RPA proponents are fond of saying that automating mundane tasks frees up human capital for more creative pursuits. But, to excel at more creative work could take different skills than current employees possess. A new report from global consultancy Capgemini said automation is resulting in the need for staff with more emotional intelligence (EI).
EI skills such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management will be a key requisite for success in the years to come, the study found. Seventy-four percent of executives polled by Capgemini believe EI will become a “must-have” skill—61 percent said it will become so in the next five years.
“Automation and AI exert a profound impact on the workforce, spreading uncertainty and change, and requiring new skills to deal with this transformation,” the report’s authors concluded. “Emotional intelligence will equip employees and organizations with the skills they need and is fast gaining prominence as a result. Our research shows that organizations will soon require a basic level of emotional intelligence as a necessary qualification even for nonsupervisory roles.”