Digital transformation is picking up speed, and so are changes in the labor market. We are talking about jobs of the future, but it is already clear that the demand for skills in the area of technology, robotization, data analysis and artificial intelligence is huge.  Soft skills are also growing in value as they (at least for now) can’t be replaced by automation.

The future is today – this saying captures perfectly the changes that have been taking place in the labor market. Rapid digital transformation forces organizations to implement strategic modifications to the management model, leading to the digitalization of processes, which in turn require new skills. For employees this means one thing – they need to learn fast and be flexible, which are two abilities that are necessary to keep up with the changes. Otherwise, it will not be technology and artificial intelligence that will be a threat to them, but their own inability to use them.

5 crucial skills of the future that you should learn today.

Digital competence

This is where it all begins. As we have already discussed in our last piece about digital transformation, today the ability to use digital tools and solutions is crucial, and it won’t be an exaggeration to say that this statement applies to nearly all sectors. It is difficult to imagine how one would go about their daily duties at work without using instant messengers, apps and online tools, which are not only a way of exchanging data electronically, but also ready-to-use solutions that improve the efficiency of work. Digital competences also include the ability to create digital content, coding, as well as a good grasp on cybersecurity issues.

The growing demand for new digital competences makes it necessary for employees and employers alike to learn and stay open to new technologies. Training addressing those competences is the responsibility of both groups. For employers, offering support in learning is an important element of employer branding which builds manager engagement and improves job satisfaction. Creating ways to grow is also an element of one of the top trends, namely building an inclusive workplace.

Agility

Lately, this ability is all we have been hearing about. This term comes from the Agile methodology and describes the ability to quickly adapt to a changing environment. This philosophy values taking action and responding to a changing business environment over having a plan. The increased demand for “agility” brought about an interesting phenomenon in the labor market – organizations have started looking for managers adept at flexible project management, as well as Agile experts.

AI

Artificial intelligence has long since stopped being only the stuff of science fiction. We can see it making a tangible impact on our lives, offering real solutions which a few years ago would have been difficult to imagine. On the other hand, we worry that artificial intelligence will take our jobs. However, AI still needs the human factor. It needs experts who create code for artificial intelligence and go on developing it, managers who make sure that artificial intelligence is used across organizations to improve business efficiency, as well as a host of employees who use tools offered by AI in their everyday work.  Contrary to popular belief, artificial intelligence is not the greatest threat to employees; the inability to use it is.

Analytics

Both the digitalization of processes, as well as agile management of them using AI require analytical skills. Unification of IT solutions makes data analysis even more important today than coding. To navigate successfully (with agility) the world of Big Data, you need something more – analytical thinking, a good grasp of mathematical concepts and basic statistics, data visualization, as well as storytelling, which will translate data into stories that will be convincing to your boss or client.

Soft skills

The authors of the report “Workplace Learning Trends” by UDEMY indicated 3 most crucial business skills of 2023, namely communication, project management and leadership. What are the conclusions? This skill set shows that the line between hard operational skills and soft interpersonal skills has become increasingly blurred.  In turns out that the latter, underappreciated and marginalized for years, today are the key to successful teamwork and effective combination of technology and technical knowledge with the potential of individual team members.

Though still a source of concern, rapid digitalization requires action. Employees and employers have a common goal – to help the organization and its resources to ease into the new reality. This is an opportunity for both groups to develop new skills and discover their potential, gaining an edge over competitors in the future. And this means that they have to be agile today.

With digital transformation gathering pace, strategic business change is required on many levels. Yet, a good deal of companies is still not ready for it, even though it enhances optimisation that unlocks savings and boosts the organisation’s development. It is also inevitable.

Having an online presence is not enough. According to a survey by KPMG, conducted in partnership with Microsoft, while 51% of companies in Poland recognise the urgency of digital transformation in their organisations, the majority do not plan to increase their investment into it or hire digital transformation specialists in the coming months. The period of the pandemic and the war raises the question of whether there was any way we could have prepared for it. In many cases, probably yes, but change is what we as humans do not want, so it has progressed rather slowly. Until it didn’t.

Transformation requires redefining strategy, changing business processes and the way we work, creating new channels to interact with audiences and learning how to use them. We asked experts from the consulting and pharmaceutical industries about the three most important areas of business transformation.

