May 14, 2025 • 10 mins
As AI continues to automate simple, more tedious tasks, human skills are becoming foundational to success. In this episode of Work Week, Dr. Gabby Burlacu, Senior Manager of The Upwork Research Institute, explores why soft, human-centric skills like communication and adaptability are a competitive advantage in today’s disruptive workplace. Leveraging research from the Research Institute’s recently released Future Workforce Index, we uncover why skills often labeled as “soft” are least automatable, yet most essential, in an AI-driven world of work. We also share why skilled freelancers are outpacing traditional employees across human-centric competencies. Whether you’re a leader looking to future-proof your workforce or a professional navigating the new career landscape, this episode offers clear, research-backed strategies for strengthening the skills that matter most.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
- Hello and welcome to Work Week,
the podcast where we answerone pressing question
about the future of work,
explore what the researchsays about the topic
and explain what it all means for you.
I'm Dr. Gabby Burlacu,
Senior Manager with theUpwork Research Institute.
What you're hearing is adigital proxy of my voice
created with the very AI technologies
(00:25):
that are transforming work as we know it.
In last week's episode,we explored how coaching
and development are emergingas a strategic imperative
for both professionals and organizations.
We looked at the growingneed for human guidance
and why human to human support
is proving to beirreplaceable as industries
and the entire economy move
through a transformative,disruptive period of change.
(00:47):
This week, we continue our exploration
of the importance of human skills
in a period of massivetechnological uplift.
So let's get into our onebig question for today.
Which skills are themost valuable in a world
that is increasingly affected by AI?
The answer in short, soft,human-centric skills,
and here's why.
As AI picks up more of ouranalytical, repetitive,
(01:09):
and operational tasks,it's not replacing workers,
it's reshaping work.
That means the realdifferentiator for businesses
and professionals alikeisn't technical expertise;
it's how we communicate, collaborate,
and navigate complexity.
Because of this,
soft skills are becoming thehard currency of the workplace,
the skills that enablepeople to both work together
(01:30):
and to manage and collaborate with AI,
think adaptability,communication, problem solving
and critical thinkingare increasingly defining
the most successful professionals.
As AI continues to automate some tasks,
human skills aren't becoming obsolete;
they're becoming foundational.
An external research supports this.
(01:51):
According to LinkedIn platform data,
communication was the mostin-demand skill in 2024.
More than coding, more than AI literacy,
communication was valued.
LinkedIn measures the mostin-demand skills on its platforms
using a few metrics.
These include the share ofa skill possessed by members
who have been hired orreceived recruiter InMails,
(02:11):
as well as how often skills arelisted in paid job listings.
A 2024 LinkedIn economic graph survey
of 1,991 global executives also found that
9 in 10 respondents believe soft skills,
also known as human skills,are more important than ever.
Additionally, 38% ofglobal C-Suite executives
said they prioritize agility
(02:32):
when evaluating entry-level candidates.
That's right.
Agility more even than GPA or hard skills
is now a top measure for career success
for early career professionals.
At a time when soft human-centric skills
are proving to be more valuable,
our future workforce index shows that
skilled freelancers areoutpacing full-time employees
in nearly every human-centric competency.
(02:54):
For example, the researchwhich features insights
from 3000 skilled knowledge workers
found that 49% of freelancersreport problem solving
as a strength compared to44% of full-time employees.
Freelancers also reportstronger skill sets
and clear communication, criticalthinking and adaptability
than full-time employees.
Equipped with theseuniquely human skill sets,
(03:17):
skilled freelancers are alsomore motivated and energized
by their work than full-time employees.
83% of skilled freelancers
say their work contributes positively
to their sense of physical,mental, and emotional wellbeing.
Additionally, 82% of skilled freelancers
believe they have more workopportunities available to them
than a year ago compared to63% of full-time employees.
(03:40):
These findings suggest that individuals
who operate in more flexibleautonomous work environments,
like many freelancers, are developing
and applying human skills more effectively
than their full-timeemployee counterparts.
And that makes sense.
Freelancers often need tosolve ambiguous problems,
navigate client expectations,
juggle multiple deadlines at once
(04:00):
and communicate valueacross different contexts.
But this isn't only a freelancer story,
it's a future of work story.
Rather than replacing the value
of our uniquely human capabilities,
AI is making human skills more important.
According to a December, 2024 survey
of 2,500 full-time workersdistributed by Workday,
(04:21):
83% of respondents believe
that AI will elevate theimportance of human skills,
especially those related to creativity
and emotional intelligence.
In fact, the skills deemedleast likely to be automated
because they are so contextdriven and relational
are also the onesconsidered most critical.
