OPINION
Mapping out the competencies needed for THE COMING DECADE
None of us can be sure what the future holds, but the work context will to be fluid, disruptive and fast moving. If individuals can demonstrate emerging and essential competencies, they will be well positioned for successful performance across a range of jobs, says Dan Hughes
H indsight is a wonderful thing, as is foresight – and both have come under intense scrutiny during the recent select committee hearing on the government response to Covid -19. Looking back, it is interesting to see how a newly formed government had to function quickly as a team and react to several crises concurrently: global lockdowns, international distribution and limited manufacturing capacity. A lot was at stake in an environment that changed daily, had multiple interlinked elements, and where numerous factors were uncertain. This is a high-profile example, but just one of many during the pandemic where organisations and teams had to navigate their way through a period of uncertainty and incredible change. It is also one of many instances over the past decade where organisations needed to respond to emerging events beyond their control. From the impact of digitalisation, through Brexit, to responding effectively to the pandemic, it is clear that the speed at which organisations need to adapt is accelerating. As a result, the skills and competencies required of their people is also shifting.
Competencies have always been important. They support organisations, managers, and employees to understand the behaviours that are key to successful performance in a role. Competencies can provide a framework that informs everything – from hiring, learning and development, and performance-management strategies to company culture. Significantly, competencies aren’t static. Recent seismic change is likely to cause a shift in terms of which behaviours are crucial at work, and different competencies may emerge over the next decade. While we don’t have a crystal ball, we can make predictions based on research. From analysis into the future of work conducted by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and other sources, combined with the themes we have seen over the past 12 months, the competencies needed for success in the next decade could look somewhat different. To identify which competencies were popular over the past decade, we analysed data from 10,000 360-degree feedback assessments from a variety of organisations around the world. We identified seven competencies that were most frequently included in these assessments:
Dan Hughes is the Director of International Research and Development at PSI Services, and a chartered psychologist. He has more than 23 years’ experience in the research, design, implementation and evaluation of psychology solutions and technology for business, spanning volume hiring, talent assessment, leadership, and people development.
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