The human advantage, the future of work and new skills

How is technology changing our work – and which capabilities do we need to actively shape this future? These are the questions at the heart of the fifth episode of the “ERGO Future Skills Podcast” with futurists Arndt Pechstein and Martin Schwemmle.

The focus is on which competences will become more important going forward. The trend is clear: automation and artificial intelligence are increasingly taking over routine, analytical and administrative tasks. As a result, the focus is shifting from “What do we do?” to “How do we work – and with which strengths?”.

Recent studies such as the World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs Report” show that tasks are indeed changing – but at the same time many new roles are emerging. The future of work therefore means above all: skills instead of job titles. Those who continue to develop their competences will remain in demand – regardless of their specific role.

Which skills will be most important? Arndt and Martin draw on findings from the WEF and McKinsey, among others:

• Technological capabilities remain essential – for example in dealing with data, IT and AI.
• Even more crucial, however, are human capabilities:
  • analytical and systems thinking
  • resilience, flexibility and curiosity
  • social and emotional competences such as empathy and relationship-building
  • leadership, a sense of purpose and the ability to actively drive change.

The two hosts have brought these future skills together in their “Future Skills Navigator” – a model that views human beings through four dimensions: rational, emotional, purpose-driven and transformative. It is precisely this holistic perspective that differentiates humans from machines.

A key theme is what makes us uniquely human: our emotional intelligence, our intuition, our ability to perceive and create meaning – and to imagine futures that do not yet exist. While algorithms are becoming increasingly capable in cognitive tasks, these qualities remain genuinely human. The podcast makes one thing clear: the more technology becomes part of our everyday lives, the more important these characteristics will become.

This is also highly relevant for ERGO: as technology changes work processes, it becomes crucial to support people in the organisation with upskilling and to foster a culture in which curiosity, ownership and a willingness to learn are taken for granted. Future skills are therefore not an “add-on”, but a central pillar of future viability – both for individuals and for organisations.

How these competences can be developed in practice, why traditional education systems often remain rooted in the past, and which role meaning plays in the future of work are explored in depth by Arndt and Martin in this episode.

Our hosts

In a six-part podcast series, we take a closer look at what are known as “future skills.” Our podcast hosts are proven experts in this field – they deal with the topics of future viability, innovation and transformation on many different levels.

Arndt Pechstein and Martin Schwemmle are passionate futurists and transformation facilitators. Dr Arndt Pechstein is a brain researcher and expert in biomimicry, agile methods and systemic organisational development. Dr Martin Schwemmle is an economist and innovation researcher. Together, they combine scientific depth with entrepreneurial practice and shape the future at the interface between people, organisations and change. They inspire, enthuse and motivate as authors, speakers and consultants. They are thought leaders and driving forces behind the Future Skills Community and are committed to shaping a positive future. As founders and managing directors of The Future Company, they make companies future-proof – including ERGO, by supporting them in strategically anchoring future skills and implementing them in everyday management and work.

Our podcast series “Focus on Technology” invites you to explore questions about the future – with surprising insights, real stories and a clear message: the future is not shaped by technology alone. It is shaped by us.