6 post-coronavirus skills: how to find the ideal professional

What post-coronavirus skills will recruiters keep an eye on? No one knows for sure how the job market will react after Covid-19 is controlled. In the meantime, many companies have reinvented themselves, but others have closed due to the impossibility of recreating themselves.

It is very likely that our workplaces will change and, with it, the skills that companies will require. In view of the transformations already underway, experts predict what will be the skills of the future of work.

In this post, we will present six post-coronavirus skills that will guide the work of recruiting talent in all areas of expertise. That is, HR professionals who want to keep up to date will also have to absorb part of the skills mentioned here.

Post-pandemic work environment

One of Covid-19’s most immediate economic effects was to accelerate the efforts of companies, governments and individuals to get used to the digital world. From one day to the next, organizations and professionals had to deal with platforms that were not part of their daily lives.

But the social isolation brought by the pandemic has not only accelerated the digital skills of professionals and organizations, it has also stimulated other skills, such as collaboration, creative problem solving and autonomy.

Managers and team leaders, for example, are having to learn to encourage and involve teams virtually. Motivational leadership, very common in frequent conversations with employees, was forced to be creative in order to overcome the barrier of virtual coldness and reach the hearts and minds of employees.

Resilient to new outbreaks

It is important to emphasize that after the Covid-19 scare, companies are already preparing new guidelines that will make them more resilient for a possible pandemic in the near future. This means that, increasingly, organizations will depend on new technologies.

The mantra of companies keeping an eye on this trend is that everything that can be done online should be conducted virtually. It is not by chance that remote work is one of the trends in the work environment of the future.

With the reality of technologies, such as artificial intelligence, big data, internet of things, robotics, virtual and augmented reality, even tasks, such as changing virtually a part on the production line, will be possible.

In addition to technologies, more resilient organizations are also paying attention to what post-pandemic customers will demand. Companies that understand business trends and changing consumer needs will be better able to respond in the right way in the event of a future pandemic.

But for that, they will need professionals with the following post-pandemic skills:

Adaptability and flexibility

One thing is certain: the ways in which companies operate and work will change. The world was already changing rapidly, but the pandemic accelerated it. There will be few “jobs for life”.

Someone who is successful in the post-coronavirus world will need to be able to adapt to constantly evolving workplaces and be able to keep up to date.

Digital skills

One of the best ways to prepare for the post-coronavirus world is to acquire digital skills. If you work in a factory or an accounting office in a post-coronavirus world, you will need to be comfortable with these technological tools and deal with them effectively.

Criativity and innovation

We note the importance of creativity and innovation during the pandemic. Companies that have managed to find ways to provide services virtually or have rapidly changed their business model have been able to improve their businesses during the crisis.

In a post-coronavirus world, we will need human ingenuity to dream and invent new products and ways of working. Creativity will be essential.

Knowledge in data

Data is a critical asset for all companies. With them accurate in hand, organizations can better predict the impact of future business interruptions and can serve customers with the right products and services during or after any crisis.

However, the data is useless for an organization, unless there are people qualified to interpret it and make better decisions from that analysis.

Critical thinking

During the pandemic, we saw a spike in false news, with governments, politicians and some leaders trying to misrepresent data to disguise the crisis brought about by the pandemic.
Professionals who can objectively evaluate information from different sources to determine what is credible in the face of so much data will be valued. Organizations will need to rely on critical thinking to understand what information should guide decision making.

Autonomy and emotional intelligence

Remote forced labor during social isolation accelerated two skills that were already on the rise: autonomy and emotional leadership.

In this context of a pandemic, professionals had to organize a work routine that met the principles of productivity. This led the teams to take the lead at different times and make autonomous decisions, without questioning the leaders at all times.

Closely linked to leadership is another skill that is even more important in uncertain and challenging times: emotional intelligence. It is the ability to be aware, express and control emotions, perceiving the emotions of others.

In times when people may feel insecure about their work and the future of their business, it is essential to connect emotionally with them. In addition, professionals with strong emotional skills are able to better inspire teams, in addition to encouraging collaboration.

How can professionals boost your career?

The pandemic has accelerated the need to ensure that people around the world have the necessary technological skills and access to do their jobs. The good news is that improving skills has never been easier.

For those who have gained time with remote work, as they no longer need to travel to the office, there is an opportunity to use those hours to acquire new skills.

Today, years of study or substantial loans are not needed to develop your skill set and be prepared for a post-coronavirus world. There are numerous free and open online courses (MOOCs) available that will help you improve your curriculum.

However, before enrolling in a dozen online courses, be objective. Detail the skills you must acquire and improve. A good tip is to use the app Digital Fitness by PwC , which allows the assessment of your skills, as well as increasing knowledge on topics that will help you face the job market of the future.

Do you want to know more about future skills? Here we have separated material on the soft skills trends sought by recruiters.