Fourth Industrial Revolution Tech Creates "Soft Skills" Gap with Opportunities for All Genders (Four-Part Series/Article 4/4)

In previous articles, you saw evidence (studies) showing the hidden economic threats of gender pay inequity. This final article builds on your heightened understanding of gender equality (that among other things, it stimulates economic growth and sustainable development) and asks:

1) As businesses embrace Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, how do they create conditions that enable people of all genders to earn credentials and qualifications that help narrow inequities in pay and workplace presence?

2) How do businesses combine tech skills with so-called "soft skills" to enhance customer service?

The traditional definitions of skills which were based on the more technical elements of a job and the level of training required may no longer be adequate to cover the full spectrum of the abilities needed to perform new roles. ("Skills, Competencies, and Gender: Issues for Pay and Training")

Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies themselves may present potential answers to both questions. Companies that integrate these technologies can simultaneously embrace the opportunities they offer to improve customer service and institutionalize diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Hard skills (e.g., understanding and managing Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, DevOps, Blockchain, Virtual Reality, and other emerging technologies) are certainly one of the keys to unlock this door. Combining hard skills proficiency with training in "soft skills" (e.g., leadership, innovation, active listening, teamwork, and cultural awareness, to name a few) can broaden the impact of the former on all aspects of the business (see graphic, courtesy of PWC Digital Pulse).

While we often associate soft skills with on-the-job performance and employee productivity, profit margins have been proven to benefit from skills-based online training. This is why I firmly believe businesses must provide training to employees to help them --and your customers--adapt to and prepare for Fourth Industrial Revolution challenges and opportunities.

The good news is, these skills are teachable and learnable online. MIT Professional Education has designed reskilling and upskilling solutions to help organizations build a culture of continuous education in which their employees get the knowledge and skills they need to leverage Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. 

Responding to worldwide demand for advanced learning, MIT Professional Education recently began offering a nine-month Professional Certificate Program in Digital Transformation (Certificado Profissional em Transforma??o Digital / Certificado Profesional en Transformación Digital) entirely online. The program’s affordability, accessibility, and relatively low weekly commitment of 8-10 hours makes it accessible to and affordable for professional women and men.

Courses offered in Portuguese (Brazil's national language, spoken by more than 250 million people worldwide) and Spanish (spoken by more than 538 million people) include:

• Lideran?a na Inova??o (Leadership and Innovation / Liderazgo en la Innovacion)
• Tranforma??o Digital: Tecnologias e suas aplica??es práticas (Digital Transformation: From AI and IoT to Cloud, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity / Transformación Digital: Tecnologías y sus aplicaciones practices)
• Cultural Awareness: Rela??es interculturais em negócios globais (Cultural Awareness for Global Business / Cultural Awareness: Relaciones Interculturales en Negocios Globales)

MIT Professional Education also addresses corporate education needs and strategic goals through custom educational programs. Courses focus on a technical or scientific topic or combine management and technology fields. International Programs apply research insights that address organizations’ and countries’ real-world challenges while developing productive new networks among employees.

The most direct benefit of soft skills proficiency in the workplace is increased customer satisfaction. Employees are better equipped to actively listen to consumers' needs, identify problems, and collaborate to address and resolve them.

In addition to understanding technical issues, employees with soft skills have more compassion and empathy. For example, a customer calls in with product issues. The call center employee listens patiently to their complaint, asks targeted questions to clarify the problem, and then either resolves the problem or forwards it to the appropriate department.

Bottom line = Trained, motivated staff (regardless of gender) and happy customers.