Transferable Skills = More and Better Job Opportunities
The collective shift to digital workspaces by a diverse range of businesses means that a growing number of jobs require a similar set of skills - and these skills-in-common aren't limited to technical competencies. Anyone who has been working from home over the last few months knows that it requires a lot more than learning how to use Zoom or Microsoft Teams!
Remote working means the workforce of tomorrow needs to have a variety of transferable skills, which can be applied across a broad range of industries.
While the thought of having to learn a host of new skills might seem daunting, the positive side of having skills that apply to various jobs is that it makes it much easier to switch from one career path to the next.
Alison remains committed to helping our 20 million Learners across 195 countries maximise their employability. We've compiled a list of seven of the most valuable transferable skills that you'll need to work from home.
7 Transferable Skills You'll Need to Work From Home
1. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
The ability to problem solve is at the top of hiring managers' lists of in-demand transferable skills. It's now more important than ever that employees can solve problems by themselves and come up with solutions to the complex issues that arise every workday.
2. Commitment to active learning
Adapting to the online workplace means being able to learn on the job. And when that job is being done remotely, then that places the duty to learn entirely on the employee! Active learning will be a crucial transferable skill as more companies prioritise distance working, and employers will seek out employees who are willing and able to learn online.
3. Resilience
Technology will allow employees in tomorrow's workplaces to remain interconnected and continue to work in tandem as in an office space (Zoom!). However, remote working will mean that you won't have the immediate support of colleagues when things get tough. For this reason, resilience is going to be even more critical in future workspaces than it is today and will be a vital transferable skill throughout your whole career.
4. Flexibility
Remote working means you can find yourself with a lot more on your plate than when in the office! Juggling the work-life balance becomes more difficult as "working from home" can become "living at work". Employees who are flexible because of their ability to manage their time effectively will quickly adapt in future workplaces.
5. Managing stress
Whether it's online or offline, the workplace of yesterday or tomorrow, one of the essential skills in every industry is stress management. Employers want to be sure that their employees can cope with the difficulties that arise in any workplace, from issues with coworkers to problems with clients. In a digital workspace where employers can't physically check up on their employees, they're going to want to hire people they can be sure are handling the stress and taking care of themselves.
6. Motivation
One of the biggest questions facing employers when it comes to the digital workplace is how well employees perform in the physical absence of managers? Employees with a proven track record of motivated self-management are the dream employees in the world of online work.
7. Creativity
Great ideas often come from bouncing thoughts off other people, and offices are the perfect environment for that kind of collective chemistry. Working from home, however, is a very different proposition. Individuals with a highly developed sense of creativity who can think on their own two feet will be much sought after in the workplaces of tomorrow.