Transformation of a management style

Let’s start with the role of the manager. Remote and hybrid working models have led to greater acceptance of cross-border work. This, in turn, enabled the internationalisation of work and, consequently, the emergence of different cultures and working styles across teams. What is, therefore, needed are the right competencies to manage teams and, above all, projects – as in the Agile methodology, where the emphasis is on self-organisation, flexibility in approaching change and adaptability. In this set-up, the CEO ceases to act as a tsar and takes on a role of, for example, a member of a project team, not necessarily a leader.

Implementing a transformation strategy is a long-term project, so it becomes crucial for the process participants to get involved. It is important that they feel motivated and see a common goal, while remaining ready for any modifications that may come along the way. The introduction of changes does not go through a testing phase, but, with the support of new technologies, is based on advanced data that provides ongoing prompts and allows for immediate reaction.

Digitalisation puts an end to the step-by-step philosophy and requires all to accept working in volatile conditions. Managers need to be agile, and this demands continuous insight. For this reason, companies are more willing to implement off-the-shelf systems and cloud solutions instead of developing their own. This substantially expedites the implementation process and mitigates problems with the availability of individual components and specialists (bear in mind the weeks-long delays during the Covid-19 period), but also entails changes in key competences. It is already apparent that, more than programmers, we will need analysts and effective change managers.

A multidisciplinary approach also opens companies up to professionals from outside the field. Since we know the operating principles and tools, transferring to other sectors is no longer a problem. This is a new perspective, though not feasible in all cases. One such example is the pharmaceutical sector, which, experts say, remains available to a limited circle of people who have the right ‘feeling’ and know the ins and outs of the healthcare industry.

Transformation of a business model

It used to be simple. A sales person was once armed with a single sales monitoring system. Now their phones have apps with advanced algorithms that will tell them where to go for a meeting, how to lead a conversation – which they are often free to have remotely – to reach their target. Technology has equipped us with knowledge that substantially adds to work efficiency, and the pandemic has opened us up to online meetings. Just imagine if, instead of one in-patient visit, even several virtual ones could be carried out. Although doctor’s appointments as well as school teaching had the groundwork laid in terms of technology, a major turning point was necessary so that people would welcome the change.

In the healthcare industry, completely new treatment possibilities have emerged. Today, patients’ health can be monitored by the doctor remotely via an app, or through augmented VR, and counselling is given in the form of video instructions. This might reduce the number of hospital admissions, solve the problem of doctors’ availability or long waiting times for medical appointments.

Cloud solutions, machine learning or artificial intelligence are taking us to a whole new digital reality that we are only just getting to know. This is the beginning of the road, because, as experts point out, the healthcare industry is not prepared in terms of legislation. Current regulations do not take the digital transformation into account, yet new technologies enable new forms of advertising, such as live-streaming conferences and online webinars.

Transformation of access to knowledge

Digitalisation has brought a shift away from the traditional division between provider and recipient. With access to tools, we all become participants who want to create and share knowledge. Each of us can play the role of both the provider and the recipient, the so-called content-owner. This is also a way to improve the engagement of those participating in this knowledge exchange. As creators, we become co-responsible for the content and the success of the project, much more so than when we merely consume the content. Co-creating this knowledge base boosts its chances of breaking out of the level of easily accessible, general information. The reward is priceless – it is the time and attention of key participants. To win it you have to go back to the source, to the essence of ongoing change and the search for the answers to the question of WHY? Why does the organisation need new technologies? Why are these changes necessary? For this, you need a vision, which is created by managers who understand the WHY.

The changes occurring as a result of digitalisation cannot be put off. Outside causes such as war or pandemics have shown that the old normal to which we have been used is not coming back. And the only thing left to do is to agree with the authors of the KPMG report that digitalisation will gain momentum and will only be survived by those companies that see digital technologies as an opportunity rather than just as a threat.

This is a job for the brave – you can certainly say it is about marketing. The courage may be seen in the way of thinking about the marketing itself, its role in the implementation of the business strategy, as well as the attitude, because the times for this type of activities are highly demanding. However, it is worth making the effort, because building a strong and visible brand has never before had such an impact on the purchasing decisions of the customers.

New year, new decisions, and new challenges. Can 2023 surprise a marketer, for whom working in a changing and extremely dynamic environment is a daily routine? Will the new year bring new trends or will it be a continuation of already chosen directions?

