CareNotes

The Seven In-Demand Employee Skills Due to COVID-19

This is a guest article by Julie Rupenski, the founder, president, and CEO of MedBest, an OHCA business partner.

A number of job opportunities are beginning to emerge with a revised list of skills needed due to COVID. As a job candidate, now is the time to take stock of theseskills when navigating today’s job market. A report by Deloitte Access Economics considers two-thirds of all jobs by 2030 will be made up of soft-skill-intensive occupations, so developing and enhancing these skills is key.

Soft skills are also referred to as employable skills and are transferable between industries and occupations including professionals within the Senior Living Industry. People with good soft skills tend to have strong situational awareness and emotional intelligence to navigate challenging working environments, while still producing positive results, which is exactly what employers are looking for right now.

These seven skills will help job-seekers find their next job during the pandemic:

1. Leadership –  Yesterday, today, and tomorrow will make new demands on leaders and therefore, organizations will seek employees who can supervise and direct people while under fire. Throughout the pandemic, leaders with cooler heads prevailed. Strong leaders can create a vision and motivate people to achieve their very best even during the worst of times.
2. Flexibility and  Adaptability – Being flexible and adaptable have been paramount over these past 17 months. Professionals are breaking away from business as usual to change course and unlock new perspectives and solutions. Moving forward, flexibility and adaptability are skills that every employer will be keeping an eye out for.
3. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving – The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that a high percentage of employers consider problem-solving and critical thinking among the top soft skills candidates need. Employers want workers who can think clearly as they evaluate and sort through information and data to make informed decisions. A crisis such as COVID-19 brings to light the importance of critical thinking and problem-solving.
4. Teamwork – Even though a high percentage of the workforce worked remotely over these past months, all employees are still part of a team or department. While somemay prefer to still work from a remote location, it’s very important to demonstrate an understanding and appreciation for  the value of working and collaborating with co-workers to accomplish organizational goals.
5. Communication -Strong communicators have always been valuable assets to employers but even more so since COVID-19.  The pandemic taught that amid a crisis, stress, and emotions, communication requires a great deal of effort to ensure that misunderstandings are minimized. Strong communication skills can easily set job-seekers apart from the competition when applying for jobs. In fact, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 73 percent of employers want candidates who possess strong written, verbal, and digital communication skills.
6. Tech-Savviness – The pandemic highlighted the importance of investing in new technology, facilitating remote work, conducting video job interviews, and maintaining a tech-savvy workforce. Per the McKinsey Group, the pandemic sped up the adoption of digital technology by several years. Organizations are now rethinking the role of digital technology in their overall business strategy and how they need workers with digital skill sets to keep pace.
7. Creativity – Innovation and creativity can’t grind to a halt due to a pandemic or any unexpected event. In fact, LinkedIn called creativity “the most important skill in the world.” Now more than ever, organizations are giving people the freedom to think creatively and take risks. They’re looking for professionals who have bold ideas and new approaches without a fear of failure.