The COVID Pandemic Has Accelerated Demand for a More Skilled Workforce

The world is experiencing an unexpected lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this tough time, organizations, companies, and even governments are adopting automation and digitalization in each and every sector possible. All of them want to cut the cost and increase efficiency. This pandemic time has brought about a wave of automation, and thus climbing up the skills ladder is the best way to stay ahead of others. 

Many economists, labor experts, and business leaders have been warning for years that there will be a wave of automation and digitalization that will totally change the workforce, and only highly skilled people can face the wave. There is a debate and confusion about the jobs which are at risk and how soon it will recover. The future of work will be based on three factors and dimensions: “work” ( what can be automated ), “workforce” (who can do the work), and “workplace” (where the work can be done). 

The current situation has forced companies to move to the different workplace and workforce models. The current situation has truly accelerated mindset shifts and demand for the future of work, workforce, and workplace. Now businesses are trying to prefer an optional and alternative workforce model and leveraging the gig economy to cut the cost and efficiency. 

Some of the jobs often require digital skills in the present economy. But they are not considered as technical jobs. Several jobs are now transformed by technology and updated skills such as Project manager, Sales representative, Graphics designer, Customer service specialist, Software developer, Data Analyst, Financial analyst, Digital marketing specialist, Sales representative, IT support / Help desk, IT administrator, etc. To make themselves eligible for such jobs, professionals are taking up training programs like TOGAF training, data science course, digital marketing online course, and more. Due to this pandemic situation, technological advancement is setting new models for interaction between employees, companies, and customers.

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 As millions of people have lost their jobs during this crisis, employees are allowing only skilled staff to continue their job and work. So this time it is necessary to learn new skills being an upgraded version of your own skills and mindset. Research says that around 10 million people may find new work or place, during and after the pandemic.

Several organizations and businesses will shift to the new digital business and operating models. They will require a new and skilled workforce that can handle the tasks digitally, to operate and meet the goals. With this current situation and economy, all the businesses are scrambling to adjust to the new normal. There is a forecast of the following key themes that shows the accelerated demand for a new and skilled workforce.

Digital Nationalism

Digital innovations, new technologies, and ecosystems propositions are increasingly giving a large part of the economic value. Rapid investments are going to be made in this sector, as it plays out in the soaring valuation of big tech. In this period of trying, it is expected to expand regulatory frameworks and increase scrutiny on merger and acquisition (M&A) activities.

Digital Labour

The COVID-19 pandemic should accelerate the shift towards digital labor and automation. Businesses would want to reduce dependence on the personal workforce, they will seek efficiency in scale deployment of digital labor technologies. This labor shift could be the storm for the adoption of such digital technologies. 

Workplace For The Future

 During this tough and unpredictable time, this pandemic could mark a turning point in how and where people work. It has transformed people’s approach to work, flexibility, mobility, and reliable working models. Everyone is expecting an acceleration of alternative work delivery models as well as a technically skilled workforce and employment constructs. All these new work models would be powered and monitored by digital platforms for realization.

Digital Skills

Digital technologies are always evolving and innovate something new time by time. It will rapidly power the competitive age for companies in the market. The roles for the job and workforce would be built on a theme of skills: Functional/Domain skills, Professional skills, and Digital skills. This is a great opportunity for the companies to focus on the digital and skilled talent base and uplift this downtime to build a skilled foundation and workforce. 

Tech Foundations

This COVID-19 pandemic can provide opportunities to business leaders to carefully generate and evaluate the technological landscape and find the new pathway to achieve the goals through a new technical workforce.

In this crisis, businesses are facing losses that affect their solvency and operations, especially small companies and enterprises. Millions of workers are harmed and threatened by layoff or income loss. This impact is harsh on unprotected workers and the most vulnerable groups in the informal economy. Billions of workers (almost 38% of the global workforce) are having jobs in the sectors That are facing a severe decline in output and a high risk of unemployment or displacement. Even before the current crisis, new ways of working and advanced technologies were disrupting skills and jobs. 

Bottom Line

This pandemic is having a dramatic impact on the workforce in every sector globally. It is causing an increase in demand for the new skilled workforce that will generate efficiency and low-cost production for the problem facing companies and employees. Not only private sectors, but government sectors and policies need to focus on providing relief to the workforce and protect their livelihood. They need to think about investing in long-term remote-working foundations with upskilling approaches. Also, they can adopt an agile approach to strategic planning for a skilled workforce.