5 Key Skills You Will Need To Succeed At Work In A Post Pandemic World

It’s not just our lifestyles that have changed ever since the start of the pandemic. The entire work landscape is changing and aside from the long list of uncertainties that stare at us, what is for certain is that the skill sets required to succeed in a post-pandemic work environment will be very different.

With change comes new opportunities, and new skills that workforces will have to quickly adapt to in order to thrive in the future.

To begin with, here are 5 vital skills and personality attributes that experts believe to be crucial to career success in the post-pandemic world.

1. Data Literacy

To be able to analyze and understand data and to make better decisions based on this understanding, is a timeless skill that will emerge stronger, as a crucial skill in the coming years.

And this is not just for select members in a team. Entire workforces will have to shift towards becoming ‘data literate’ and upskill in order to perform well at work.

A recent survey of business leaders in Singapore revealed that close to half of the leaders (48%) are willing to pay up to 10% more for someone who is data-literate, for a role that did not essentially require data specialisation. Data competency will be key to boosting productivity and bringing new opportunities for business.

Professionals who are ready to navigate this shift will be better equipped to take the lead.

2. Emotional Intelligence

At a time when we are required to think on our feet in response to changing workplace trends, it is important  to handle situations and take decisions in a way that isn’t just logically right, but also resonates with the people you work with.

In fact, back in 2016, the World Economic Forum had predicted that by 2020, emotional intelligence will be among the top 10 skills that you’ll need to thrive at work.

And According to LinkedIn’s research last year, one of the key aspects of upskilling for employees in 2020 are “skills that demonstrate how you work with others and bring new ideas to the table”.  Emotional Intelligence is among the top 5 soft skills listed as essential.

3. Constant Communication (Without Ambiguity)

 It’s no surprise that remote working jobs are here to stay and will continue for the long run. Teams that are geographically dispersed will have to virtually coordinate and here’s where constant, effective communication will prove vital.

According to Emily Poague, Vice President of Marketing at LinkedIn Learning, communication will be one of the most in-demand skills that will help new graduates and professionals stand out across industries.

And for experienced professionals, one of the biggest challenges has been managing remote teams and maintaining clarity. Briefs and updates should be extremely clear to avoid errors and miscommunication.

If you’re finding remote communication to be a bit of a challenge, check out these 8 simple tips to improve virtual communication skills and make life easier at work.

4. Flexibility and Adaptability

The current crisis has put this trait on the limelight – it’s more important now than ever for you to be able to adapt, to be ready and flexible towards dramatic shifts in the event of uncertainties.

According to Tammy Homegardner (Career Coach, LinkedIn Expert and founder of the Job Search School), one of the top leadership skills needed post-pandemic would be the ability to navigate and manage change quickly and appropriately.

For instance, the future could see multiple roles and skill sets being merged, and the ones who are better placed to adapt to this change and wear multiple hats at work will have an added advantage.

5. The ability to continuously learn and upskill

This is by far the most important personality trait that you can develop – the urge to continuously learn. This pandemic has taught us that nothing is constant – even the technology that we use today, the processes that we follow or the programming languages that we learn. These are elements that are prone to change and upgrades, and it is necessary to continuously upskill to deal with this change.

In a recent article on future-proofing careers, Talent500’s co-founder Vikram Ahuja stresses that change is the only constant.

“It is imperative for all of us to keep up with the frantic adoption rate of new technologies and market trends. Even if you have no experience, you can start by dedicating time to routinely self assess, read up, and identify skills that are most sought after and how they fit in your long-term plan. Mentorship programs, online tutorials, webinars, and podcasts are all great examples of ways to pick up new skills and stay relevant.”

At Talent500 by ANSR, we are redefining job searching for India’s best software engineers. We represent Fortune 500 companies who are looking for the top 10% talent. Our dynamic skill assessments and machine learning algorithms match talent to the right opportunities.

Sign up, beat the relevant assessment test and get discovered by the world’s leading brands.

Get Started Now