Folks, have you heard? That the 21st century workplace is now overtaken by emerging in-demand skills and dynamic, fast-changing technology. Human and business needs are becoming more complex, and new industries are rising up. Subsequently, new skills and technologies are also being created to service these emerging industries and needs. Now we hear of terms such as data analysis and visualization, quantum computing, cloud services, digital marketing, machine learning, SEO, product management, user experience design, STEAM education and more.
Several of these modern in-demand skills and work trends were either not existent or not so prominent a few decades ago. Thus for you to succeed as a worker in this digital age, you must be willing to learn fast. Learn and apply these new skills and technologies on the go. If possible, without interrupting your job. Also, employers need more and more workers who are current in at least some of these in-demand skills and can use them immediately.
Highlighting the Top 5 In-demand Skills of 2024
Whether he/she chooses to hire them skill-ready, train them on the job, or both, a modern boss or manager must accept this reality. It doesn’t even matter whether your workers work remotely or on-site. Or whether they are in the youthful bracket or older candidates. Whether they are male or female. Or even if they have impressive academic qualifications or not. Without having skill-ready workers, such an organization would lag behind badly behind competitors, and even lose customers and relevance very quickly. That’s a risky road to tour.
What are the top 5 much sought after, in-demand skills needed for thriving businesses and workplaces in 2024? And why are they important? We be shall discover them together in this article.
Customer Service
Strictly speaking, no business can exist or survive without establishing positive relations with their customers. It is the customers that bring in all the profits and drive the business. They are the essence and the reason for the enterprise in the first instance. And all business operations largely revolve around the level of satisfaction a business can offer its customers. That is a clear reason to invest in top-notch customer service. The company must be all out to understand the needs, expectations and peculiarities of each customer. They must also be ready to use customer feedback optimally to improve service delivery and still draw more customers.
Also Read- The Art of Letting Go: Tips For Moving On From Past Hurts
Technology Skills
Many business operations are now being automated with new technology to the point that many manual operations are gradually being phased out. Technology skills have reduced the operational cost and losses, as well as increased the productivity of workers. They have also critically improved customer (and stakeholder) relations. Furthermore, technology skills have allowed business owners and bosses to make more informed and quick decisions. Technology can further help businesses to make meaningful forecasts from available data. This will hugely impact the growth of their firms (both in the short and long run). Notable amongst these skills are:
- Programming
- Data Analytics
- Social Media Marketing,
- Video Production and Editing
- Web Development,
- Cybersecurity
- Cloud Computing
- Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence
- Mobile App Development
- User Interface/User Experience (UI/UX) design, to mention just a few.
Sales and Marketing
What is more sacrosanct to a business after its customer base? It has to be the coveted revenue inflow from those customers. Thus, it becomes necessary for the customer service team to collaborate with the sales and marketing team. Both departments must draw in customers, service and retain them. Marketing exposes new and potential customers to the brand, with different strategies to engage their interest. Sales go all out to further convince the customers to buy the brand and bring in the revenue. On the other hand, customer service strives to keep the customers satisfied and offer them assistance at every turn. The research work and efforts of these departments are critical to the overall profitability and survival of that business. Thus, investing in them is a necessity.
Operations
The operations fields in general are populated by workers who help an organization run its processes and operations in an error-free and timely manner. We have a vast array of these indispensable professionals who are in charge of business operations. They include, but are not limited to the following fields:
- Product Management
- Project Management
- Operations Management
- Human Resources Management
- Leadership
- Business Analysis and Development
- Administrative Assistance
- Quality Control
- Safety and Health
- Purchasing and Supply
- Accounting
- Inventory
- Production Planning
Creativity
To develop new and authentic thoughts, ideas, and tangible objects – thus breaking away from the norm. That is the scope of creativity. You may create an original idea (or a meaningful adaptation of the old) through music, art and design, sciences, written and/or spoken word, videos, drama or fashion. Creatives account for some of the highest-earning professionals in the world. You only need to confirm how much experienced actors, music artistes, digital content creators (video, audio and text), fashion designers, product designers, or inventors make from creating and selling an original idea. And with a patent or copyright attached to the product, the stakes are even higher.
