Metaskills – which capabilities will matter in tomorrow’s world of work?

The focus is moving away from purely technical expertise towards capabilities that make people resilient: the ability to adjust to new situations, grasp complex interdependencies and make well‑founded decisions under uncertainty. For these overarching competencies, the term “metaskills” has become increasingly established in recent years.

What are metaskills?

Metaskills essentially reflect a shift in how we weight different kinds of competencies. The prefix “meta” points to a higher‑level layer: the emphasis is not on subject‑matter knowledge. Metaskills are capabilities related to making sense of knowledge, linking information and making sound decisions even under uncertainty.

There is no single, universally agreed definition of the term. Depending on the author or competency model, metaskills are described differently and sometimes discussed under labels such as “future skills” or “meta‑competencies”. What these approaches share is one central assumption: in an increasingly dynamic world where factual knowledge is theoretically always available, it is the cross‑cutting, non‑technical capabilities that really count.

So what are these skills that drive success in a volatile labour market? They are not actually new. And although specific skills vary depending on the lens you apply, clear competency areas emerge that may be more important for careers now and in future than ever:

• Thinking and understanding: It may sound obvious, but given the sheer volume of information that hits us every day, it should not be underestimated: the ability to interrogate information critically, understand relationships and contextualise complex issues. This includes competencies such as analytical thinking, judgement, pattern recognition and contextual understanding. They help us validate information, assess whether it is truly reliable and draw the right conclusions.
• Self‑management: Change in everyday working life is now more the norm than the exception: new technologies, requirements and regulations are a constant presence. Here, adaptability is key. This means continuously reflecting on one’s own actions and being able to repeatedly adjust to new situations – and that will remain a core skill. It includes self‑management, the ability and willingness to learn, as well as initiative, resilience and the ability to prioritise. All of these are indispensable in a world of work defined by constant change.
• Social capabilities: Your AI “colleague” will tolerate brusque team members, happily answer the same question for the tenth time and “complain” about a bad briefing only indirectly through poor results. Collaboration with humans is different. Here, constructive cooperation, listening skills and clear, respectful communication are crucial. Social skills – interpersonal capabilities such as empathy, communication and teamwork – remain key. Projects are becoming more complex and more interdisciplinary, and decisions often require collective alignment. Social intelligence and team culture are critical pillars of effective teams.
• Innovation and shaping change: Those who really want to move to the front of the pack need to do more than simply react to change. The better AI becomes at recognising existing patterns and handling standardised tasks, the more valuable the people will be who initiate change themselves, spot new paths and opportunities, and can bring others along. This is where capabilities come into play that AI cannot easily learn: creativity, curiosity, a willingness to experiment and a genuine spirit of innovation.
• Values and responsibility: Uncertainty, speed, interconnectedness – many decisions today have to be placed in a broader context. It is no longer enough to only consider the immediate impacts of a decision. Its consequences for people, society and the environment must also be taken into account. That’s why qualities such as ethical, values‑driven judgement, integrity and a sustainability mindset are part of the metaskills of the future. While algorithms can calculate probabilities, it remains a human responsibility to make decisions in the tension field between values, interests and accountability.

Rethinking human strengths

“Many things that are difficult for humans are easy for machines – and vice versa.” That’s how Swiss philosopher and publicist Eduard Kaeser describes artificial intelligence. Whether this will always be so clear‑cut is another matter. But the implication is important: the centre of gravity of human capability in the future will not necessarily be specialist knowledge. Technical expertise will remain important, but in the long run it will not be enough.

The more knowledge becomes instantly accessible through digitalisation and AI, the more crucial “orientation knowledge” becomes: the ability to contextualise information, weigh it up and use it responsibly. From this perspective, metaskills are precisely those capabilities that focus attention on the human perspective – and on human obligations.

To have real impact, you do not need to know everything. You need to understand what is relevant, what consequences decisions may have, and where the limits of data, models and recommendations lie.

Author: Sonja Engels