Regardless of the time of the year, the work of a marketing manager was and is full of contrasts. Creativity and humanistic imaginativeness is combined with strict analytical skills. Curiosity and temptation to follow new paths made by technology and the variety of formats clash with a conservative approach to the consistent implementation of the already adopted strategy.

How to find a balance between courage in going beyond the limits and the company’s financial calculation? The art of doing so is as inspiring as it is risky. That is why the jury of the most important marketing awards has no doubts – the winners are those who are good observers of the surrounding reality, who follow trends (and often even create them) and are not afraid to build brands that proudly present their values and express a specific worldview, something that customers can identify with.

Jury of prestigious competitions such as Effie or Marketing Director of the Year emphasize that this year’s winners were awarded for their attentiveness and sensitivity to social problems, understanding of the geopolitical context and courage in creating campaigns that promote values that are important to the public.

Multitasking level hard

It should be remembered though that marketing is an incredibly broad category in which, apart from having visionary ideas, you have to be effective in action. Therefore, a successful marketing manager, having access to advanced data, must be able to process it and to draw conclusions based on it.

“We have been working with marketing people for the last 20 years. We know that knowledge of trends, curiosity and the right intuition are particularly important features in this profession. In these exceptionally difficult times, these skills are worth their weight in gold, as the socio-political context is extremely demanding. The trick is to build a team that will follow customer expectations and be able to manage the brand in the context of the entire business strategy. That is why we constantly show our clients how important it is to select the right candidates for employees,” says Elwira Kostka, Partner at GE Hunter.

5 qualities of a successful marketeer:

1. COURAGE – which makes challenges become a driving power for implementing even more effective marketing activities
2. FLEXIBILITY – which allows you to adapt to changes and be open to new solutions
3. EMPATHY – in expressing brand sensitivity and attentiveness to the needs of co-workers
4. EFFICIENCY – that is the ability to analyse and draw conclusions from the actions taken
5. CREATIVITY – which allows you to break patterns and build distinctive brands

From story-telling to story-doing

No doubt, the world of marketing is changing and it’s not just about digital transformation. Not only those with gigantic budgets stand out from the crowd of brands, but also smaller ones, that have something interesting to say. Brands are stepping out of the role of narrator and taking action. They win the hearts of the public not only by what they say, but also by what they actually do. Consumers of the youngest generation are particularly attentive to brands. For them, the words about sustainable development and care for the natural environment must be followed by specific ESG solutions. If not, they will choose someone else who will “buy them” with authenticity. On the other hand, we cannot forget that the needs of customers from the Silver group, i.e. 60+, are significantly different from those of Gen-Z.

Regardless of age, there is a more conscious approach to shopping, which makes customers choose more carefully. This in turn causes stratification and even brands that have been famous for their products accessible for everyone, are more and more boldly reaching for the premium category. And again we return to flexibility and openness to change.

New roles in the marketing

There is a lot of talk about the key role of marketing in business development, and yet it is the employees of this department who are most often hit by the first wave of redundancies and it is so, because marketing, as an activity supporting sales loses clash with the trade department. However, taking into account the diversity of competences and the role in determining the direction of development, it is difficult to justify such personnel decisions. A modern and effective marketing department is like a jigsaw puzzle where every piece matters. The best data is useless if it is not translated into good content. And what is content these days without eye-catching visualisation?

“As always, there are two sides to the coin – one is the specter of redundancies, which are heard both in marketing departments and advertising agencies. The other one are increasingly demanding candidates who openly communicate their needs and expectations. These are not the only phenomena we observe as head-hunters. This wide range of competences in marketing means that people from other departments – IT or Legal – also find their place here. We can also see the impact of the pandemic on the blurring of borders. For marketing managers, it opens the door to international transfers. All these factors have an extremely important impact on the shape and building of future teams. Therefore, it is crucial to introduce an employee with the right profile to the right employer. We call it a perfect match” – Grażyna Żywot-Ciecierska, Partner at GE Hunter.

A good marketing leader should be able to build an interdisciplinary team, members of which form an inseparable and intersecting system. Behind this lies another extremely important feature. The empathy. In addition to managerial skills, the leader must demonstrate emotional maturity that will allow him to maintain and unleash the potential of representatives of four different generations that are active on the market. Therefore, marketing managers should remember about inclusiveness and diversity also in the context of building their own employer branding.