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  • A woman writing on a whiteborad in front of co-workers - Pearson TalentLens

    AI & Automation: The Human Skills that make the difference

    The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation across many industries is transforming the way we work. However, despite technological advances, some Human Skills remain irreplaceable and continue to play an important role. The World Economic Forum's (WEF) Future of Jobs Report 2025 does not fail to point out that today, "47% of job tasks are performed primarily by humans, 22% primarily by technology (machines and algorithms) and 30% by a combination of both." Let's first define the notion of "human skills". Then, let's review the human skills that are essential for work and increasingly coveted by recruiters.

     

    What do we mean by "Human Skills"?

    Human Skills, otherwise known as "transversal skills", "behavioural and relational skills" or "soft skills", are personal and interpersonal qualities that influence the way a person interacts with others and adapts to their environment. They encompass everything related to our adaptability, our communications, our decision-making, our creativity and our management of emotions. These "interpersonal skills", as opposed to "know-how" skills, also known as "technical skills" or "hard skills", far from being innate, are cultivated and acquired throughout life. They contribute to our personal and professional development.

     

    Essential Human Skills in the age of AI and automation

    In the context of the rise of AI and automation, certain human skills are proving to be particularly useful at work. Here are the reasons:

    1. Critical Thinking and Complex Problem Solving: Machines and algorithms can process large amounts of data and perform repetitive tasks, being able to analyze complex situations and question themselves remains an essential human skill. Critical thinking, defined by the ability to approach a situation in a factual and rational way and to consider it from multiple angles while separating facts from opinions, prejudices and intuitions to gain discernment, objectivity and efficiency in our decision-making; brings real added value. It allows you to ask the right questions, evaluate different perspectives and solve problems in innovative ways. 
    2. Emotional Intelligence: Being able to understand and manage one's own emotions, as well as those of others, helps facilitate interactions and build strong relationships. Skills in communication, empathy, relationship management are valuable assets in many fields such as services, management or human resources. Emotional intelligence plays a big role socially and allows us to make decisions that consider human feelings and motivations. 
    3. Creativity and Innovation: AI can generate ideas based on existing data. Creative and innovative ideas, on the other hand, come from human ingenuity. The ability to think outside the box and propose new solutions is at the root of innovative projects and the design of disruptive products and services.
    4. Adaptability and Flexibility: Technological advances are transforming the work environment. The ability to continually adapt to change, learn new skills and evolve as needed is a great advantage.
    5. Interpersonal skills and collaboration: Working effectively in a team, communicating clearly, resolving conflicts, and collaborating intelligently with others encourages good cooperation. This collective human dynamic is at the origin of harmonious and productive interactions.
    6. Ethics and Judgment: Ethical decisions and moral judgments require a deep and nuanced understanding of social and cultural contexts, as well as careful thinking about impacts and consequences. Humans are needed to ensure that technologies are used responsibly, also to interpret all data, take into account all parameters and make decisions that respect societal values and norms. 
    7. Leadership and Influence: Machines cannot replicate the leadership skills needed to motivate, inspire, and guide teams toward common goals. To lead or manage effectively and carry out projects, charisma, the ability to influence and mobilize others are great human qualities.

     

    Although AI and automation continue to advance, transforming the job market, and bringing significant benefits in terms of efficiency and productivity; human skills such as critical thinking, emotional intelligence, creativity, adaptability, ethics, leadership, and collaboration remain indispensable. They make the difference by complementing the contributions of advanced technologies. Often more subjective and less tangible than technical skills, it is very important to be able to evaluate them. Our psychometric tests (personality inventories, intellectual ability and critical thinking assessment tests, motivational and professional interest questionnaires, 360° questionnaires) allow you to do this objectively and with great precision.

  • Manufacturing industry - person studying orders at machine - Pearson TalentLens

    Manufacturing Industry: Succeed in Recruiting and Developing Your Talent

    The manufacturing industry is going through a period of transformation marked by a growing skills shortage and an urgent need to attract and retain skilled talent. The sector faces a number of challenges, including high staff turnover, under-representation of women and an ageing workforce. By optimising recruitment and skills development processes, it is possible not only to improve employee retention, but also to encourage innovation.