These skills includeethical decision making,
(04:42):
relationship building, emotionalintelligence and empathy
and conflict resolution.
These are not fringe competencies.
Uniquely human skills arethe foundation of leadership,
collaboration, andinnovation in any business.
And as it turns out,
people developing generativeAI skills are also 13 times
more likely to develop humanskills like change readiness
(05:03):
according to the LinkedInresearch we just mentioned.
This suggests that adopting AI tools
doesn't only improve technical fluency,
it fosters human agility.
Now, let's address a common misconception.
The term soft skills doesn'tdo these abilities Justice.
Navigating a high stakesnegotiation with empathy
and clarity takes metal.
(05:25):
Leading a team throughuncertainty with grace,
and resolving conflictin a way that builds
rather than erodes trust takes strength.
These are power skills, not soft skills,
and they are now central toyour company's competitive edge.
In a world where many technologysolutions are available
to anyone with internetaccess, how well you listen,
synthesize and creativelyrespond is what will set you
(05:47):
and your workforce apart.
And increasingly,organizations are waking up
to this reality.
Companies that emphasize soft skills
may embed human skill assessmentsinto hiring processes.
They may also offerupskilling opportunities
focused on both AI toolsand the human behaviors
that enable these toolsto be used effectively.
I want to revisit ourfuture workforce index data.
(06:09):
Why are skilled freelancersleading in human skills
like communication and problem solving?
It comes down to exposure and autonomy.
Freelancers often workacross diverse industries,
client types and communication platforms.
They run their own businesses,address challenges,
adapt to shifting demands
and learn how to communicateacross cultures, time zones
and expectations.
(06:30):
This environment acceleratestheir development
of human skills.
And for traditional companies,
this offers an important insight.
Human skills flourish better
in dynamic trust-based environments
than they do in rigid hierarchies
or overly scripted workflows.
Let's pause and ask the deeper question.
What if human skills areno longer a compliment
to technical skills, but the core
(06:51):
of what gives your businesslong-term viability?
Think about it.
AI can process and analyze moredata than humans ever could.
It can write and generatevisuals at lightning speed,
but it can't resolve a tenseconversation between teams.
It can't inspire trust.
It can't choose courage over comfort
in a difficult decision.
Those moments, the onesthat define leadership,
(07:13):
team dynamics, and innovationstill belong to us.
I want to wrap up thisweek's episode of Work Week,
as I always do,
by giving you an actionto consider implementing
and an idea to reflect on.
For this week's action item,
if your goal is to build a workforce
that's both AI savvy and human-centric,
(07:34):
start by creating conditionsthat mirror the adaptability
and client focus of freelance work.
These conditions includeproject-based learning,
cross-functional experiences
and space to experiment withnew technology and processes.
Then, audit and improveyour development programs
to ensure you're notoverlooking human skills.
Review your hiring andonboarding processes,
(07:54):
your learning pathwaysand performance reviews.
Are you measuring andnurturing human skills
as intentionally as youdo technical skills?
If not, take a few actionablesteps to get started.
First, embed relevanthuman skills training
into your talent development tracks.
For example, duringcommunication skills training,
go beyond focusing on how toconduct client presentations.
(08:15):
Also focus on difficult conversations,
feedback loops, and storytelling.
Second, create space for critical thinking
through open-endedprojects, retrospectives
and real world problem solving.
Third, make adaptability ashared goal by rotating roles,
promoting internal projects
and celebrating people who take risks
or shift directions successfully.
(08:37):
Finally, tying back tolast week's episode,
invest in coaching, includingpeer coaching and mentorship
to give people real-time guidance
on their human-centric skills.
And for the independentprofessionals in our audience,
consider starting yourown human skills sprint.
Take on a stretch assignment
that forces you tocommunicate differently,
join a feedback group that encourages you
(08:58):
to practice emotional intelligence
or read a book about conflict resolution.
And for our reflection question this week,
instead of asking whether AIwill replace soft skills, ask,
how are we actively developingsoft human-centric skills
before it's too late?
The changes AI is bringing to industry
isn't devaluing human skills,it's spotlighting them.
(09:21):
AI is revealing that theskills we've long called soft,
the empathy, clarity,curiosity, and courage
are actually the strengths
that hold everything else together.
So as you prepare for aworkplace that's more automated,
digital, and distributed,don't neglect the human aspect.
Your ability to lead with human skills
is your most powerfulcompetitive advantage.
(09:42):
That's it for this episode of Work Week.
