Do You Have “The Most In-Demand Job Skill Of 2021”? — TECH AND WORK Newsletter #8

Quick shoutout to Todd Nagle, Stephanie Horstkoetter, Kristina Javier (Cisnero), Mike Schwarz, Rich Harris and the 15,979 people who answered my latest TECH AND WORK poll about the ideal balance between remote and in-office work. In case you’re wondering, 9% of people want to go into the office every day, 51% once or twice a week, 28% once or twice a month, and 13% prefer being fully remote. 

Thought Of The Week — Manage thyself 

If you haven’t checked it out, the World Economic Forum’s new Future of Jobs Report is chockablock with research and insights on where work is headed. One takeaway in particular really opened my eyes. 

In each report, editors survey HR leaders at top companies to identify the 10 most in-demand skills for the years ahead. This year, for the first time, self-management skills such as active learning, resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility made the list — right up alongside more familiar things like critical thinking, problem solving and creativity.  

That makes a lot of sense, of course. Overnight, the way we work has changed. In a remote-work context, self-motivation, self-discipline and self-direction are suddenly paramount. There are no more managers looking over our shoulders. There is no time clock to punch. We are, in many respects, our own bosses. 

But, here’s the critical thing, that doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Self-management is a skill set that needs to be learned, and even brilliant, capable people struggle with this. Now, more than ever before, we’ve got to figure out how to manage and motivate the most challenging of people: ourselves.

Flash poll: How effective are you at “managing yourself” in a remote-work context (goal setting, time management, meeting deadlines, getting things done, etc.)? Click here to vote on LinkedIn.   

So how do we uplevel these skills? To me, the answer starts with embracing the idea of “hustle” — a value very close to my heart. At its core, hustle is about finding a way. It’s understanding that the buck stops with you. This could mean buckling down, or getting creative, or thinking laterally … but you find a way. 

I learned this from a young age as an entrepreneur and have always been a big proponent of bringing this value inside companies, as I did at Hootsuite. All signs indicate that it’s only going to be more important in the years ahead. Another mind-blower in the Future of Jobs report: as the "double-disruption" of the pandemic and increasing automation takes hold, 50% of all workers will need to reskill in the next five years. 

To put it another way, things will never move as slowly as they are today. Being adaptable — and knowing how to pilot our own evolution — is the only way forward. In that sense, the crisis isn’t an aberration. It’s a sign of things to come.  

Articles Worth Skimming

Should we have a “right” to remote work? This whole work-from-home thing has some decent upsides: no commuting, no noisy colleagues, no dress code. But should it be a “right”? That’s what lawmakers in Germany will soon be debating. A new draft law would give employees the option of working from home when possible. My 2c: a law at this stage in the game is kind of redundant. The economic advantages of remote work mean it will only become more dominant in the years to come, all by itself.   

“Boring old HR” is now your company’s hottest department HR has never been the sexiest department. Before the crisis, AI tools were rapidly automating everything from benefits to recruiting, leaving lots of HR jobs on the chopping block. But the upheavals of remote work have changed all that. HR is now the frontline for keeping remote employees engaged, helping with mental wellness, and even navigating sensitive social and racial issues. Axios offers an in-depth look at why HR, and new HR tools, are now in high demand.   

The work-from-home benefit we want most? Choice I recently surveyed my 1.7 million LinkedIn followers on which remote-work benefits were most important to them. The answer? There is no clear answer. People’s situations are unique. In fact, they always have been. A standard benefit package never really made sense, and definitely doesn’t now. Instead, employers who win the battle for remote talent going forward will be those that embrace and prioritize optionality. I shared these findings, and some practical tips for employers, with Inc. Magazine. 

Feedback From Readers

I got some great responses to my article about the work-from-home benefits employees want most. I wanted to highlight this one: 

Flexibility. No two days are the same, especially for WFH parents who are juggling online schooling for their children. If my company trusts me to get my work done while holding down the fort at home, I want to give my employer the best work that I can. — Daniela Werner, Communications Director at Mississippi Low Income Child Care Initiative

Thanks for making this point, Daniela. What struck me about what you said is the importance of “trust” in the remote-work context. Productivity and surveillance software is ultimately a poor substitute for genuine trust between an employer and employee. And you’re bang on: if you’ve hired right, then extending autonomy and independence to employees ultimately leads to more loyalty and dedication, not less.       

Dad Joke Of The Week

What do you call a dog that can do magic? … wait for it …

A Labracadabrador.

Thanks, everyone. Please reach out with any comments, suggestions or feedback, and tell your colleagues to subscribe here. Until next time!