  • Insurance sector - colleagues discussing document - Pearson TalentLens

    HR Challenges in the Insurance Sector

    The insurance sector is facing major HR challenges, compounded by an ageing workforce and a perceived outdated image. With 400,000 professionals nearing retirement, attracting and retaining new talent is essential. Yet only 4% of Millennials are considering a career in the sector, exacerbating the skills shortage. To remain competitive, companies need to modernise their image, promote innovation and offer attractive benefits, while using tools such as psychometric testing to optimise their recruitment process.

  • Meeting of colleagues in the office - Bank and Finance sector - Pearson Talentlens

    HR Challenges in the Banking and Financial Sector

    The banking and finance sector is facing significant HR challenges due to the rapid evolution of the industry and the increasing adoption of AI. By 2024, 87% of banking executives expect major change, but more than half don't feel prepared for it. Furthermore, 65% of financial services employees believe their business will not survive a decade on its current trajectory. An HR approach focused on skills such as critical thinking and an agile organisational structure are essential to attract, recruit and retain the talent needed to adapt and grow in this changing sector.

  • Two workers discussing at work - Pearson TalentLens

    Master recruiting and developing legal talent: 5 essential steps

    In an ever-changing legal environment, companies need to adopt effective strategies to attract and retain the best talent. Recruiting and developing the skills of legal professionals is crucial to long-term competitiveness and success. This guide outlines five essential steps to mastering these processes, enabling legal businesses not only to recruit quality talent, but also to develop and retain them, while optimising their experience as candidates and employees.

  • Insurance sector - woman talking and discussing document - Pearson TalentLens

    Major HR Challenge for Insurance Companies: Attracting Young Talent to Maintain Their Dynamism

    The insurance sector holds significant weight in the financial industry. Its revenues are projected to reach $7.5 trillion globally by the end of 2025. However, it faces a major HR challenge linked to the aging workforce and the looming threat of an unprecedented labor shortage. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, 50% of the current workforce in the insurance sector will retire in the coming years, leaving over 400,000 vacancies. Therefore, insurance companies must rejuvenate their workforce to remain innovative and competitive in the market. However, the sector does not appeal to the younger generation, who show little interest in pursuing a career in insurance. What strategies can insurance companies employ to attract, recruit, and retain young talent?

     

    Obstacles to the attractiveness of youth in the insurance sector

    Image problem

    The insurance sector suffers from an unattractive image and reputation among Millennials (born between 1980 and 2000) and Generation Z (born from 2000 onwards). It is often perceived as a conventional, conservative, and uninventive professional field.

    Unfamiliar occupations

    According to a survey conducted by The Institutes, 8 out of 10 Millennials have limited knowledge of career opportunities in the insurance industry. Young people may not have subscribed to insurance policies yet, and they have minimal awareness and understanding of these products.

    Insufficiently competitive salaries and benefits

    Young people are attracted to competitive salaries and benefits, but the banking and financial sectors as well as Tech & IT appear more attractive.

    Lack of flexibility

    Young people seek a work-life balance offered by remote and hybrid work arrangements, but insurance companies do not always guarantee this flexibility.

    Lack of investment in skills development

    Another factor affecting the attractiveness of insurance companies is a gap in the understanding of skills their employees will need in the future. Young people are eager to learn and acquire new skills to remain employable in an ever-changing job market.

     

    Strategies for insurance companies to attract, recruit, and retain young talent

     

    Developing an attractive corporate culture

    Valuing corporate culture, mission, purpose, and emphasizing collaboration, career progression, flexibility, and other benefits are important. Additionally, promoting commitment to sustainable development, which young people are highly attuned to, is a plus.

    Promoting career options in insurance

    The insurance sector offers a wide range of careers (agent, broker, claims adjuster, risk manager, data analyst, cybersecurity expert, etc.). It is important to promote these career options to young people, so they are aware of all the opportunities available.

    Emphasizing technology

    Insurance companies now offer most of their services through mobile applications (claim submissions, video downloads for claims assessment, inspection planning, claims process tracking, etc.) and utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) to streamline their processes. Promoting the use of technology in the industry can attract tech-savvy young talent.

