Your future work skills

FIND AND SECURE YOUR PERFECT JOB

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Introduction
1. Today's workplace 2. Digital skills
3. Hybrid working skills 4. Other skills
5. Next steps

Introduction to 'Your future work skills'

The world of work is changing. From how we work, to what we do and the skills we need.

In fact, by 2030, 70% of the skills in most jobs will change.

LinkedIn Work Change Report Opens in a new tab

Are you starting work for the first time? Returning to a job you love? Looking for a change? Wherever you are in your career, it’s good to know what skills are in demand.

In this lesson, you’ll learn about changes in today’s workplace and the skills you’ll need.

What you'll learn

  • How job roles are changing.  
  • The benefits of digital skills.
  • Skills to support different ways of working.
  • How to build skillsets that will last and work in different roles.

How long it takes

11 minutes

Chapter 1 - Today's workplace

Today's workplace

Chapter 1

How long it takes

2 minutes

How job roles are changing

If you look at job adverts or career sites today, you may notice recruiters talking about the need for new and changing roles.

 

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report found that:

63% of employers

Believe skills gaps are the biggest blocker to their company’s growth.

70% of employers

Plan to hire workers with new skills.

39% of workers' core skills

Will change in the next five years.

So, what are the reasons for these changes?

 

We’ll focus on three:

New technology

Tools like AI (Artificial Intelligence) and robotics change what we do at work.

The growth of hybrid working

We now have more choices on where and when we work.

What today's employers value

The skills and strengths that are most sought after in terms of how we work.

New technology

The growth of online shops is one example of how technology has changed our lives.

Think about the skills you would have needed to work in a shop. This is a very different set of skills from the one you might need to work for a company with an online shop. Retailers today might have just a few high street stores or even none!

This means less staff needed to help people in the store, use tills and create shop window displays. Instead, they’ll need people with skills in web design, social media and online marketing. Some roles may disappear, while new ones are created.

The type of technology we use today is changing, too. Employers are learning more about the benefits of AI and automation. For example, health centres can automate patient record-keeping tasks. Marketing and sales teams can use AI to personalise their adverts and customer emails.

78% of organisations use AI in at least one business area.

McKinsey Opens in a new tab

So, knowing how to use AI tools sounds like a useful skill to have. It’s not the only one, though. Empathy, resilience and creative thinking are still in demand. These human skills can support as our use of digital skills and tools grow.

Remote and hybrid working

Research shows that 44% of UK workers have done some or all of their work from home. This can be a good thing, as it can save time and money on travel.

To work hybrid, you’ll need skills like communication and time management. You’ll also need to rely on technology more. You’ll use it to work with your team, keep in touch with customers and perform day-to-day tasks. So digital skills are key, too. 

Changes in the demand for workers

As the way we work changes, more people are retiring from work. This means there is a demand for new skills and people. Employers need people who can work with rapid changes.

Remember, companies can use automation for some tasks, so they might be looking for people with more human skills automation can’t replace. LinkedIn’s list of Top 10 most in-demand skills shows this. Top of the list was communication. Customer service, teamwork and adaptability all rated highly, too.

Introduction - Your future work skills
Chapter 2 - Digital skills

Digital skills

Chapter 2

How long it takes

5 minutes

What digital skills do I need?

 

Digital skills are part of most workplaces:

92% of employers

Say basic digital skills are important for their workers.

Disconnected (PDF, 942Kb) Opens in a new tab

64%

Say these skills are very important.

Disconnected (PDF, 942 Kb) Opens in a new tab

1 in 4

say most of their workers need advanced digital skills.

Disconnected (PDF, 942Kb) Opens in a new tab

What do we mean by ‘basic digital skills’? The Consumer Digital Index (PDF, 4.1Mb) lists Essential Digital Skills for Work. These are part of the Essential Digital Skills Framework (PDF, 351Kb).

 

They include:

Completing timesheets and holiday requests online.

Opening and checking a digital payslip.

Finding information online to help solve work problems.

Defining ‘advanced’ digital skills is harder. Some of these depend on the role. For example, marketing teams may need Search engine optimisation (SEO), graphic design and data analysis skills.

An employer may also have their own systems that they need teams to use, so this is where it helps to adapt.

Activity

Take a few minutes to think about your own set of digital skills.

Are there any gaps between what you have and what employers need? List any skills you think you need to develop.

How can I grow my digital skills?

Once you know where your skills gaps are, you can start to plan how you’ll fill these. There are many free resources to help you. A good starting point is the Skills Toolkit from the National Careers Service. Here, you’ll find free courses for these skills.

Idea

Curious about coding? The W3schools site has free support.

We’ve talked about using AI tools as a skill in itself. Like any tool, we can learn these by starting to explore and practise using them.

Idea

Try a free AI tool like ChatGPT. You can go to the website or download the app on your mobile device.

