TRICIA PHILLIPS

Young people believe exceptional social skills will be the key to success in this technological age, a new study reveals.

Graduates aged 24 to 27 from 54 countries, who are just entering the current volatile and uncertain workplace where technology is set to make many traditional roles redundant, were asked about how they see their future careers.

Rather than having a bleak vision, they see this as a fresh opportunity to get ahead if they can develop the right approach and skills, research from CEMS, the Global Alliance in Management Education, found.

Over half consider social skills and the ability to manage people as essential. More than nine out of 10 think new tech will have a positive impact on businesses.

Roland Siegers, executive director of CEMS, said: “Technological disruption is clearly at the forefront of the minds of the business leaders of the future. But the human touch will be more important than ever in the workplace.”

Salaries for secretaries are soaring with the average hitting £45,508, up 7.5% from last year’s £42,342. More than half of those surveyed by specialist job site Secsinthecity.co.uk had received a pay rise this year.

Meanwhile, bosses seem to at last be valuing and recognising the vital role these support professionals carry out in their businesses as the numbers of PAs who got a bonus has shot up from two-fifths to three-fifths.

And the level of bonuses has risen too with half receiving between 1% to 2% more. Almost a third got an increase of 3% to 5% and a lucky one in 10 got a 13% boost to their bonus.