    Recruiting via social networks

    Social media is important and relevant for the younger generation. Insurance companies can benefit in promoting their job offers, internships, and compelling content about insurance careers on social networks (LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram).

    Taking care of onboarding

    Once recruited, it is crucial to support and mentor new hires. Having mentors who will help new recruits network and advise them on progressing in the sector is a real asset.

    Investing in training and professional development

    It is essential to emphasize job stability in the sector and enable young people to acquire the skills they need to perform and adapt to market changes, offering them career advancement opportunities.

     

    Millennials and Gen Z have begun to dominate the job market. These dynamic new talents seek the energy and flexibility that many industries offer. It is important for insurance companies to consider their expectations and capitalize on this pool of talent to address their deficits in human resources and skills that threaten their business.

  • Banking industry - colleagues in a meeting - Pearson TalentLens

    Boosting Talent Excellence in the Banking Sector: The Crucial Role of Critical Thinking

    Possessing critical thinking skills is sought after and highly valued in the banking sector to adapt to changes, make decisions, address issues, and propose solutions.

     

    Banking: A Sector Undergoing Rapid Transformation

    In the banking sector, customer expectations are evolving rapidly: They demand user-friendly and intuitive interfaces for their online and mobile banking transactions, as well as a smooth and transparent experience across all communication channels with their bank. They are very open to adopting new technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and chatbots to facilitate their operations. They also expect efficient and responsive financial services tailored to their needs and preferences. Finally, they attach great importance to the protection and confidentiality of their personal data against fraud and cyber-attacks.

    To meet these requirements, employees in the banking sector must master technical skills related to online banking operations, data management, cybersecurity, and the use of new technologies. Additionally, they increasingly require behavioral skills in:

    • Communication to effectively interact with clients and respond to their needs clearly and concisely in person, by phone, email, or chat. 
    • Negotiation to reach agreements, resolve conflicts, and achieve favorable conditions for both the bank and clients.
    • Critical thinking to analyze complex situations, identify problems, and find solutions.
    • Attention to detail as precision and thoroughness are essential for managing financial transactions and ensuring compliance with regulations.
    • Adaptability and time management to quickly adapt to new technologies, processes, products, and services, and juggle multiple tasks while meeting deadlines. 

    The banking sector employs many people but experiences high attrition and turnover rates. To remain competitive in a market marked by uncertain economic and geopolitical conditions, increased technological disruption, fierce competition between traditional banks and new, more innovative and agile players, banks must compete to attract and retain top talent. They must evolve their talent acquisition processes to improve efficiency and speed, and focus on assessing these skills, particularly critical thinking.

     

    Critical Thinking: A Highly Coveted Power Skill in the Banking Sector 

    According to a global study by PwC, while digital skills are considered important by 70%, 77% recognize that critical thinking skills, such as emotional intelligence and judgment, are crucial in banking professions. Isabelle Jenkins, Head of Financial Services at PwC UK, adds: "Being adaptable, collaborative, and demonstrating critical thinking skills is important. If we truly want to leverage technological advances, we will need the right people with the appropriate skills so that we can truly solve problems, drive productivity, and create growth. Investment in technology is essential to achieve all these goals. But it must be guided by human ingenuity, expertise, and understanding."

    Carole Fortier Bidan, Senior Product Developer at Pearson TalentLens, and Christelle Cadoret, Psychologist and HR consultant, authors of the book "Embracing Change and Making Informed Decisions - Critical Thinking & Adaptability" (Pearson, Human Skills collection), define critical thinking as a mindset aimed at logically analyzing situations for a specific purpose, such as problem-solving, explaining a viewpoint, interpreting, or justifying a decision. It involves searching for facts, evidence, understanding and analyzing different perspectives, and personal qualities such as listening, humility, curiosity, open-mindedness, and taking a step back. It requires self-awareness regarding one's own biases, beliefs, stereotypes, and cognitive biases to limit their impact on decision-making and positioning. It is practiced through constructive effort that involves and promotes a collaborative spirit in the service of collective intelligence.

    It is qualified as a power skill because reasoning and decision-making are the least automated tasks in the workplace. 

