Workplace Skills Survey

Balancing human and tech skills

The big picture:

Deloitte’s latest external marketplace survey highlights a possible critical imbalance in corporate learning and development programs. While some companies look to upskill employees in key technologies, the importance of enduring human capabilities like divergent thinking, emotional agility, and resilience is often overlooked.

The imbalance:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) and tech focus: The excitement around AI has led to a strong emphasis on technological proficiency.
• Neglect of human skills: Essential human skills are often being overshadowed, even as workers across generations seek more help from their employers to sharpen these skills.

Survey scope:

Participants: 1,000 full-time US professionals.
Focus: Worker perceptions of corporate learning and development programs and the skills they need.

Among the survey findings:

• 87% of workers see human skills like adaptability, leadership, and communications as integral to their career advancement.
• Only 52% think their company values employees with human skills more than those with technical skills.
• 94% of respondents are concerned that future generations will enter the workforce without the necessary human skills.
• Workers want their employers to prioritize teamwork and collaboration (65%), communication (61%), and leadership skills (56%) more than technical skills like AI integration and data analysis (54%).

Key insight:

“Organizations that overemphasize technical training at the expense of enduring human capabilities — like divergent thinking, emotional agility, and resilience — could end up impeding innovation and leaving employees ill-equipped to lead teams, adapt to market opportunities, and fully harness the potential of technology,” said Anthony Stephan, chief learning officer, Deloitte US. “Technical and human skills are symbiotic, which is why leaders should take a ‘Yes AND’ approach — for the investments they make in tech skills, developing an equally exciting and critical human skill experience.”

The bottom line:

Deloitte’s survey underscores the importance of a balanced approach to corporate learning and development, integrating both tech and human skills to prepare employees for future challenges.

Explore more:

Visit Return on You for further insights and perspectives on growth and development.