Every conversation about the future of work seems to circle back to the same question: What skills will matter most?‍

We hear a lot about emotional intelligence, adaptability, collaboration, and other human-centered capabilities. And we should! These skills are increasingly essential as workplaces become more complex and interconnected.

But there’s a missing piece in the conversation: AI literacy and technical fluency.

In today’s rapidly evolving environment, it’s not enough to focus on soft skills or technical skills. Teams need strength in both, and organizations must intentionally build cultures that support this dual capability.

Why We Need a More Balanced Conversation About Skills

There’s been an understandable push toward emphasizing human skills. With AI automating tasks and reshaping roles, leaders want their teams to excel in the uniquely human strengths machines can’t replicate: empathy, creativity, judgment, problem-solving.

But when soft skills are positioned as “the most important,” they’re often viewed as separate from or more essential than technical skills.

Soft skills help us stay human. Technical skills keep us relevant. The future requires both.

What the Future of Jobs Data Tells Us

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report highlights a clear trend: The workforce of 2030 will require hybrid skillsets, deeply human and deeply technical.

1. Human Skills Rising in Importance: Cognitive skills, self-efficacy and working with others
2. Technical Skills Rising in Importance: AI, Big Data, cybersecurity, networking, and tech literacy.

The most competitive teams and cultures will be built at the intersection of human and technological strength.

How This Impacts Teams and Culture

Future-ready organizations don’t choose between soft and technical skills. They design cultures that develop and celebrate both.

This looks like:

• Encouraging teams to practice adaptability, communication, and critical thinking
• Up-skilling employees in AI literacy and emerging technologies
• Ensuring psychological safety so people feel comfortable learning, experimenting, and asking questions
• Providing hands-on training, workshops, and coaching to build cross-functional capability
• Creating an environment where continuous learning is the norm, not an initiative

What Teams Should Focus on Now

To prepare your workforce for the future, consider focusing on two core development tracks:

1. Strengthen Human-Centered Capabilities
   
   • Emotional intelligence
   • Self-Awareness
   • Agility
   • Communication & collaboration
2. Build Technical and AI Fluency
   
   • Understanding AI concepts and tools
   • Comfort with data-driven insights
   • Digital literacy across roles

Final Thoughts

The future of work isn’t human versus technology. It’s human with technology. Organizations that over-index on soft skills or technical skills risk building teams that are strong in one dimension but unprepared for what’s coming next. The future belongs to organizations and teams that can do both.