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, which involved 18,000 people from 15 countries, identified 56 foundational skills that will benefit all citizens, regardless of their occupation or sector.
These skills, known as Deltas, fall into four broad categories: cognitive, digital, interpersonal, and self-leadership. They include skills such as communication, mental flexibility, and adaptability, as well as attitudes like humility and coping with uncertainty.
The research found that higher proficiency in these Deltas is already associated with higher employment rates, incomes, and job satisfaction. In fact, respondents with higher Delta proficiencies were more likely to be employed, earn higher incomes, and have higher job satisfaction.
Interestingly, the study also found that a higher level of education is not always associated with higher proficiency in all Deltas. For example, respondents with more education were associated with lower proficiency in 'humility', a self-leadership Delta.
The findings suggest that governments could consider reviewing and updating curricula to focus more strongly on the Deltas, particularly in the areas of self-leadership and interpersonal skills. Additionally, the study recommends that adult-training systems be reformed to raise proficiency in the Deltas, as the majority of respondents were no longer in national education systems.
