The COVID-19 crisis has caused a significant alteration to the skill-sets workers believe that they need to harness to be successful in their job role.
New research by CV-Library shows a considerable change in the skills that staff will have to exhibit in order to do their role effectively.
Prior to the pandemic, almost half (48.3 per cent) of candidates surveyed believed that communication was the top skill required to do their job.
However, in response to the changes COVID-19 has had when it comes to work models, over half of workers (50.8 per cent) now feel that adaptability is the most crucial trait in performing well at work. This is over a fifth (22.8 per cent) increase compared to workers who reported the importance of this trait pre-pandemic.
In addition to this, almost a quarter (23.3 per cent) of respondents ranked self-motivation as essential, up from 14.6 per cent. Other key skills that have soared in prevalence since March 2020 include IT skills, resilience, social media skills, listening and creativity.
Conversely, qualifications, teamwork, presentation and leadership skills have fallen down the list of top skills that candidates feel are essential to do their job, showing how the pandemic and shift to home working has impacted the workforce as a whole.
Lee Biggins, CEO and founder of CV-Library, said:
The true extent of the pandemic on the UK workforce is beginning to emerge. The focus on survival has meant that adaptability, specifically of employees, has undoubtedly been key to the success of many businesses . It’s great to see self-motivation, creativity and tech skills all coming to the fore. We’ve seen an increased demand for these skills from our clients and we predict they’ll remain high on recruiters’ wish lists.
Mr. Biggins continues:
The success of remote business working has been an unexpected surprise for many this last year, but our survey results highlight some of the drawbacks. Teamwork and leadership are crucial and much more difficult to achieve when employees work in independent environments.
One size doesn’t fit all and there’s a definite place for flexible working and a hybrid workplace where possible. However, this is a reminder of the benefits a workplace environment offers to both businesses and employees. And not just to profits and success but to mental health, skill development and career progression.
Monica Sharma is an English Literature graduate from the University of Warwick. As Editor for HRreview, her particular interests in HR include issues concerning diversity, employment law and wellbeing in the workplace. Alongside this, she has written for student publications in both England and Canada. Monica has also presented her academic work concerning the relationship between legal systems, sexual harassment and racism at a university conference at the University of Western Ontario, Canada.
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