The Covid-19 pandemic has brought on many changes in the world of business. Organisations will not operate in exactly the same ways as before and project management will also look differently. Some things have not changed, however. When it comes to recruitment, there is a set of skills that will not be missing from the requirements of employers. Creativity, change management, critical thinking, problem-solving, decision making and leadership will be among the skills most valued by employers. But what does each of them mean? Leonard Rizoiu, HR expert at leoHR, tells us more.
Creativity
Creativity has been a valued skill pre-pandemic and will continue to be one in the new normal workplace. The jobs of the future increasingly require it, as more and more fields become digitalised. Employers are looking for inventive people who will find innovative methods to create new products and services. Organisations will continue to face new challenges and they will need people who can think in creative ways to help them overcome future obstacles.
Change management
Change management is about an openness to change and requires people to be adaptable and flexible to new situations. Being able to keep calm when projects unexpectedly change, when placed in different work environments, when novel procedures and processes are introduced or when new colleagues join a team, is an important skill to have. If the changes have caused an overwhelming amount of stress and discomfort, then it might be a good idea to invest in learning how to cope with change in a healthy manner. Given the unpredictable times we are living in, this is a crucial skill to master. How? Simple – start by introducing small changes in your daily routine or regularly doing small tasks that lie outside your comfort zone and then go from there.
Leadership
For a long time, people believed that only people in management needed to be good leaders. That is not true. Each employee is a leader in their own right because of the influence each person exerts on those around them. Employers need employees who know how to inspire those around them, who know how to evaluate and discover those with potential and guide those who feel disoriented or demotivated at work. Key aspects of leadership include the ability to delegate tasks while being empathetic.
Decision making
Employers, especially in this context of change and caution, need employees that can make the right decisions. In decision making, it is important that people keep in mind the big picture while also paying attention to the details of each circumstance. Employees, managers and leaders need to know how to evaluate and analyse situations and data from the past, draw comparisons with previous challenges and, of course, find better solutions and strategies, all while staying efficient. Recruiters are looking for responsible, committed, and sensible people who can take over a project and complete it with great attention to budgets and allocating resources (time, money, human capital).
Problem-solving
Problem-solving skills help people determine the source of a problem and find effective solutions for it. It is worth spending time mastering problem-solving since it is something useful in every career at every level.
Critical thinking
Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally as well as being able to understand the logical connection between ideas. Critical thinking involves questioning with the aim of forming a well-balanced judgement or observation about a situation. It is a skill that goes back to the time of early Greek philosophers such as Plato and Socrates and has continued to be used and developed through the ages and during our modern times. A good example of critical thinking in action nowadays is the ability to recognise fake news; a skill needed in our personal and professional lives.
Article by Leonard Rizoiu, Human Capital & Retention Strategist and Managing Partner at leoHR