As coronavirus continues to spread throughout the globe, businesses and students are wading through the crisis with grit, determination and a healthy dose of innovation.
At present, given the situation, the primary aim for most of us is maintaining some level of momentum while protecting ourselves physically, mentally and financially.
Measures to evolve our initiatives in the short-term—by working from home or migrating learning online, for example—will help us to get through this. But, what about when the outbreak has calmed down?
When we’re integrated back into society and ‘things return to normal’, will the way we work and conduct business ever be quite the same as it once was?
While at this point it’s difficult to answer this question with confidence, we do know is that the coronavirus recovery period will require people with niche skillsets to help restore businesses and economies back to their former glory—competencies that you can learn (at least to some extent) while you’re in isolation.
Here we explore the skills that will prove invaluable during the coronavirus recovery phase—but, before we dig any deeper, let’s consider the universal economic shock of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Coronavirus: An Unexpected Economic Shock
At our current juncture, social distancing appears to be an effective means of preventing the spreading of infection in the short-term. But, as people start to migrate back into the workplace to reboot the economy, the risk of a second wave of infection is a possibility.
Despite this, if early measures are indeed working, there is a wealth of hope for reigniting industries and restoring economic progress. Unlike a typical recession, which pendulums from positive to negative growth, the unexpected economic impact of COVID-19 means that the shock is likely to come in waves—as explored in detail by the Harvard Business Review.
Skills That Will Prove Valuable During The Recovery Phase
We are all likely to feel the practical and economic shockwaves of COVID-19 for some time yet. But, with the right skills to hand, it’s likely that the vast majority of sectors and industries will prevail in the end. The digital skills gap has been widening for some time and if our present situation has taught us anything, it’s that virtual competencies and technologies empower us to create, connect, and progress during a crisis.
That said, here are some specific skills that will prove particularly valuable during the COVID-19 recovery phase.
Communications
The path to success is paved with communication. During the coronavirus recovery phase, brand messaging and communications skills will be in high demand across industries.
As we embark on a new business chapter after the coronavirus crisis has passed, brands will have to reposition their messaging to meet the new needs, and indeed new mindsets, of their clients, partners and consumers. As such, people with content strategy, creative writing, and concise digital copywriting skills will be required to provide transparent, personalized information, in order to drive brand re-engagement.
If you can create innovative strategies, and can adjust your tone of voice to write compelling messaging to suit various audiences, you will be priceless throughout the recovery phase.
Advanced Data Analytics
Expanding on the previous point, to provide accurate personalized messaging and a level of user experience (UX) that resonates with consumers during the recovery phase, people will need the skills of advanced data analysts.
By acquiring the ability to drill deep into valuable pockets of information and work with the right key performance indicators (KPIs), businesses across sectors will be able to understand new user behavior as well as shifts in the landscape surrounding their business.
This level of insight will empower people to create efficient, informed strategies that will navigate them through the recovery phase. These are the advanced analytics skills that are likely to be in hot demand during the recovery phase:
- SQL data analytics
- Python data analytics
- Business intelligence strategy
- Statistical data analytics
- Metric-driven critical-thinking and problem-solving
Soft Skills
Many formal competencies will be necessary to ensure success during the coronavirus recovery period. But, as a budding business student or young professional, one of the most effective measures you can take right now is to sharpen your soft skills.
Ponder this for a moment:
Studies from Dell Technologies report that 85% of the jobs in 2030 (that will be undertaken by Generation Z and Alpha cohorts) are yet to exist.
To remain relevant and valuable during the coronavirus recovery phase and beyond, learning how to be responsive as well as adaptable is going to be key. If you are able to transfer your core competencies from one task to another, learn new skills or processes swiftly and apply creative thinking to almost any project or initiative, you will be priceless during the recovery phase and long into the future.
“The brighter you are, the more you have to learn.”
—Don Herold, celebrated writer and illustrator
By embarking on a journey of lifelong learning, you will cement a long and rewarding professional career. And, if you want to be a positive part of the COVID-19 recovery phase, you should act now. To inspire your efforts, read our guide to the global rise and importance of e-Learning in the modern age.
