Flexible Skills Rule – Says Employers

Transferable or flexible skills are the key attributes job applicants should be demonstrating in the current economic climate, according to research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in the UK.

In order to stand out from the crowd, job-seekers should develop a flexible mindset and be able to demonstrate to potential employers transferable skills, the research found.

The online poll of more than 100 HR professionals also drew on results from the quarterly employee outlook survey of more than 3000 employees.

Other key marketable skills for job-seekers were “business acumen” with one-fifth of HR professionals believing it to be the most important attribute. One-tenth identified “demonstrating a fit with the culture and values of the organisation” as key.

Similarly, in the employee survey, “a fit with the culture and values of organisation” ranked joint first (with 47 per cent agreeing) and “interpersonal skills” was third (35 per cent). So what does this tell us where the world of work is heading? Simply put, we believe it signifies a continuing move away from traditional management practices – including rigid job descriptions, generic competency standards that don’t link to current strategy, and a need for employees to be adaptable and ready to embrace change.   Organisations need to respond quickly or risk being left behind in the new global economy. Responses should include building a values-based culture where employees are guided to behave and interact in constructive ways.  The culture also needs to be ‘fit-for-purpose’ where the culture matches and serves the vision and strategic goals, both in the short-term and long-term.  Finally, exposing employees to quality development opportunities that instil requisite skills along the lines of our Seven Spheres of Leadership Mastery:

• Managing and leading change – learning, transition and adaptive challenges
• Action-Orientated – potential, alignment and coaching
• Synergy – able to build high performance teams and relationships
• Truth – connected to our own sense of purpose, values and core strengths
• Engage – able to create a compelling vision and inspire others to action
• Resilience – able to manage one’s energy and function at high levels in a rapidly-changing environment
• You – authenticity, influence and value-creation

By focusing on these proven key strategies, leaders, teams and organisations can establish a platform for success and build long-term capability.

The Leadership Sphere is the trusted business partner to many of Australia’s largest and most respected companies across a range of industries. We specialise in Leadership Development, Corporate Team Development and Culture Change. 

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