Much has been said about the need to preserve human skills in the age of AI—and employers appear to acknowledge that reality.
New research from MetLife finds that the vast majority of employers (94%) agree on the high value of human-centered skills, like collaboration and problem-solving. At the same time, nearly 60% of employees are worried that AI is going to make their skills obsolete, while nearly as many say their employers are judging their success by their output, which could highlight a misplaced emphasis on speed over skill.
Now is the time to translate the talk on human skills into action, says Erin McGoff, career expert and author of The Secret Language of Work.
“There are certain skills AI will never be able to replace,” she says.
When employers focus too exclusively on developing employees’ AI or digital skills, they may be missing out on opportunities to help them hone the classic skill sets that AI can’t replicate.
“Interpersonal communication, conflict mitigation—understanding the difference between unhealthy and healthy conflict—how to actually learn in the first place,” McGoff says. This latter skill will be particularly critical as employees are asked to take on the “cognitive labor” of learning and re-learning continuously evolving technologies like AI.
“Some employers are treating employees like micro-consultants, telling them to figure out how to use AI but not paying them any more for it. That’s an additional load,” McGoff says, “and they need to be armed with the ability to learn.”
Working alongside AI also means employees need to continuously hone their judgement and critical thinking skills. New research from Harvard Business School suggests that AI is “most effective” when paired with human oversight, which will be particularly relevant for leaders.
“AI is not a replacement for judgment,” says HBS Professor Karim Lakhani. “Knowing where to apply it, and where not to, is now a critical leadership skill.”
Alongside judgment in ambiguous situations, the HBS study cited the other most important human skills organizations must continue to cultivate: emotional intelligence and human connection, active listening and meaning-making, and creativity and the ability to challenge assumptions.
Ultimately, despite the influence of AI, “work is human,” author and leadership expert Simon Sinek recently said at Phenom’s user conference, emphasizing that organizations need to prioritize opportunities for employees to learn innately human skills.
“How to have difficult conversations, how to give feedback and receive feedback, how to develop the skills for leadership,” he says. “Tech happens around us, but I guarantee you that it’ll be the organizations that double-down on humans that will not only outlast the others, but that will thrive for the long term.”
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