I'm Gabby Burlacu and thisweek we pose the question,
which one type of skillis the most critical
in an AI-driven world of work?
And we discussed whysoft human-centric skills
are more important than ever before.
Thanks for tuning in.
If this episode sparkedideas for how you can grow
or support human skills in yourteam or in your own career,
(10:05):
share it with someonewho's on the same journey.
And don't forget to subscribe
for more research backedinsights on the future of work.
- Hello and welcome to Work Week,
the podcast where we answerone pressing question
about the future of work,
explore what the researchsays about the topic
and explain what it all means for you.
I'm Dr. Gabby Burlacu,
Senior Manager with theUpwork Research Institute.
What you're hearing is adigital proxy of my voice
created with the very AI technologies
(00:25):
that are transforming work as we know it.
In last week's episode,we explored how coaching
and development are emergingas a strategic imperative
for both professionals and organizations.
We looked at the growingneed for human guidance
and why human to human support
is proving to beirreplaceable as industries
and the entire economy move
through a transformative,disruptive period of change.
(00:47):
This week, we continue our exploration
of the importance of human skills
in a period of massivetechnological uplift.
So let's get into our onebig question for today.
Which skills are themost valuable in a world
that is increasingly affected by AI?
The answer in short, soft,human-centric skills,
and here's why.
As AI picks up more of ouranalytical, repetitive,
(01:09):
and operational tasks,it's not replacing workers,
it's reshaping work.
That means the realdifferentiator for businesses
and professionals alikeisn't technical expertise;
it's how we communicate, collaborate,
and navigate complexity.
Because of this,
soft skills are becoming thehard currency of the workplace,
the skills that enablepeople to both work together
(01:30):
and to manage and collaborate with AI,
think adaptability,communication, problem solving
and critical thinkingare increasingly defining
the most successful professionals.
As AI continues to automate some tasks,
human skills aren't becoming obsolete;
they're becoming foundational.
An external research supports this.
(01:51):
According to LinkedIn platform data,
communication was the mostin-demand skill in 2024.
More than coding, more than AI literacy,
communication was valued.
LinkedIn measures the mostin-demand skills on its platforms
using a few metrics.
These include the share ofa skill possessed by members
who have been hired orreceived recruiter InMails,
(02:11):
as well as how often skills arelisted in paid job listings.
A 2024 LinkedIn economic graph survey
of 1,991 global executives also found that
9 in 10 respondents believe soft skills,
also known as human skills,are more important than ever.
Additionally, 38% ofglobal C-Suite executives
said they prioritize agility
(02:32):
when evaluating entry-level candidates.
That's right.
Agility more even than GPA or hard skills
is now a top measure for career success
for early career professionals.
At a time when soft human-centric skills
are proving to be more valuable,
our future workforce index shows that
skilled freelancers areoutpacing full-time employees
in nearly every human-centric competency.
(02:54):
For example, the researchwhich features insights
from 3000 skilled knowledge workers
found that 49% of freelancersreport problem solving
as a strength compared to44% of full-time employees.
Freelancers also reportstronger skill sets
and clear communication, criticalthinking and adaptability
than full-time employees.
Equipped with theseuniquely human skill sets,
(03:17):
skilled freelancers are alsomore motivated and energized
by their work than full-time employees.
83% of skilled freelancers
say their work contributes positively
to their sense of physical,mental, and emotional wellbeing.
Additionally, 82% of skilled freelancers
believe they have more workopportunities available to them
than a year ago compared to63% of full-time employees.
(03:40):
These findings suggest that individuals
who operate in more flexibleautonomous work environments,
like many freelancers, are developing
and applying human skills more effectively
than their full-timeemployee counterparts.
And that makes sense.
Freelancers often need tosolve ambiguous problems,
navigate client expectations,
juggle multiple deadlines at once
(04:00):
and communicate valueacross different contexts.
But this isn't only a freelancer story,
it's a future of work story.
Rather than replacing the value
of our uniquely human capabilities,
AI is making human skills more important.
According to a December, 2024 survey
of 2,500 full-time workersdistributed by Workday,
(04:21):
83% of respondents believe
that AI will elevate theimportance of human skills,
especially those related to creativity
and emotional intelligence.
In fact, the skills deemedleast likely to be automated
because they are so contextdriven and relational
are also the onesconsidered most critical.
These skills includeethical decision making,
(04:42):
relationship building, emotionalintelligence and empathy
and conflict resolution.
These are not fringe competencies.
Uniquely human skills arethe foundation of leadership,
collaboration, andinnovation in any business.
