The world of work continues to change every day, at a rapid pace, forcing employees and their managers to adapt. In addition to technical skills (know-how), they need to acquire and maintain appropriate behaviour, professional interpersonal skills, cross-disciplinary skills... also known as soft skills. So what soft skills will be essential in 2025? Rémy Jourdan, a certified coach and trainer specialising in personal development, management and interpersonal communication, explores the world of work and presents the soft skills that are most in demand.
In our increasingly fast-paced VUCA society, In an immediate, complex and uncertain world, it's important to think ahead. There are several major trends emerging in 2025 that will influence the way you work.
What is a VUCA company?
V
Volatility
Volatility
U
Uncertainty
Uncertainty
C
Complexity
Complexity
A
Ambiguity
Ambiguity
It is a society characterised by an unstable environment. The term was popularised in the 1990s by the US military to describe the geopolitical situation after the Cold War. It is now widely used in the field of management and leadership to characterise dynamic and changing environments.
1/ ICT, AI and collaborative approaches
Digital applications and platforms, e-learning, big data, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, cybersecurity... The explosion in artificial intelligence and automation continues to transform our professions. This is pushing workers to focus on more creative activities with higher added value. According to the World Economic Forum, 85 million jobs will be replaced by automation by the end of 2025. But 97 million new roles will emerge, requiring greater human and technological skills.
Teleworking and hybrid working, combining remote working with presence in the office, are no longer experimental but fully integrated into the business world. All the more so since videoconferencing and collaborative tools are becoming more and more numerous and powerful. For example: Slack, Teams, Trello, Asana, Klaxoon, Dropbox, Discord.
What are the right soft skills?
A McKinsey study (June 2023) indicates that 75 % of businesses have adopted at least one digital technology at an accelerated rate since the pandemic, and 65 % of employees use collaborative tools on a daily basis. In addition to the obvious need to be open-minded towards this ever more pervasive technology, people at work must demonstrateadaptability, or managing stress that technological invasion can generate.
At Unilever, for example, employees benefit from the flexibility of hybrid working, but spend at least 40 % of their time in the office to encourage collaboration and creativity.
With teams that are often geographically dispersed and new ways of working together, they also need to have a clear idea of how they are working. interpersonal communication performance. These include: communication in a virtual environment, active listening, assertiveness, interculturality and conflict management.
Managers must be compatible technologies to set an example and be in harmony with the millenials. More generally, they have to develop a intergenerational management and above all to managing change (the only thing that doesn't change is the change itself!)
Testimonial
"In our technology company, virtual communication has become our main working tool. The challenge is to ensure that everyone feels included and heard, even at a distance. The skills of active listening and assertiveness have become essential to maintain team cohesion." - Head of HR at a software company
Imagine a project manager working on a digital product with teams scattered around the world. The success of the project depends on his ability to communicate effectively via videoconferencing, to actively listen to the concerns of team members and to resolve conflicts remotely, taking account of cultural differences.
Training
What techniques?
- Cognitive approach: limiting beliefs, injunctions, etc.
- Emotional approach: empathy, positive anchoring, etc.
- Body approach: breathing, relaxation, etc.
Behavioural approach: conflict management...
Training
Developing authentic and constructive interpersonal communication
The ORVIEC approach in 6 stages
1) Observe and describe the situation
2) Reformulate comments or criticisms
3) Verbalising feelings and attitudes
4) Identify and express your needs
5) Make your request clear. Make sure it is feasible, concrete, precise and positively worded.
6) Conclude in a positive and friendly manner
Training
Integrating and managing Generation Z
Case study: based on a given scenario, identify innovative solutions integration of generation Z.
- Role-playing: managing transgenerational conflicts effectively
Group debriefing
2/ Continuous learning
This profusion of digital tools does not come without a corollary: they need to be mastered and kept up to date. And that obviously means training! The rapid pace of technological change and collaborative working methods will require workers to adopt an attitude of continuous learning. McKinsey points out that half of the skills that will be essential in 2024 will no longer be relevant this year. Training organisations and e-learning platforms are not about to disappear. According to a LinkedIn Learning survey in 2023, 94 % of employees say they would stay longer with a company if it invested in their career development. And according to Deloitte, the average lifespan of skills is now around 5 years!
More than ever, employees and managers need to see training as a permanent and ongoing process. Some will even have to "learn how to learn".
What are the appropriate soft skills?
A number of themes are already unavoidable: the problem solvingthe analytical thinking or the project management. Analytical thinking is the ability to analyse complex information in a logical and methodical way.
Examples
A data analyst must constantly keep abreast of new analysis methodologies and data visualisation tools. For example, they regularly take part in webinars or follow online courses, such as MOOCs, on platforms like Coursera or DataCamp to perfect their skills.
A product manager in a tech start-up must learn to agile management of several simultaneous projects. This means mastering management tools such as Trello, but also learning to prioritise tasks according to strategic objectives.
Training
Project management, the fundamentals
How do you define the content of a project?
Implement project documentation management rules
Anticipating demand management: feasibility, project framework, specifications, etc.
Identify deliverables: final product, service to be provided or intermediate result
Defining the scope of the project
Draw up the project management plan and consider various alternatives
3/ CSR, environment and sustainable development
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is also a priority. Consumers no longer leave it up to companies, which are judged on their environmental and social impact. According to a Deloitte survey (July 2024), almost 70 % of consumers prefer to buy from companies with a positive social and environmental impact. These companies therefore seek to reduce their carbon footprint, promote sustainable practices and support green projects.
