FUTURE PROOF YOUR CAREER WITH HYBRID SKILLS
These days, employers are no longer satisfied with hiring workers who’re only good at one thing
If you’re always surrounded by people, for example, she suggests wearing headphones or working at night when people are asleep.
at may not be ideal, but it may be your only chance of nding quiet time. ‘We’re also not in a hard lockdown anymore, so working somewhere else is an option. You can nd a lobby, go to a friend’s place or use a desk in a co-working environment. Why not have an honest conversation with your boss about nding a space in which you can work?
‘Be intentional about maintaining a work-life balance. Don’t carry on working because you can, instead, make it a habit to take mini-breaks,’ she says.
You may also be feeling isolated if you’re working from home. How do you stay connected to your colleagues? ‘One of my clients has just started a company called Team Pause, helping teams to take pauses on a physical and mental level, and connecting through yoga and mindfulness. I’d highly recommend it.’
Brandt also encourages taking time to ask your colleagues how they’re doing before or a er a meeting. ‘When I run a team, I check in with its members at least once a week. at’s lost at the moment, but I cannot stress enough how important it is to take the time.’ She also cautions that when a team loses connection and no longer communicates, it can erode trust.
ere also needs to be a balance between introversion and extroversion. Naturally,
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COMPANIES ARE LOOKING for professionals who have specialised skills in multiple areas to ll so-called hybrid jobs. Some of these jobs are new, some are new versions of existing ones, but they all pose di erent challenges for workers, students, employers and educators. e advantage of hiring a hybrid workforce is that it can adapt to new work environments; however, it raises questions concerning the impact that a hybrid-workforce will have on workplace culture, collaboration, diversity and inclusion. e organisations that’ll thrive will be those that identify, recruit and retain the skills they need to compete and develop learning cultures that ensure their teams have the agility and speed to adapt. GQ answers your most pressing questions.
More than any other factor, advances in technology – from the increasing reliance of companies on big data to the emergence of the internet of things – are helping fuel the demand for hybrid jobs. As business and technology become increasingly intertwined, professionals will be needed to apply technology to create new value and insights for businesses.
e real drivers of hybridisation are ‘disruptive’ skills you can apply across multiple elds. Coding is a good example: graphic designers create content in HTML code. Marketers and salespeople need basic SQL skills to operate databases. Entire new categories of jobs are being created, such as UI/UX designers, who work on creating technological interfaces people can use. Disruptive skills aren’t necessarily new ones, and while we need technical skills for previously non-technical jobs, there’s also been an increase in the demand for business skills in jobs that were once purely technical. Management skills, in particular, are becoming crucial in IT. e biggest challenge the hybrid job economy poses, for employers, workers and educators alike, is that few of these roles are entry level positions. ese jobs tend to be more specialised, and more likely to require higher-order thinking. On the positive side, the gap between a hybrid and non-hybrid job may only be a few training sessions away.
As hybrid jobs emerge, businesses o en turn to current employees
rst to ll these positions.
A strong desire to learn and willingness to embrace change are traits that’ll serve you well when looking to expand your skillset. e internet has also made it easy to learn new skills for the workplace – online courses can help without you having to take a big career detour.
Another way to build skills for hybrid jobs (especially if you’re an experienced professional with in-demand expertise) is through project and consulting work. Exposure to new projects at di erent companies pushes you to grow. Even if your current position doesn’t call for a combined set of skills, chances are it will in the future. Embracing the idea of becoming a multifaceted specialist early on in your career, and committing to continually improving your abilities, can help you succeed in the world of hybrid jobs.
Creating a culture of learning will be critical for companies who want to adapt their workforce’s skills to the dynamic changes emerging technologies bring to the working world.