Change is the only constant in life, as the saying goes, and this rings truer than ever for today’s knowledge workers. We live in a time of radical change, from the promises and pitfalls of artificial intelligence (AI) to the tech sector’s job cuts and learning to navigate new ways of working.

It seems natural, then, that people would feel the need to upskill in the face of uncertainty. We surveyed 669 full-time knowledge workers based in the US to gain insights into which skills they consider most relevant to the current situation and the future of work. We found that the overwhelming majority (97%) agree that learning a new skill can help them “recession-proof” their jobs – and 89% plan to do so this year.

But perspectives on which skills to prioritize are decidedly more divided, both in terms of differences between generational groups and in terms of the types of skills that are at the top of the list (or currently on the back burner) overall. A closer look reveals new insights into how today’s workers approach upskilling in this unique moment—and highlights critical soft skills that deserve greater attention.

The future of work depends on soft skills – especially these

Technical skills, such as project management or knowledge of specific tools, have long been an important factor in assessing a person’s job readiness. However, these don’t tell the whole story, and soft skills such as communication, organization and time management are often just as important.

While harder to measure, soft skills can separate a good team member from a great one. What’s more, these skills make us uniquely human—a trait that’s increasingly valuable as more companies turn to AI.

But which soft skills do knowledge workers rank as most important? Interestingly, their answers vary when asked to choose for themselves versus their team or manager.

When it comes to their current roles, knowledge workers say the three most important soft skills they need are:

• Troubleshooting (36%)
• Leadership (30%)
• Communication (28%)

However, they identify different priority areas for their teams and managers. Knowledge workers cite time management (26%) as the top interpersonal skill for teams, followed by communication (25%) and teamwork (23%). For managers, communication (28%) ranks first, closely followed by leadership (27%) and a triple bind (21%) between organization, active listening and time management.

Communication was the only interpersonal skill ranked in the top three, highlighting its central role in our work experiences at all levels.

But do knowledge workers see collaboration as a skill?

While knowledge workers relied more on casual conversations in the office to establish personal connections in the pre-pandemic era, for today’s hybrid and remote workers, collaboration is the new water cooler. But do knowledge workers view collaboration as a skill they can learn and develop over time?

Our findings suggest that knowledge workers underestimate the power of collaboration as a skill to cultivate. Compared to other soft skills, they ranked collaboration 10th in importance for themselves and ninth for their teams—and it dropped to 12th for managers. But why?

Given its importance in successful workplaces, it stands to reason that employees would view collaboration as an inherent attribute of strong teams and good partners, rather than a skill to be honed. But like all relationships, collaboration and teamwork require work. This is arguably more important than ever as the rise of asynchronous work has changed how, when, and where we collaborate.

By viewing collaboration through this lens of implementing new tools, systems, and ways of working, it becomes as much a learned and practiced interpersonal skill as time management or adaptability.

Collaboration can build (or break) relationships

While collaboration may not be a priority skill, the data suggests that knowledge workers still recognize that the stakes are high. In cases where collaboration goes wrong, nearly half (46%) of respondents say it negatively impacted relationships with previously well-connected coworkers.

That number jumps to 52% for millennials and a whopping 61% for Gen Z, compared with much lower numbers for Gen X (35%) and baby boomers (28%). This suggests, once again, that collaboration is a skill learned over time — and younger generations may need some support as they develop this ability.

Ongoing changes in the way we work may also be affecting how – and how well – we collaborate. We found that office-based workers are less likely to rate their own collaboration skills as strong (85%), compared to 94% for remote and hybrid workers.

As for the main barriers to collaboration, 38% of knowledge workers cite finding the right people, while 35% point to the challenges of coordinating work schedules. 

The collaborative advantage in the face of change

Collaboration remains a core tenet of successful teams, whether viewed as a soft skill to cultivate or simply as an existing aspect of workplace dynamics. Implementing more effective communication tools and systems, such as those used for asynchronous work, can also remove barriers to collaboration and streamline workflows for distributed teams.

We can’t control the external pressures of the economy or AI. But being aware of what matters most to today’s knowledge workers can go a long way toward helping teams shape their future strategies and, ultimately, the way we work.

Content originally published in: Miro Blog

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