Skills that can help you wade through the current crisis

The Covid-19 pandemic has triggered a change in every sphere of our lives, and therefore, it is imperative for people to perpetually learn, unlearn, and relearn ways of life and business. It is now more important than ever to fasten our seat-belts and keep the momentum of work going. But the question is how can an individual learn skill sets that were never defined to him or her previously?

The answer is to learn skills that are currently in demand because the way we work will change. It is not only about sitting in office corners or meeting clients over coffee anymore. The post Covid environment is expected to be technical and digitally driven. In this evolving work environment, certain skills are garnering significance. Some sought after skills are:

Soft skills:

Soft skills such as growth mindset, creativity, and focus mastery will be more relevant in the coming days. These skills while helping individuals become resilient to change, helps garner interest in other fields as well. For example, a corporate professional who had earlier never thought about painting, realises he is surprisingly good at it. This in turn helps balance the focus and harness concentration of individuals.

Remote working skills:

Remote working skills such as telecommunication and virtual team management are also useful, as people are now using digital applications to communicate. Since working remotely allows continuity of operations during situations such as the one we are in right now, it is imperative for employees or individuals to upskill in this space.

Tech skills:

With the future of work changing swiftly, job roles are likely to merge. Individuals will need to upskill to stay relevant. Knowledge of Java, Python, Data Science and Machine Learning has always been in demand, and the need to deal with interwoven responsibilities has propelled the narrative of immediately upskilling oneself in these skills. Office work will be automated in the days to come, so the knowledge of technical skills will be a huge factor in shaping one's career.

Apart from optimising the potential of employees, these skills will also help organisations drive growth in their respective sectors. Covid-19 has changed the way we work, and it is up to us, to use this as an opportunity to refurbish our skills, make ourselves ready for the storm to dissipate and accept the new normal.

(The author is MD, Udemy India)