     

    Providing the Means to Assess Critical Thinking 

    Laure Bogeat, current Director of HR Development and former Head of Recruitment, Career, and Employment Services at BPCE Infogérance et Technologies, the IT GIE of the BPCE group, the second largest French banking group, testifies to the importance of critical thinking in the banking sector: "Our environment is complex, systemic, and evolving rapidly. In the context of recruitment challenges, it is a tight market at the heart of new technologies and the digital transformation of the group, we wanted in our recruitment processes to ensure a level of analysis, an understanding of our challenges, and intellectual flexibility allowing our new recruits to thrive in our structure. The Watson-Glaser™ III Critical Thinking Assessment naturally emerged. It informs us of the intellectual approach of the candidate to solve a problem and make a decision, but also on the understanding of their environment, their interpretation of factual data, and synthesis capacity, all relevant elements in our selection criteria."

     

    Critical thinking skills are crucial within the banking sector and the ability of HR professionals to assess this ability can make a difference to the long-term talent acquisition process. Helping to identify and develop new candidates into roles and spot potential high-performers for training and leadership roles in the future.

    Overall, exercising critical thinking ability has a crucial role in the banking sector for making informed decisions, identifying and evaluating potential risks in financial operations, proposing creative and innovative solutions to clients, in compliance with established regulations and standards, and with a focus on confidentiality and data protection. It is an essential skill to assess and develop in candidates and existing employees.

  • A group of team members brainstorming - Pearson TalentLens

    AI: Opportunities and Challenges for Recruiters

    Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing recruitment, offering many opportunities to help recruiters with their day-to-day tasks and make informed hiring decisions. However, it also presents challenges that are important for HR professionals to be aware of. In our factsheet below, explore the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into the recruitment process, highlighting the need to strike a balance between automation and maintaining the human aspect, while ensuring the security of candidate data.

  • AI Metaverse - two colleagues using headsets to look at VR City - Pearson TalentLens

    Artificial intelligence, metaverse… what are the challenges for recruitment?

    If artificial intelligence (AI) is already very present in our daily lives (GPS, playlists, targeted advertisements) and is gradually becoming more popular thanks to tools such as ChatGPT, the metaverse is still in its infancy. These new technologies, which have enormous potential for development, are gradually being integrated into companies for human resources management, and, in particular, recruitment. What are the possibilities offered by these new algorithms? Do they help to recruit better? If so, will they eventually replace recruiters? 

    What do we mean by artificial intelligence (AI) and the metaverse?

    These technologies, which are increasinly become part of everyday and work life, each have very distinct uses.

    Artificial intelligence

    Artificial intelligence is a set of technologies, computer programs capable of simulating human intelligence from data provided to it. ChatGPT, for example, is a chatbot tool that uses generative AI: it produces content from the information fed by users and must be constantly fed. This allows it to generate structured content that mimics dialogue. However, to obtain reliable results, it is essential to train the tool with precise queries and direct it towards the desired objectives to improve  reliability.

    The metaverse

    The metaverse (from the English metaverse), contraction of “meta universe”, literally means the universe beyond. More precisely, it is several digital universes which evolve in parallel, because, currently, it is not yet possible to communicate from one virtual world to another. This 3D universe is often a combination of two technologies: virtual reality and augmented reality. We enter the metaverse through specialized platforms, with a virtual reality or mixed reality headset, and, for more immersion, virtual reality glasses, shoes and/or haptic gloves. Users, via avatars created by themselves, can lead a virtual existence, buy a home, decorate it, meet their neighbors, etc.

    Frequently used in video games, companies also use it for different purposes, in particular to innovate their recruitment practices.

    What roles can AI and the metaverse play in recruitment?

    Both artificial intelligence and the metaverse should be considered as tools that can be of benefit to organizations, in particular to meet recruitment objectives.

