The transformation of employment and the changes in professional profiles, analysed in the Employment Report
22 de January de 2019
22 de January de 2019
Aspects such as the current status of employment, the automation of processes, forecasts and trends for recruitment were the focus of Section 3.1. "The future of work: sustainable and global employability", as part of the third section of the Employment Report, entitled "Snapshot of Employability and Entrepreneurship".
The authors of the research are experts in employability and human resources related to the School, including Pilar Llácer, the Senior Careers Advisor at EAE Business School, and Magalí Riera Roca, the Academic Director for Graduate Programs (EAE Madrid Campus), and Ana García-Arranz, the Director of the Strategic Research Center, as well as professionals from other organizations, such as Juan Manuel Delgado, the Director of Talent & Development for Europe & Southern Africa at BP.
To prepare this diagnostic forecast of employment, EAE's Employment Report used data from studies carried out by the business school within the framework of initiatives such as Talent Week, Recruiting Day, Company Meeting and the Employment Forum: with surveys of 4,700 EAE students from 102 countries with both junior and executive profiles.
The conclusions drawn from the data related to the professional profiles in the highest demand, the new challenges posed by the circular economy (CSR and sustainability) and the main structural changes that companies and their leaders have to introduce. In addition, the Report outlines strategies that enable educational institutions and business schools to personalize the content of their Master programs to adapt to demand that is increasingly changeable.
The jobs that will be transformed
Although the transformation of employment due to automation, Artificial Intelligence and robots is not predicted to reach Spain until 2030 (PwC), it is important to be prepared for the changes that are set to happen over the next few years, with 1 out of every 3 jobs being automated and no longer performed by people. EAE's Employment Report emphasizes that "we have to start talking about the transformation of employment rather than the creation or destruction of jobs".
While it is impossible to know how many jobs are going to be destroyed or created, we have to bear in mind that many of our work processes in Spain will be automated: around 55%. Against this backdrop, professionals have to learn to live with uncertainty and get used to changing job, which they will have to do at least 16 times over the course of their career.
Evolution of employment
The research analyses the nature of the evolution of employment taking the following variables into consideration: functional areas, training and competences in the highest demand, leadership, what makes companies attractive to work for and where to look for talent.
The profiles in the highest demand in the current labour market are those in Marketing and Communication (68%), Commercial and Sales (58.9%), and Finance and Administration (54.1%). Moreover, the forecasts predict a significant rise in positions related to project management, with a trend characterized by adaptation to the current technological scenario (Big Data, Social Media, Artificial Intelligence) in a global, sustainable and circular economy.
In terms of the most sought professionals, graduates of the Bachelor Degree in Business Administration and Management, and Engineering and Technology programs are currently in the highest demand from companies. In this respect, the organization structure is changing, with a shift from the traditional hierarchical organization of departments to the current project-based structure designed to enable a personalized and experiential approach to each customer. This work methodology prioritizes responsiveness and flexibility.
The professionals in the greatest demand are those who make the difference and profiles with different experiences and the capacity for lifelong learning in an increasingly changeable environment. The project-based work methodology requires professionals who can adapt fast to multidisciplinary work teams. Moreover, the traditional distinction between junior and senior profiles is no longer valid. Professionals have to embrace a constant learning process, use social media regularly and strive to become an influencer in their sector.
The most difficult positions to cover are those related to technology. Therefore, "any training discipline has to integrate digital competences". With respect to technological progress, training has to be adapted to companies' needs and re-evaluate traditional education models based on grades and qualifications. Business schools face the challenge of quickly personalising the content of the masters and MBAs and thereby adapting to the demand that is changing at an exponential rate. The Minors methodology is a step in this direction.
Automation or recruitment processes
The Employment Report emphasizes that automation or recruitment processes will not work unless it takes into account a multidisciplinary and ethical team. Moreover, CEOs who are active on social media are required who lead by example with a style that adapts to all the generations that work together in a company. "Only if we place education and lifelong learning at the heart of our strategy will we be able to design a sustainable and ethical future for employment".
Talent attraction
For companies, talent attraction has become a strategic priority and, as such, organizations need a solid structure that develops a value proposition for employees. They also have to be attractive to professionals in terms of the factors that are particularly valued, such as professional career opportunities (72.3%), the company brand (67,48%), market leadership (54.6%) and the company's policy of flexibility and work/life balance (52.37%).
The new professional profile responds well to constant challenges and require transformations in companies to generate open, flexible and digital working atmospheres with a sense of approachable leadership. In this respect, at a company level, the leadership model is one of the aspects undergoing the greatest evolution. The trend has shifted from an authoritarian, hierarchical, distant model, in which there was no place for emotions, to a more approachable, collaborative, adaptive leadership style focused on leading by example.
Check out the Employment Report 2018 HERE