The contemporary workplace has undergone a significant transformation compared to a generation ago. Presently, young professionals encounter a plethora of opportunities surpassing those available just a few decades back. This remarkable shift is predominantly attributed to the rapid advancement of technology. Automation, a ubiquitous presence across diverse fields and organisations, has become a norm. The integration of digital tools such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) has emerged as a driving force for enhancing productivity across various sectors.

This is the era of start-ups, managed by young entrepreneurs who are agile, adaptable and tech savvy. 

They are not constrained by cumbersome legacy issues. They abhor repetitive tasks; their business models are totally system driven. Moreover, in today's gig economy, job switches have become frequent. Lateral movement is commonplace, and there is constant entry level recruitment in organisations. With the availability of technology to carry out mundane tasks and the wide variety of job opportunities available, tolerance levels have come down. Retaining talent is a challenge for large organisations with brand equity and a loyal customer base. Employees should have in-depth knowledge of the sector they are working in. Besides domain knowledge, they need to be skilled in a particular role that they perform within the organisation. But today these roles are not permanent.

Organisations encourage horizontal movement as part of their career development plans for their staff.

Hence, it is a continuous learning process, and the abilities, knowledge and experience of people keeps evolving. This is one way for organisations to provide job satisfaction. Technology is dominating every role in every sector of the economy. Some of these roles are transferable across sectors. For example, help desk staff and frontline staff can perform effectively in whichever sector they join. Others such as risk analysts and IT or healthcare professionals may develop expertise in specific sectors. Since most businesses are driven by AI, ML and cloud computing, staff need to have basic knowledge of these functions. Nowadays, organisations also look for soft skills such as good interpersonal relationships and communication skills.

All emerging industries are centred on new technology. Many of them are an evolved version of erstwhile traditional industries. The automobile industry will soon make way for self-driven cars which rely heavily on robotics. The real estate industry, which so far was dependent on engineering, architecture and marketing skills, today relies on tools such as virtual reality and e-commerce. Traditional kirana merchants need to embrace online marketing in order to stay competitive with the e-commerce giants. The traditional way of doing business is slowly getting impacted by the entry of various forms of technology. If existing businesses don't embrace it, they stand at the edge of extinction. Those who are forward looking and adopt the new work ethos are poised to sustain in the evolving business landscape. They may need new talent capable of facilitating this transition.

Today, no business can be separated from technology. Moreover, these technologies themselves are evolving at an unheard pace. Large industries seek to retain existing talent and remain competitive through constant reskilling and upskilling of staff at all levels. Many of them have tailor-made training and upskilling programmes. It is also common for them to give their staff study leave to pursue courses that will add to their skill set.

Unlike in the past, today, employees are not afraid to work for a couple of years, then enrol in a training institution, acquire new skills, and return to the workplace in a new avatar. The work culture has changed so much that people join courses even at an advanced age, because career advancement depends on reskilling. Organisations are creating HR policies that incorporate this model of career progression. Their policies envisage both vertical and horizontal career progression, depending on the profile of the employee. People acquire new skills and migrate from one specialisation to another. Often the organisations sponsor the cost of the reskilling programmes.

So, to survive in the present-day marketplace, one constantly has to upgrade one's skill sets. 

There are various ways in which this can be done. Higher EdTech platforms like TimesPro regularly partner with industry and academia to deliver customised learning solutions for early to senior professionals. Learners are provided with domain knowledge and also soft skills that prepare them for both vertical and horizontal job movement. For a job-seeker, it is important to highlight one's skills in the resume. Those who have undertaken various training programmes and acquired cross functional skills will be at an advantage. They will also be able to move seamlessly from one sector to another. That itself is a big benefit, because the opportunities available will increase exponentially.

Those who cannot avail of continuous short or long term courses can go in for microlearning. 

Microlearning consists of providing short information bursts that can be absorbed very quickly. It is a rapid and effective way for a person to learn a new topic and retain the information. Microlearning is very effective in the corporate world, because employees can focus on their work as well as acquire new knowledge in parallel. It can be carried out independently or in small groups. Learners can choose their own pace and schedule to complete the learning.

This trend is advantageous for a growing economy like India. The industrial era demanded specific skill sets, and the current knowledge-based economy presents its own requirements. In the contemporary business landscape, there is a continuous cycle of renewal, with fresh talents introducing innovative skills. This signifies the essence of 21st-century business. For those who perceive it as overwhelming, a shift in mindset is all that is required.