This particular study—close to my heart—shows the growing need for “modern elders” in the workplace, along with all the experience and wisdom they bring. Between 1960 and 2018, the number of jobs with decision-making components has increased from 6 percent to 34 percent of the total workforce, and almost half of that increase has occurred after 2007.
In a separate study, the same researcher found that the most durable skills—from a labor market perspective—were not advanced technical skills, which tend to become obsolete relatively quickly, but general skills like communication, critical thinking, and teamwork. This same thought pattern aligns with Google’s internal research of their most effective teams, which showed that psychological safety is the most consistent variable amongst high-performing teams. And, of course, this safety is enhanced by having team members who have strong soft skills, hence the growing need for more “modern elders” in our workforce.
And, please, feel free to share this with all the HR leaders you know. And while we’re at it, let’s come up with a better term than “soft skills,” right?!