This archive report was first published on 18 July 2021.
Published on July 18, 2021, research by the McKinsey Global Institute has shed light on the skills citizens will need in the future of work.
The study identified a set of 56 foundational skills, known as Deltas, which will benefit all citizens. These skills are a mix of skills and attitudes that will become increasingly important in the future.
The research found that higher proficiency in these Deltas is already associated with a higher likelihood of employment, higher incomes, and job satisfaction.
According to the study, the Deltas can be categorized into four broad skill groups: cognitive, digital, interpersonal, and self-leadership. Within these categories, there are 13 separate skill groups, including communication and mental flexibility, teamwork effectiveness, and adaptability.
The study also found that proficiency in the Deltas is linked to education, with survey participants with a university degree having higher average Delta proficiency scores than those without.
However, the study also found that a higher level of education is not associated with higher proficiency in all Deltas. For some Deltas, more education was associated with lower proficiency, such as 'humility'.
The study's findings suggest that governments may wish to take three actions to help shape education and adult training:
- Reform education systems to focus more strongly on the Deltas.
- Reform adult-training systems to raise proficiency in the Deltas.
- Develop continuous adult training programs to help workers develop the skills they need to succeed in the future of work.
