Automation and the future of employment: the skill that will make the job yours (and not that of a robot)
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That Artificial Intelligence will make processes more efficient and increase productivity there is no doubt. However, there are still many who fear whether we will be able to maintain a balance between automation and the future of employment.
Once automation is integrated, will it completely transform professional skills? Will it be responsible for making the business models really competitive? The end of 'human' profiles?
There is no doubt that the phenomenon of process automation, especially in factories, is unstoppable. Without going any further, according to the World Robotics report prepared by the International Federation of Robotics, Spain already exceeds the European average for robots .
Nothing more and nothing less than 168 'machines' for every 10,000 employees compared to 114 on average for the rest of the member countries or 99 worldwide.
And more data: the Spanish Association of Robotics and Automation of Production Technologies, has established itself as the 4th European power in robotics. Official figures show that between 2013 and 2018 the annual average growth in sales of industrial robots has been 14% .
In fact, this sector is one of the five that has experienced the greatest growth in the 21st century and will be a booming economic sector for 2020. Only Germany, France and Italy are above it.
Should we fear for our jobs? Will one of those 168 robots be the one to take my place? Experts insist: no .
Thanks to automation, today professionals in any organization can focus on improving skills such as communication, negotiation, resilience, collaboration ...
«Talking about automation and Artificial Intelligence is no longer new. It is a reality . In fact, automation in the workplace has been around since the first industrial revolution. Simply that now, intelligent software and robotics are advancing in a dizzying way, incomparable to past revolutions, "warns Elena Giménez , Director of Speexx Spain.
Enough fear. Faced with this new scenario, which transforms forms of work beyond industrial manufacturing, we must see the positive aspects for workers . Many more than we think.
"We must think that precisely thanks to automation, today professionals in any organization can focus on improving skills such as communication, negotiation, resilience, collaboration, etc.," recalls the expert.
Skills that, as pointed out by the company specialized in language training that recently published a White Paper on the impact of automation on the culture and organization of companies, are and will be much more necessary than doing robotic work . Or not?
Soft skills, essential for the jobs of the future
“As smart technology automates the role of collaborators with more repetitive and administrative tasks, including profiles with team responsibility, new collaborator profiles are emerging .
"New professional profiles for which the so-called 'soft skills' are going to be important from the beginning: from the interview to onboarding", explains Roberto Martín , Head and Digital Marketing and Growth of Speexx.
Furthermore, we are talking about skills that are already incorporated in the selection processes of some of the most important companies in the world, "above even academic qualifications or degrees". What are those 'soft skills'?
Talking about automation and Artificial Intelligence is no longer new. Is a reality
'Human' skills in the machine age
From Speexx they point out some of the key skills with a purely human essence that we will need to survive (labor) in the machine age.
- Be flexible, agile and adaptable to change
- Time management and ability to prioritize
- Ability to work effectively in team environments
- Languages, "both the language of business (English) or the language in which your company operates internationally."
It is not something new. But now the classic 'intermediate level' is disappearing from resumes.
Until recently, the subject of second language proficiency was considered a 'nice to have' (in the Anglo-Saxon world) or 'desirable' (in the Spanish world). "Today, both in large global organizations and in start-ups, communication skills in another language can make a difference, " warn Speexx.
Automation and the concept of 'Lifelonglearning'
If the skills of the future most in demand (already in the present) revolve around attitude, communication and adaptation to a world in constant change. Will business priorities change in recent years?
Although the answer to this question can be discerned according to the context of each organization, a concept that is already marking professionals begins to take center stage: the ability to continue learning.
We enter the era of 'lifelonglearning' . Or what is the same, the commitment to continuous learning and the commitment by professionals and companies with learning throughout life .
The power of knowledge
The great challenge of automation? Acquire the pleasure of knowledge . They are looking for talents capable of acquiring new skills that will help them and their companies to survive in an environment of constant change.
The problem, far from being afraid of robots taking away our jobs , is not knowing what skills they need to acquire. And this indeterminacy paralyzes the evolution of many companies facing the future of automation.
"The best thing is to have a transparent approach , create an environment of supply and demand for knowledge, where employees know what skills are required and why these are important for business success ," recommends Martín.
