As AI Automation Marches On, Soft Skills More in Demand
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As AI Automation Marches On, Soft Skills More in Demand
Ramp up of AI putting a higher value on soft skills such as empathy and leadership, seen as out of the reach of the algorithms
By John P. Desmond, Editor, AI in Business
In the Age of AI, the demand for soft skills is on the rise. AI may be able to replace some technical skills, such as certain types of programming, but it cannot replace soft skills such as empathy, creativity or leadership.
Young people starting out, maybe in college spending for an education, or mid-career professionals trying to assess whether their job could be automated out of existence, are trying to figure out how to navigate the shifting employment landscape.
“Many jobs will become obsolete, while others will require a higher level of technical expertise,” stated Ashish Gupta, director of admissions and outreach at IFIM, a college related to Bangalore University, in a recent post on LinkedIn.
Soft skills are seen as essential for building relationships, resolving conflict and working collaboratively with others. Examples include communication, teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving and leadership.
Here are reasons offered by the author as to why soft skills are crucial in the Age of AI:
Automation cannot replace soft skills. Machines are not seen as capable of replicating empathy, essential for many jobs. In customer service, for example, a representative who can sympathize with a customer is more valuable than an AI-powered chatbot providing generic responses.
Soft skills complement technical skills. For example, a data analyst with strong presentation skills can explain complex data analysis to non-technical stakeholders effectively. Also, a software engineer with problem-solving and teamwork skills can collaborate with others to develop high-quality software.
Soft skills are essential for leadership. “As organizations adopt new technologies, leadership skills become increasingly important,” Gupta stated. Leaders with strong emotional intelligence can “build strong relationships with employees, foster collaboration and inspire teams to achieve their goals.”
The author offered these suggestions for developing soft skills: read books and attend workshops, seek feedback, practice a lot and learn from others. “Look for mentors or colleagues who possess the skills you want to develop,” he stated. “Observe how they interact with others, communicate and lead.”
Employers Find Soft Skills of New Graduates Difficult to Assess
While the marketplace is putting a higher value on soft skills, employers are having a difficult time finding candidates who can demonstrate them. A report from the Society of Human Resources Management observed that while four-year colleges were once considered a strong source for soft-skill development, three in four employers reported they had a hard time finding graduates with the “durable skills” they need, according to a recent account in Forbes.
“Durable skills—my preferred term—are essential. And in an automation-focused future, they’ll be even more so,” stated Maria Flynn, CEO of the nonprofit Jobs for the Future, author of the account, who before she joined the company in 2007, was a senior official in the US Department of Labor. She added, “The need is urgent; in an increasingly AI and automation-driven workforce, durable skills remain a uniquely human strength and hold significant value.”
AI is poised to automate up to 45 percent of required tasks, according to a report from Pew Research Center. “Increasingly, machines will perform tasks they are better suited to perform than humans, such as computation, data analysis, and logic,” the report stated. “Functions requiring emotional intelligence, empathy, compassion, and creative judgment and discernment will expand and be increasingly valued in our culture.”
Of course, AI could be employed to help teach durable skills, such as in the use of augmented and virtual reality as training tools. Embodied Labs and Talespin are two companies the author cited as using immersive learning technology to help health care workers develop communication skills, emotional intelligence and empathy.
(Editor’s Note: The US Department of Labor’s “Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success,” book was produced by a collaboration with seven youth programs, so has contributions from over 100 high school students. The book has activities and scripts aimed at teaching a range of soft skills and is available free of charge.)
“In the 21st-century economy, the competitive advantage will go to employers who value critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication—and the employees who can adapt, shift mindsets, and bring these skills to an ever-changing future of work,” Flynn stated.
Update Resume to Call Out Soft Skills
Communicating competence in soft skills to a potential employer needs to happen in a resume.
“Employers want to see how well [potential employees] work with people and can think beyond their learning,” stated Joanne Rosen, chief operations officer at Write Choice Resumes, in a recent account on the blog of Forage. The company offers students job simulations-free of charge–from a range of employers, including JPMorgan and GE. The company works cooperatively with colleges, who partner as a way to help students to bridge the gap between their ivory towers and the real world.
Soft skills are good indicators of how successful a new hire will be. A Leadership IQ study cited in the Forage account found that 89 percent of new hire failures are the result of poor soft skills such as coachability, emotional intelligence and motivation. Only 11 percent of new hire failures were the result of technical incompetence.
Communicating soft skills effectively on a resume is a trick. “Soft skills need to be demonstrated, not listed,” Rosen stated. “Example: ‘Rescued at-risk account by communicating with the client about needs and creating innovative customer-facing solutions.’ ” By using the phrases “communicating” and” “creating innovative, customer-facing solutions,” the candidate shows off communication and problem-solving skills.
Training in soft skills in the age of AI is being seen as a market opportunity.
“The world is seeing a huge skill shift,” stated Briah Handa Oakley, on the marketing team at Retorio, in a recent blog post on the company’s site. With roots as a research project at the Technical University of Munich, Retorio bases its approach in behavioral and differential psychology. “Soft skills cannot yet be replaced by machines, and soft skills are only going to become more and more relevant as we continue to see growth in automation,” she stated.
A case study on the company’s site describes the challenge facing a client in auto manufacturing seeking to shift to EV sales, was to retrain sales reps and service teams. The workers used Retorio’s personalized learning offerings, to for example engage in role plays on-demand to practice customer interactions, and get feedback on how they were doing acquiring skills. Of those who took the training, 91 percent reported it was relevant, and 80 percent said it helped with their job performance.
Read the source articles and information on LinkedIn, in Forbes, in the US Department of Labor’s “Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success,” and in a recent blog post on the site of Retorio.
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