Upskilling towards automation: a conversation with the experts

Purpose This paper conducts empirical research to assess the new skillsets employees require in order to remain competitive in the age of automation. Design/methodology/approach Research is conducted through focus groups leveraging semi-structured interviews. Participants were selected via convenience sampling from UK-based consulting agencies operating in the public and private sectors. Findings The findings suggest that organizations are looking to upskill employees in 5 key skill blocks: Humanistic, Process engineering, Automation technologies, Self-leadership and Data driven. The findings also suggest that employee orientation towards these skill blocks will be critical for positive work opportunities in future. Originality/value This paper builds on the author’s previous work to produce a conceptual skills framework which can be used by organizations as a blueprint for upskilling their employees in a period of unprecedented technological advancement.