking Assessment Tests: To measure ability to step back, identify and analyze problems, and seek and evaluate information to draw relevant and logical conclusions, making better decisions.
As the Pearson study points out, technical skills are required in many jobs. However, with the pace at which technology is evolving, they quickly become obsolete, asking workers to constantly train themselves to master them. At the same time, many sectors are facing a shortage of employees with human skills in communication and collaboration. A strong foundation of human skills is essential for success for employers and employees now and in the future. Recently, at the round table "Reskilling for the Intelligence Age" at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, international leaders including Omar Abbosh, CEO of Pearson, emphasized the importance of Human Skills such as leadership skills, empathy, agility, creativity and critical thinking to evolve alongside machines and algorithms. It is therefore essential to invest in the assessment and development of human skills and our psychometric tests are useful for this.
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