Keen observers of global trends say how we live and work have changed because technology is flattening the world and making it a matter of urgency to develop skills that put the economic destiny of individuals back into their own hands.
Let us put this into context. At different times in human history, various actors held sway and represented unique stages in the process of globalisation, which is flattening the world.
Phase one lasted until 1800, when the world was run by states. Then, between 1800 and 2000, phase two saw the rise of multinational corporations. The third phase of globalisation, in place since the year 2000 and continuing into the foreseeable future, is distinguished by individuals seeking to take control of their economic destiny. A gig economy is born and calls for new skills set, which include:
Critical thinking and logic
In order to keep up with a changing marketplace, gig workers need to learn how to ask better questions. Nigeria’s current education system is traditionally all about getting the right answer, rather than the process of experimentation and what that teaches the students. A gig worker needs to become comfortable with uncertainty.
A class on critical thinking or logic will provide the basis for thinking about problems in a different way. Gig workers need to be able to ask the right questions, and develop different ways to view data, issues, and solutions.
Human resources
While gig workers are independent contractors, they need to understand what a company needs from someone they hire, and few students come out of school with an understanding of what it takes to be a good employee.
In the gig economy, you need to know what a good employee looks like, and be able to emulate those traits to be successful in your career.
Classes in human resources, team building, and hiring will offer exposure to the insights that can help you become a preferred contractor.
Finance
Gig workers need to understand finance and taxes. They also need to create financial flexibility, and be able to look at monthly capital and revenue statements to determine if they are profitable or not.
You need to understand your personal burn rate, which is about cash flow management.
Marketing and communication
No matter what their core skill set or area of expertise might be; freelancers or gig workers need to be able to understand the needs of the customers and communicate with them in a compelling way. You cannot just focus on being good at delivering your core product or service. You also have to be in charge of sales, branding, marketing, and new product development. Classes in marketing or communication will help you convey your value, and build relationships with your clients.
In addition to the growing gig economy, boardrooms are ageing and a new workforce is emerging comprising people born between 1980 – 2000, who are known for their gipsy-like tendencies of wanting to be constantly in motion, changing positions and companies.
Experts suggest the average age of the youngest boardroom of a medium to big size company is 48 years. Otherwise, the average age of boardrooms in big Nigerian companies is about 60 years old. What this points to is the need for many companies to refresh its workforce by injecting some new blood, which abound, into the mix.
“An ageing workforce calls for succession planning amid technological and digital transformations, which are changing the way we live and work” Ben Afudego, West Africa advisory leader at Ernst and Young (EY), said at the inaugural human resource directors breakfast meant to find solutions to contemporary Nigerian talent management challenges.
The EY human resource directors’ breakfast themed “Workforce disruption: creating a better world working world” strove to drive home the global understanding that businesses are now about teams that are diverse, collaborative and global. And the workplace place of tomorrow will seamlessly integrate technology, nature and design. To achieve these, millennials have a great role to play.
“New key performance indicators (KPIs) would be needed to capture the new trends at the workplace. The workplace of the future begins now” Afudego said.
In the United States, 25 percent of workers already belong to millennial generation, while in India that percentage has already doubled. In fact, it is expected that by the year 2020, 50 percent of the global workforce will be in the hands of millennials.
In addition to being more numerous, millennials will also be more valuable and the generation will work long to support a significantly larger generation as life expectancy increases.
However, with the radical changes happening new skills sets are needed to stay relevant. Here are the most critical skillsets.
STEPHEN ONYEKWELU
