Upskilling towards automation: a conversation with the experts

Abstract

Purpose

This paper conducts empirical research to assess the new skillsets employees require in order to remain competitive in the age of automation.

Design/methodology/approach

Research is conducted through focus groups leveraging semi-structured interviews. Participants were selected via convenience sampling from UK-based consulting agencies operating in the public and private sectors.

Findings

The findings suggest that organizations are looking to upskill employees in 5 key skill blocks: Humanistic, Process engineering, Automation technologies, Self-leadership and Data driven. The findings also suggest that employee orientation towards these skill blocks will be critical for positive work opportunities in future.

Originality/value

This paper builds on the author’s previous work to produce a conceptual skills framework which can be used by organizations as a blueprint for upskilling their employees in a period of unprecedented technological advancement.

Citation

Murphy, L. (2024), "Upskilling towards automation: a conversation with the experts", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/DLO-12-2023-0258