The construction worker of tomorrow will need greater data and risk analysis skills and be able to think more strategically.
Fearlessness, compassion and the ability to innovate will also become more important characteristics in the future.
That’s according to a YouGov study commissioned by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) to find out how the skills and characteristics required from construction workers will change over the next 15 years.
YouGov spoke to senior decision makers across the industry and found that certain attributes are important both now and in the future. They include the ability to communicate (which 81% of those surveyed found important today compared to 75% in 2033) and problem-solving (82%/72%), being adaptable (82%/72%) and being proactive (63%/61%).
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But other skills will accelerate in importance. They include being a data analyser (28%/51%), risk analysis (34%/46%) and strategic thinking (46%/52%) along with characteristics such as fearlessness (12%/20%), compassion (25%/29%) and being innovative (48%/52%).
Meanwhile, managers in the construction industry reported that others would be less favourably looked upon as the rise of artificial intelligence and flexible working lead to fewer employees being needed in the workplace. Working well in a team (80%/68%) and listening (76%/66%) were among skills that are seen as holding diminished importance in fifteen years from now, while motivation (78%/72%), and being productive (78%/65%) were among characteristics that will be moved away from in tomorrow’s business world.
Mark Farrar, chief executive, AAT said: “If the decision makers we spoke to prove correct, then employees will need to better develop their data analysis skills over the coming years if they wish to charm their potential future workplace’s recruiters.
“The rise in importance of skills such as being a consultant and strategic thinking shouldn’t come as a huge surprise when we look at recent office evolution. When computers accelerated in use in the workplace for example, many people thought that this would lead to the decline of accountants and bookkeepers. However, automation has removed more mundane manual tasks, freeing them up to concentrate on the more interesting and added value areas of accountancy such as the production of management information and trend analysis.”