BMW, for example, is now using platforms such as metavers to create digital twins to improve production processes and reduce carbon emissions through simulation.
In addition, 60 % of Fortune 500 companies have set clear and measurable sustainability targets for 2025.
Offices and workspaces are being designed to be greener, with infrastructures that promote energy efficiency and employee well-being. At the same time, companies are placing greater emphasis on diversity and inclusion, seeking to create work environments that are fair and representative of society. They are also focusing on the mental health and well-being of their employees, promoting work/life balance.
What soft skills?
81 % of consumers worldwide believe that companies should actively contribute to improving the environment (Nielsen study). Employees need to be aware of sustainability issues and adopt a proactive approach. ethical behaviour.
Example
In the fashion sector, a CSR manager can initiate sustainable sourcing practices and encourage the use of recycled materials. Patagonia has set up a "Worn Wear" programme encouraging its customers and employees to repair, reuse or recycle their clothing.
Workers must also be able to contribute to ecological initiatives, while at the same time being protected. Skills in stress management and in resilience are essential. At the same time, the freelancingoutsourcing and gig economy (the gig economy) are on the rise, offering more options for self-employment but also greater job insecurity. This can have a detrimental effect on well-being at work, and a veritable quality of life and working conditions policy (QLWC) must be implemented by management.
Example
A manager in a large gig economy company not only has to motivate freelance workers to manage the ups and downs of their jobs, but also develop internal policies to mitigate the impact of stress and improve mental well-being.
Testimonial
"In the automotive industry, the transition to greener production is crucial. We are focusing on training employees in sustainable thinking and change management to integrate these new practices." - Sustainability Director of a major automotive brand
Training
Improving quality of life and working conditions
How do you carry out a QHCT diagnosis in your company?
- Take stock of actions already implemented
- Set up a process to collect the expectations expressed by employees
- Identify areas for improvement and link them together coherently
4/ Organisation of work
This is a key area because it is by far the most demanding. 67 % of employees want more flexibility at work (PwC survey, 2023). Flexible working hours and workplaces are becoming the norm, enabling employees to better reconcile their professional and personal lives. This requires greater autonomy and time management skills. They need to be creative thinkers, able to analyse situations, think about them differently and come up with innovative solutions. This applies to the design of new products, offerings and services, but also to the ability to question internal systems and processes. In this respect, managers are obviously the category most concerned.
Projects are increasingly led by multidisciplinary teams, made up of colleagues with different expertise, cultures and generations (X, Y, Z and alpha).
Project-based management, which is more cross-functional than hierarchical, is challenging managers and finally doing away with the "little bosses" and other micro-managers. They need to work on their leadership skills and strategic vision in order to inspire and motivate, organise collective intelligence and support change. Only 6 % of companies say they are satisfied with their current work strategy. Around 78 % of them are redesigning their work model to enable their employees to flourish, by adapting business processes and reimagining work itself.
Example
At FamilyMart, a chain of shops in Japan, the use of remote-controlled robots means that employees can work from anywhere.
What soft skills?
Against this backdrop of structural changes in the way work is organised, employees are demonstrating a greater willingness to adapt.autonomyimprove their personal effectiveness and their time management. A teleworking employee has to plan his day by juggling virtual meetings and individual tasks. Using techniques such as the Pomodoro method or the Eisenhower matrix can greatly improve efficiency.
The workers are showing open to changeready to adopt new methods, technologies or ideas, are developing their creative thinking. In a marketing agency, creative staff are encouraged to challenge conventional wisdom and come up with innovative concepts for advertising campaigns, often inspired by emerging trends on social networks.
All these collaborative changes requireadaptability and can generate opportunities for conflict, which must be managed (communication, assertiveness, collaboration and team work...).
In the final analysis, you need to show a great deal of determination.emotional intelligenceThis is the ability to understand, use and manage one's own emotions in a positive way. To create harmonious working environments, communicate effectively and defuse conflict.
Autonomy | Professional effectiveness | Management of time |
Creativity | Adaptability | Assertiveness |
Communication | Working in a team | Emotional intelligence |
Training
Managing your time to be more efficient
2 tools for prioritising tasks :
- The Eisenhower matrix for categorising tasks according to their degree of urgency and importance
The structured checklist: tasks, priorities, deadlines and duration
Training
Getting to grips with the creative toolbox
- Divergence techniques: brainstorming, wishes...
- Crushing or SCAMPER...
Convergence tools: selecting ideas
Training
Assertiveness and assertiveness
Know how to say no
- Expressing a refusal clearly
- Explaining without justifying
- Favour a win-win approach by negotiating or proposing an alternative if necessary
DESC method
Today, more than ever before, people at work are techno-friendly to deal with the impact of automation on business processes. It is also creative to stand out from the capabilities of the machines, flexible and adaptable to cope with a world of work that is increasingly complex, uncertain and undergoing almost constant reorganisation. It is autonomous and skilled in time management. He has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to thecontinuous learning and skills development, looks after its communication and is developing its emotional intelligence. Sa creative thinking is the ideal complement to its analytical thinking For manage projects and solve problems. He has a conscience ethics and societal issues, and knows how to take care of himself using meditation and meditation methods. stress management.
Now more than ever, the manager is a key factor in the success of a company. leader : decision-making in a VUCA environment, creativity to inspire, team motivation to inspire action, intergenerational management to federate and care to look after your employees...
The good news is that you've already mastered most of these soft skills, and all the others are accessible through training!