Start by asking it for ideas. Try things like asking ‘what can I buy my niece for her birthday?’ ‘write a polite email turning down a job offer’.

If it doesn’t give you what you need, you can add more detail. You might say ‘She’s 9 and loves trains’ or ‘make it less formal’.

Explore different ways to ask. Just like humans, these tools benefit as you give them more to work from.

Chapter 1 - Today's workplace
Chapter 3 - Hybrid working skills

Hybrid working skills

Chapter 3

How long it takes

2 minutes

What skills do I need for hybrid working?

Do you like the idea of hybrid working? It’s not for everyone. There are some key skills that can help you enjoy this kind of work. Plus, the good news is that anyone can learn these skills. 

 

Here are some you'll need:

Time management

Creating a routine and sticking to it. Plus setting clear boundaries between work and home.

Communication

Being proactive, updating others regularly and thinking about the words you use in messages and emails.

Collaboration

Working closely with others and being able to use tools to do this.

Digital skills

Being confident when using software and devices.

Focus

Being able to stay on track with your work and not get distracted by your surroundings.

Organisation

Planning and managing your workload and workspace.

Activity

What remote working skills do you think you need to develop?

Make a list of these now. 

How can I grow my hybrid working skills?

Some of these skills improve with practice.

 

Take time management, for example. We can break this down into different ‘mini-skills’:

  • Planning your workload and deadlines.
  • Prioritising your tasks.
  • Knowing the times of day when you’re most productive.
  • Making sure you don’t take on too many extra tasks.
  • Using tools to keep you on track.
  • Checking and updating your plans regularly.

Idea

Do you think you can improve your time management skills?

Pick one of our mini-skills and practise it every day for the next week.

It’s important to get to know the tools. Many of these can be free, like Zoom, Slack and Google Workspace.

Idea

Pick a tool that you don’t know and find out how to use it. Search online for tips and tutorial videos.

The more tools you get to know, the easier it becomes to learn new ones.

Chapter 2 - Digital skills
Chapter 4 - Other skills

Other skills

Chapter 4

How long it takes

1 minute

What other skills do I need?

In this chapter, we’ll look at two types of skills – core and specific.

Core skills

The Future of Jobs Report  shows the skills employers want their workers to have. These are core skills. They don’t depend on the type or job or work you do.

 

Top-rated core skills include:

  • Analytical thinking
  • Resilience and flexibility
  • Leadership and influencing skills
  • Creative thinking
  • Motivation
  • Digital skills
  • Empathy and active listening

 

Most of these are ‘soft’ or interpersonal skills. Some people have these naturally, while others need to work to develop them.

These skills tend to last a long time. They’re less likely to change or drop in demand. This means they’re useful in any job or role.

Resilience and flexibility are especially important. These can help you cope with the many changes you’re likely to see at work. Being able to embrace these can help you thrive.

Idea

Want to improve your resilience? Try mindfulness, take regular exercise or build your support network.

Role-specific skills

These are the skills that you usually need to train for. They are used for certain types of work. For many of them, keeping up-to-date on the latest rules or techniques is as important as that initial learning.

 

Examples of role-specific skills:

  • Medicine
  • Technology – for example, cyber security.
  • Education
  • Law
  • Construction

Be aware

Have you learnt one of these skills in the past?

You may need to refresh your knowledge to be comfortable with how employers use it now and to pick up future trends.

Chapter 3 - Hybrid working skills
Chapter 5 - Next steps

Next steps

Chapter 5

How long it takes

1 minute

Decide which skills you’ll grow

In this lesson, we’ve looked at some skills that can help your future. It’s good to note down any that you want to develop, if you haven’t already done this.

Not everyone has a clear idea of their future goals and career path. If you know yours, deciding which skills to grow may be easier. If not, our Exploring career options lesson may help.

Work out how you’ll grow your skills

This may depend on how much time you have. Plus, your other commitments and what resources you can access.

 

There are many free learning sources, like:

  • Short video tutorials – For example on YouTube and TikTok.
  • Our Digital Learning Hub – For digital and money management skills, plus other employability lessons.
  • Longer online courses – Look at sites like OpenLearn, Future Learn and Udemy.
  • Articles and news items on industry websites.
  • Workplace skills updates – From jobsites and LinkedIn.

Related learning links

Applying for jobs

View lesson

Creating your CV

View lesson

Prepare for an interview

View lesson

Exploring career options

View lesson

Starting employment

View lesson
Chapter 4 - Other skills

Want to learn more?

There are many more lessons to help you find and secure your perfect job.

Go to this topic Find and secure your perfect job

 

Bank of Scotland Academy is committed to providing information in a way that is accessible and useful for our users. This information, however, is not in any way intended to amount to authority or advice on which reliance should be placed. You should seek professional advice as appropriate and required. Any sites, products or services named in this module are just examples of what's available. Bank of Scotland does not endorse the services they provide. The information in this module was last updated on 21st May 2025.

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