    Facilitate sourcing

    Searching for candidates on job platforms is very time-consuming for a recruitment manager. However, semantic analysis carried out via artificial intelligence greatly facilitates the selection of candidates and allows the recruiter to save significant time in sourcing. AI is one particularly effective sourcing tool in the event of large recruitment, since it is capable of quickly analyzing thousands of CVs. The broad field covered by AI allows you to detect applications containing the keywords present on the relevant job description and/or the job offer. Thanks to matching, sorting CVs is made easier and allows recruiters to easily build up a talent pool. Using the metaverse also saves time during the pre-selection stage, for example by eliminating the telephone interview. In addition, it is possible to organize group interviews or virtual job dating in certain hiring processes, provided that the candidates are equipped with a headset.

    Automate time-consuming tasks

    If sourcing is made easier, it is also thanks to the automation of time-consuming tasks, such as the distribution of offers on job sites, from the ATS (Applicant Tracking System, recruitment management tool, monitoring of candidates among other things). For companies that need to recruit many employees, AI algorithms have become essential to automate and personalize a response to receiving a CV or a spontaneous application, as well as an invitation to a job interview. This also allows the sending of personalized emails to each candidate and facilitates the monitoring of applications at each stage of recruitment.

    Help with writing

    More and more recruiters are using AI to write their job offers, personalize them by highlighting the company culture, as well as to describe the desired job profile and highlight the required skills. ChatGPT can thus increase the readability of advertisements and adapt their form to different social media, which also makes it possible to reach certain passive candidates. For their part, job seekers also use ChatGPT to write their cover letter.

    Evaluate skills

    Video games and virtual reality are part of the recruitment techniques used by HR managers to simulate situations allowing candidates to be evaluated on, for example certain personality traits. Behind an avatar, candidates would have more spontaneous reactions. Regarding skills assessment in general, recruitment professionals may well consider conducting interviews with candidates in the metaverse, which may or may not be a copy of the company's premises. This new technology makes it possible to organize scenarios that are difficult or impossible to implement in reality: diving into the heart of the ocean, flying in a helicopter, going into space, open-heart surgery, etc. It can be enriching to have applicants meet there to observe their reactions and identify the candidate who best fits the position to be filled.

    Optimize the candidate experience

    Some companies already offer virtual tours of their premises. An asset for optimizing the candidate experience. A total immersion visit allows a future employee or candidate to understand the company culture more precisely, and, facilitate onboarding. Regarding AI, chatbots, for example, also help improve this experience by responding to certain expectations of the candidate and the questions they may ask about the application procedure and the recruitment stages.

    Promote the employer brand

    As an indirect consequence, the use of virtual or augmented reality technologies makes it possible to attract profiles who may be reactive to these recruitment methods. Therefore, a start-up looking to recruit an IT expert has every interest in integrating this technology into its talent acquisition strategy. In addition, by communicating these new recruitment methods on professional social networks such as Linkedin, job sites such as APEC and other recruitment channels, the company enhances its attractiveness to potential candidates. In addition, the innovative nature of these technologies can encourage the best profiles to apply.

    What are the opportunities and challenges of AI and the metaverse in recruitment?

    AI and/or the metaverse represent strong added value for companies, and specifically in the field of recruitment. However, they still face some challenges, hence the importance of knowing these tools well.

    Opportunities : 

    • You save time! Some groups or multi-site companies use virtual reality to organize their work meetings. In the same spirit, the metaverse can serve as a means of recruiting a new employee internationally, thus saving travel and time.
    • Parsing technologies (analysis of CVs in paper and digital format to integrate the information contained in recruitment software or ATS) and matching ( identification of skills, experience and qualifications which correspond to the profile sought for a position particular) also facilitate the work of a team of recruiters, by making it possible to select the candidate who best suits the position to be filled and therefore to recruit effectively.
    • If the company wishes to recruit executives, managers or young graduates, it can quickly find employees who are immediately operational.
    • AI makes it possible to automatically update content and data, which have a limited lifespan on the web.
    • The metaverse makes it possible to simulate the working environment and technical constraints, to reduce certain risks. This represents a real asset for a recruitment manager, who is looking to reduce hiring errors and costs linked to poor recruitment.
    • These new technologies have the advantage of allowing the recruiter to expand international recruitment, with distance or language no longer being obstacles.

