The 8 psychological skills most valued by companies

The world of work is constantly evolving. As much as we sometimes try, we cannot remain oblivious to these fluctuations and many of their demands for adaptation. For example, identifying the most valued psychological skills and showing a good level of competence in them can give us an advantage over other candidates.

What’s more, something that big technology companies highlight is that Many times we focus excessively on hard skills, and completely neglect the importance of soft skills.. Not everything is science, technology, mathematics or engineering. It is not enough to have several degrees, a doctorate and be a true polyglot.

We need human capital that is skilled, flexible and proactive enough to respond to an increasingly changing and chaotic reality. The latter is so remarkable that companies like Google They launched in 2013 what is known as Oxygen Project . It was a strategy to train future leaders.

Something that that report made evident is that the large universities were not offering the skills that the labor market truly needed… Nowadays, this list of skills has become much more specific and it is still relevant to delve deeper into them. We can get more than one surprise.

The labor market is going to change much more in the coming years and we need much more prepared employees.

These are the psychological skills most valued by companies

It is expected that in 2030 a good part of the labor market will be reformulated. As artificial intelligence automates a large portion of tasks (especially labor), new jobs will be needed. The speed we are experiencing in the field of technological innovation forces us to stay updated.

Our cognitive, social and emotional capacities must be up to these future demands. And indeed, having extensive academic training will not be enough. In fact, Google highlights the need to achieve good socio-emotional learning that allows us to work as a team, solve problems and face everyday difficulties.

Now, a study from the University of Oxford highlights that the so-called soft skills (combination of social, communication, way of being and acting skills) are increasingly valued. It is true that they already fit into many study plans. However, there are still vaguenesses in its conceptualization. Not everything goes.

It is not enough to be assertive or empathetic. When we orient these tools to the work field, we need to tread more finely. Thus, It is necessary to understand the psychological skills most valued by companies. We analyze them.

1. Critical thinking skills

It is the first on the list and the most relevant. Critical thinking at work makes it easier to verify and evaluate the information received. It is an essential cognitive strategy that we must develop from an early age, but it is in adulthood when it becomes essential.

So much so that since World Economic Forum, the assembly that brings together political and business leaders in Davos (Switzerland), considers it the most decisive skill in the world of work. Knowing how to discern what is important from what is accessory in a world dominated by digital, for example, is a basic survival mechanism.

2. Solving complex problems

Faced with a future scenario in which artificial intelligence will dominate a large part of labor tasks, it is the human being who must take responsibility for those domains that are our own. We refer to problem solving and decision making. It is not the job of machines to decide for us.

We need people who identify and know how to predict risks and opportunities. Thus, Companies demand agile minds capable of addressing complex challenges in innovative ways.

3. Communication skills

One of the psychological skills most valued by companies is undoubtedly knowing how to communicate, listen, know how to reach agreements, etc. Expressing ourselves with confidence, resolution, charisma while trying to connect with those around us is an essential soft skill.

4. Mental flexibility

Mental flexibility is the perfect recipe to face changes in a productive way and marking advantages over others. Something as basic as adapting our behaviors and thoughts to changing situations is an essential value in every life and work scenario.

The flexible mind does not get stuck in the face of challenges. She observes them in a curious way, without blocking herself, she is open to new perspectives and is capable of designing ten possible solutions to the same difficulty.

5. Social awareness

What problems or needs does today’s society have? What new tastes and thoughts define a given market? Another of the psychological skills most valued by companies is undoubtedly social awareness.

It is an essential aptitude with which to be figures capable of attuning and understanding the members of any community, environment and specific social context.

6. Resilience

We all have within us a natural ability to be resilient. Being one at work is a stronghold that can give us valuable advantages over others. It defines the ability to adapt and overcome adverse situations.

Few psychological resources are more decisive than be able to face any unexpected incident or problem, being able to learn new skills. This is how we become more capable of facing new twists of fate in the future.

One of the psychological skills most valued by companies is knowing the needs and interests of today’s society.

7. Teamwork

When a company’s human teams work synergistically towards the same objective, everyone benefits. The company itself and also the people. Because anyone who does not have adequate group work skills will suffer from stress and anxiety. It will be that strange element within the machinery of the organization.

Something like this can only be achieved with adequate communication skills, being able to trust others, being empathetic, assertive and being motivated to achieve common goals.

8. Digital fluency

Digital literacy is a tool for the present and, above all, for the future. Now, beyond one’s literacy or knowledge to perform different tasks in a digital environment, there is fluency. What do we mean by it? Well, research work, such as the one carried out at the Institute of Technology and Higher Studies of Monterrey, highlights something relevant.

Digital fluency is knowing how to manage all technological and digital resources in a critical and creative way. Only in this way can an organization be positioned within its own digital culture to become a leader and reference.

To conclude, as we can see in this list, these skills are areas that we can all develop. What’s more, these dimensions will not only allow us to climb positions in the workplace. They are also life tools for well-being.

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