Critical Thinking Skills for the Future of Work

Critical thinking skills are mental processes we use to analyse facts to form a judgement. These thinking skills include problem solving, decision making, objective analysis, categorisation of information, and much more. We need these skills to think critically in the workplace and make impactful decisions. Yet, as the modern workplace constantly changes, we must find new ways to adapt our critical thinking skills.

A person with critical thinking skills can come up with innovative ideas and solutions to complex problems using logic and reason. Someone with critical thinking skills will observe a situation, list the pros and cons, and then discern the best solution. In the future workplace, people with these skills will be important for dividing teams and tasks between humans and machines.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is unfolding before us. Those looking to future-proof their businesses should start preparing for the future of work now. In as few as five years, many of the skills we think are critical for the workforce may change or evolve with the fast-paced technological innovations.

Creative Interpretation

With automation taking over many administrative tasks, humans will be given the freedom to focus on enhancing their creative instincts. For instance, creative interpretation in web design is becoming fundamental to the UX design process. New products, technologies, and ways of thinking will be paramount in the future of work. So it’s important to have creative minds that aren’t afraid to push boundaries and step outside of their comfort zone.

Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the awareness, control, and expression of one’s own emotions. It’s also the keen awareness of the emotions of others. People with high emotional intelligence have integrity, empathy, and collaborative abilities that make them an asset in any workplace environment.

Active learning

The rapid advancement of technology requires minds that are adaptable. People with a growth mindset understand the need to adapt and learn along with the new technological changes to achieve goals for a business and realise the best uses of technology. Active learners also grow from mistakes and are always in search of new solutions and knowledge.

Decision-making

Decision-making skills are always important in business, but they’re even more valuable for the future. Machines can process information and glean insights at a much greater rate and volume than humans, but it takes the human mind to realise the broad implications that business decisions may have on other aspects of the business.

Diversity and cultural awareness

Workplaces are becoming more diverse, and the possibilities opened up by new technologies will create even more diversified workplaces in the future. All employees require diversity skills and cultural intelligence, but it’s even more valuable for a leader to understand, respect, and work harmoniously with people of different races, cultures, ages, genders, languages, or sexual orientations. Adapting to others with different perceptions of the world has the potential to improve not only the teamwork within the company but also the ideas that drive new products or services.

Critical thinking skills and advancements

New technology is changing the future of work with unprecedented speed and intensity. This drives the reinvention of our lives, workplace, and economy. Advances in robots, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning push the frontier of what machines can do.

The speed and advancement of technology in the future workplace will require a lot of new skills and capabilities, but the most valuable is the ability to embrace change. Leaders’ minds must be flexible and adaptable to shifts in the workplace, employee skill sets, and expectations in order to innovate.