    THE challenges to overcome:

    • AI presents a risk of standardizing profiles and recruiting clones: generative AI in fact learns from the data with which it is fed. If they look similar or a recruiter often enters the same keywords, atypical profiles risk being excluded from the results.
    • The quality of the data provided, the lack of regularity in machine training, or even poor formulation of the query can lead to distorted results. Thus, it is often necessary to try several times to obtain a conclusive answer from ChatGPT. This is why it is essential that users are trained beforehand.
    • Users may encounter security and personal data protection issues, as the GDPR does not apply in all countries outside Europe.

    AI and metaverse: a solution to overcome recruitment difficulties?

    In a tense job market, the company must stand out from its competitors to attract candidates and find concrete solutions to remedy its recruitment difficulties.

    An innovative recruitment method

    The use of these innovative technologies such as AI and the metaverse boosts the employer image and can attract new talents, provided it is not just an empty shell. This innovative recruitment approach optimizes the candidate experience (role playing, total immersion in virtual reality, new sensations, etc.) and can make it easier to target shortage profiles. In addition, used for a first interview, these technologies save time and prevent a prospective recruit from going to a competitor.

    Expand the type of profile sought

    Generative AI can propose candidates different from those usually sought, depending on the queries and keywords submitted to it. But it is still the human who provides the data and the recruiter who issues requests based on his recruitment objective, at a given time. The machine is a simple performer. However, AI is capable of proposing candidates that the recruiter would not have considered straight away and encouraging them to recruit atypical candidates. A person hiding behind a unicorn-shaped avatar can match 80% of the desired profile. The company has the possibility of then training it via the metaverse! It is also a way of limiting discrimination in hiring. In addition, thanks to matching, the AI can spontaneously draw from the pool of applications received, which it itself helped to create.

    Impacts difficult to assess

    The impact of artificial intelligence on recruitment as a whole remains difficult to measure. The time saving is undeniable in automating the sorting of applications and in matching them with the job profiles to be filled. Furthermore in terms of travel and the organization of interviews, and even in the implementation of the evaluation. However, all this requires engineering by recruitment specialists, as well as the definition of KPIs (Key Indicators Performance) to monitor and determine the return on investment (ROI) of these technologies, in relation to the processes. “classic” recruitment methods.

    AI, metaverse VS recruiter?

    Are the new algorithms intended, in the long term, to replace the recruiter? Are physical exchanges set to disappear? If the metaverse is a space conducive to role-playing, it is often reserved for pre-selection interviews. As for the job interview, it still takes place, more generally, face-to-face. The use of the metaverse as a recruitment tool is still anecdotal, compared to the solutions offered by AI. However, it is important to remain cautious and carefully regulate the uses made of it, while ensuring the quality of the data available.

    AI, metaverse and psychometric tests: complementarity

    Recruitment solutions are numerous and depend on the defined recruitment strategy.

    Diversified means

    Recruitment by direct approach (recruitment of managers or rare profiles), co-optation, internal mobility, new recruitment methods (AI, metaverse etc.), there are multiple ways of recruiting. But there is no universal recruitment solution that will help you find the ideal candidate. Often, the person who takes care of recruitment (consultants, human resources department, recruitment firms) uses complementary recruitment methods and tools which have their place at this or that stage of the recruitment process.

    Psychometric tests and virtual reality

    If the face-to-face job interview remains essential, the psychometric tests dedicated to recruitment allow us to know the candidates in depth, based on declarative items, while the simulation of real situations, in the metaverse or elsewhere, allows you to visualize the reactions of applicants and to evaluate soft skills more precisely. Psychometric tests, such as the SOSIE 2nd Generation - personality and values inventory and/or the DAT™ NEXT GENERATION intellectual aptitude tests precisely assess the skills of candidates, provide information on their potential and are excellent predictors of job performance.

    The metaverse is effective in its own way for evaluating the candidate on the technical skills specific to certain sectors of activity, thanks to situations similar to the reality of the professions (catering, maintenance, industry, etc.).

    Thus, whatever the tools, the metaverse and psychometric tests are complementary to “increase” the quality of the evaluation.

    Cognitive biases

    When used well and supplied with reliable data, AI makes it possible to create a pool of candidates without discrimination. It is therefore reasonable to believe that the combination of artificial intelligence technologies and scientifically designed psychometric tests would eliminate any risk of cognitive bias in the recruitment of talent.