And as it turns out,
people developing generativeAI skills are also 13 times
more likely to develop humanskills like change readiness
(05:03):
according to the LinkedInresearch we just mentioned.
This suggests that adopting AI tools
doesn't only improve technical fluency,
it fosters human agility.
Now, let's address a common misconception.
The term soft skills doesn'tdo these abilities Justice.
Navigating a high stakesnegotiation with empathy
and clarity takes metal.
(05:25):
Leading a team throughuncertainty with grace,
and resolving conflictin a way that builds
rather than erodes trust takes strength.
These are power skills, not soft skills,
and they are now central toyour company's competitive edge.
In a world where many technologysolutions are available
to anyone with internetaccess, how well you listen,
synthesize and creativelyrespond is what will set you
(05:47):
and your workforce apart.
And increasingly,organizations are waking up
to this reality.
Companies that emphasize soft skills
may embed human skill assessmentsinto hiring processes.
They may also offerupskilling opportunities
focused on both AI toolsand the human behaviors
that enable these toolsto be used effectively.
I want to revisit ourfuture workforce index data.
(06:09):
Why are skilled freelancersleading in human skills
like communication and problem solving?
It comes down to exposure and autonomy.
Freelancers often workacross diverse industries,
client types and communication platforms.
They run their own businesses,address challenges,
adapt to shifting demands
and learn how to communicateacross cultures, time zones
and expectations.
(06:30):
This environment acceleratestheir development
of human skills.
And for traditional companies,
this offers an important insight.
Human skills flourish better
in dynamic trust-based environments
than they do in rigid hierarchies
or overly scripted workflows.
Let's pause and ask the deeper question.
What if human skills areno longer a compliment
to technical skills, but the core
(06:51):
of what gives your businesslong-term viability?
Think about it.
AI can process and analyze moredata than humans ever could.
It can write and generatevisuals at lightning speed,
but it can't resolve a tenseconversation between teams.
It can't inspire trust.
It can't choose courage over comfort
in a difficult decision.
Those moments, the onesthat define leadership,
(07:13):
team dynamics, and innovationstill belong to us.
I want to wrap up thisweek's episode of Work Week,
as I always do,
by giving you an actionto consider implementing
and an idea to reflect on.
For this week's action item,
if your goal is to build a workforce
that's both AI savvy and human-centric,
(07:34):
start by creating conditionsthat mirror the adaptability
and client focus of freelance work.
These conditions includeproject-based learning,
cross-functional experiences
and space to experiment withnew technology and processes.
Then, audit and improveyour development programs
to ensure you're notoverlooking human skills.
Review your hiring andonboarding processes,
(07:54):
your learning pathwaysand performance reviews.
Are you measuring andnurturing human skills
as intentionally as youdo technical skills?
If not, take a few actionablesteps to get started.
First, embed relevanthuman skills training
into your talent development tracks.
For example, duringcommunication skills training,
go beyond focusing on how toconduct client presentations.
(08:15):
Also focus on difficult conversations,
feedback loops, and storytelling.
Second, create space for critical thinking
through open-endedprojects, retrospectives
and real world problem solving.
Third, make adaptability ashared goal by rotating roles,
promoting internal projects
and celebrating people who take risks
or shift directions successfully.
(08:37):
Finally, tying back tolast week's episode,
invest in coaching, includingpeer coaching and mentorship
to give people real-time guidance
on their human-centric skills.
And for the independentprofessionals in our audience,
consider starting yourown human skills sprint.
Take on a stretch assignment
that forces you tocommunicate differently,
join a feedback group that encourages you
(08:58):
to practice emotional intelligence
or read a book about conflict resolution.
And for our reflection question this week,
instead of asking whether AIwill replace soft skills, ask,
how are we actively developingsoft human-centric skills
before it's too late?
The changes AI is bringing to industry
isn't devaluing human skills,it's spotlighting them.
(09:21):
AI is revealing that theskills we've long called soft,
the empathy, clarity,curiosity, and courage
are actually the strengths
that hold everything else together.
So as you prepare for aworkplace that's more automated,
digital, and distributed,don't neglect the human aspect.
Your ability to lead with human skills
is your most powerfulcompetitive advantage.
(09:42):
That's it for this episode of Work Week.
I'm Gabby Burlacu and thisweek we pose the question,
which one type of skillis the most critical
in an AI-driven world of work?
And we discussed whysoft human-centric skills
are more important than ever before.
Thanks for tuning in.
If this episode sparkedideas for how you can grow
or support human skills in yourteam or in your own career,
(10:05):
share it with someonewho's on the same journey.
And don't forget to subscribe
for more research backedinsights on the future of work.
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