Human Skills – definition: “high-value activities that play to the distinctive strengths of being human”.
The World Economic Forum
Although our reliance on technology grows daily, by 2030, two thirds of jobs in Australia will be human skill intensive. ‘Human’ skills – think customer service, communication, creativity, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, negotiation and team work!
You may not be surprised to hear that Australian businesses are already finding a shortage in the marketplace of these skills which have a huge impact on productivity and profitability. A 2019 study by Deloitte Access Economics in collaboration with DeakinCo* showed that the biggest gaps between the skills businesses seek in Australia and the skills workers have are in the areas of customer service, organisation and management, digital literacy and leadership.
Although these skills are notoriously hard to identify in the hiring process, the study found that Australian businesses spend a third more on recruiting staff than developing staff. The good news is that many human skills can be taught, learned and refined.
Is your organisation one that spends more on buying skills than building? Are you competing with other employers to hire from a finite pool of skills when you could be developing those skills in staff who already know your business?
If you’d like to learn more about how you can build human skills in your environment contact Justine Coleman.
*2019 Deloitte Access Economics study for DeakinCo: Premium skills: The wage premium associated with human skills.