    Thus, used wisely, AI and the metaverse represent considerable help for recruiters. However, these tools are a thousand miles from being able to replace humans in their functions. Indeed, while they offer many advantages for decision support, they also have a major flaw: they do not know how to manage emotions. Human skills such as imagination, empathy, creativity, etc., among those required to perform a role in HR, still have a bright future ahead of them.

  • AI Group of three colleagues looking at data onscreen - Pearson TalentLens

    How will AI influence the future of professional skills?

    Like the World Wide Web at one time, AI (Artificial Intelligence) is developing more and more in the business world. All areas of business are impacted, and its powerful technology is revolutionizing the world of work. For some of us, AI is seen as a threat, while others, on the contrary, view it as a great opportunity to transform our work "for the better". 

    One thing is certain: AI is changing us. To take full advantage of AI in your business sector, there's one golden rule: anticipate the skills you'll need to evolve your job and use your role as a human being as added value. 86% of respondents to a BCG X study believe they will need training to upgrade their skills [1]. What impact does AI have on professional skills? How can we best prepare for the growing integration of AI into the world of work? Here's how.t

    The potential impact of AI on professional skills 

    1. Automation of routine tasks: AI automates many routines, low value-added tasks, often characterized by repetitive, predictable and structured actions, freeing up workers' time to concentrate on more complex, creative and strategic tasks, where their human skills are required. 
    2. Strengthening analytical and cognitive skills: Professionals need to develop analytical skills to take advantage of AI's capabilities, interpreting the many results it generates. In an increasingly data-driven business environment, AI helps professionals develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills to make better decisions. Listening, humility, curiosity, open-mindedness and the ability to take a step back are personal qualities in high demand in this sense. 
    3. Increasing demand for social and emotional skills: The ability to collaborate with, understand and interact effectively with intelligent systems specific to AI requires professionals to have social skills such as communication, collaboration and understanding of mutual needs for better teamwork and conflict resolution. In addition, workers need to adapt quickly to new technologies and accept change. Emotional skills such as resilience, flexibility and stress management are expected for this.

    Key skills to develop for the new world of work 

    1. Analytical and problem-solving skills: It has become essential to be able to analyze data, identify trends and find innovative solutions to problems. 
    2. Creative and critical thinking skills: Developing original thinking skills to encourage innovation and critical thinking skills to step back and manage complex and novel situations is a priority. 
    3. Communication and collaboration skills: Perfecting written and oral communication skills, as well as the ability to work effectively in a team and manage constructive interpersonal relationships, is key. This can only benefit collective intelligence and better performance at work. 
    4. Adaptability and lifelong learning skills: It's important to be well prepared to adapt to technological changes and evolutions in the job market by adopting a lifelong learning approach. 

    Strategies to prepare for AI in the workplace

    1. Keep abreast of technological trends: It's vital to keep abreast of advances in AI and the fields likely to be impacted by this technology. 
    2. Develop transferable skills: Investing in general and transversal skills that can be updated and applied to different professional contexts can only be beneficial. 
    3. Take training courses and obtain new certifications: It's a good idea to strengthen your skills by taking specific training courses, obtain certifications and benefit from practical experience in the field of AI. 
    4. Network and learn from experienced professionals: Exchanging with experts in the field of AI to gather valuable advice and information is also recommended. 

    The world of work is undergoing a paradigm shift with the increasing arrival of AI in many industries. To take advantage of this, it's important to understand its scope and prepare optimally for its integration within the company. The human skills required for a job are not necessarily the same as before. Everyone can make the most of this changing environment by developing new key skills, useful for adapting to the evolution of their profession. The rapid progress of AI also requires a culture of continuous adaptation. In this sense, it's important for human resources (HR) managers to support employees in developing their skills throughout their professional careers and encourage continuous learning. In this way, employees will feel better supported in this ongoing transformation and the impact it has on their jobs.

     

    [1] Study by BCG X, BCG's tech entity, on the impact of AI on jobs among employees in 18 countries across all industries and statuses https://www.bcg.com/publications/2023/what-people-are-saying-about-ai-at-work

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