Assessing Skills of the Future ... are governments and businesses ready?

Research from McKinsey points to decline in the demand for manual and physical skills, as well as basic cognitive ones, whist demand for technological, social and emotional, and higher cognitive skills will become core to success.  This is not surprising in many respects as we embrace the digital age. 

The research identified 56 foundational skills associated with a higher likelihood of employment, higher incomes, and job satisfaction in the future world of work. 

To address these skills requirements:

1. Governments need to think about education and how it provides its citizens with these skills. Childhood and adult education will need reform to give opportunities to learn and develop these softer skills that will make an individual successful in their career. 
2. Businesses need to re-think all aspects of the employee lifecycle to leverage these skills for the success of their organisation. This will require a re-imagining of role design, job descriptions, selection & assessment, performance appraisals and so on. 

Deep change is required - political, social, cultural and organisational. Those that are at the forefront will have the opportunity to drive greater business success.