A new survey of Australian business has found communication skills are the most important asset for prospective employees.
A new report, The Future of Talent, by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) found the education system more often than not failed to prepare employees, and prospective employees, for careers in their workplaces.
The paper asked business leaders to identify the attributes they see as very important for the future. Communication skills ranked first with 90 per cent of the vote; problem solving ranked second, while adaptability and agility ranked third.
Geraldine Magarey, Leader of Policy and Thought Leadership at CA ANZ, said the results showed that despite advancements in technology, business leaders see human skills as being more important than ever.
“Communication skills, collaboration and problem-solving are essential human skills, which are extremely difficult to replicate with technology.”
“It’s clear that business leaders believe a human touch is crucial as we increasingly see technological advancements influence the workplace.
“These attributes which rely on well-developed emotional intelligence are needed to make sense of global megatrends and navigate through rapidly changing times.”
Asked: Does the current education system do a good job of preparing people for careers in their organisation, only 42 percent said yes.
“This demonstrates a lack of confidence by organisations in the education sector’s ability to equip the future workforce with the skills they will need,” Magarey said.
“Only two in five employers believe the education system is doing a good job of preparing people for organisations like their own.”
