Future‑ready workforce: a 2023–2024 literature review of essential skills and competencies for the labor market
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24917/20833296.211.14Keywords:
digitalization, employees, labor competencies, labor market, work skillsAbstract
Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify both the skills and competencies desired in the labor market. The paper’s aim will be to point out what skills and competencies are required and to define trends in the coming years in terms of qualifications and skills.Research Design & Methods: A literature review method has been used, identifying and reviewing existing academic works in the field. The Scopus database was used with an applied timeframe of 2023–2024. Findings: More than 40 skills and competencies were identified divided into three main groups. The results revealed trends observed in the labor market and the research provides the framework of skills and competencies. Implications & Recommendations: The study’s results highlight emerging competency gaps, providing valuable insights for the education sector to develop the necessary soft and hard skills of employees. For companies, it offers guidance on essential skills and competencies for employee development, training strategies and career planning.
References
Ali, M. (2023). Strategic leadership in the digital age: Navigating uncertainty. Journal of Management & Social Science, 1(1), 1–8.
Bal, P.M., Izak, M. (2021). Paradigms of flexibility: A systematic review of research on workplace flex- ibility. European Management Review, 18(1), 37–50. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/emre.12423.
Björk, B.-C., Solomon, D. (2013). The publishing delay in scholarly peer-reviewed journals. Journal of Informetrics, 7(4), 914–923. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2013.09.001.
Brasse, J., Förster, M., Hühn, P., Klier, J., Klier, M., Moestue, L. (2023). Preparing for the future of work: A novel data-driven approach for the identification of future skills. Journal of Business Economics, 94, 467–500. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11573-023-01169-1.
Bukartaite, R., Hooper, D. (2023), Automation, artificial intelligence, and future skills needs: An Irish perspective. European Journal of Training and Development, 47(10) 163–185. DOI: https://doi
.org/10.1108/EJTD-03-2023-0045.
Ciszewska-Mlinarič, M., Hałas-Dej, S., Mazurek, G. (2023). Kompetencje przyszłości i przyszłość edu- kacji. W: M. Ciszewska-Mlinarič (red.) Przyszłość jest dziś. Trendy kształtujące biznes, społeczeń‑ stwo i przywództwo. Warszawa: Akademia Leona Koźmińskiego, 451–467.
Chettah, M., Farhi, F. (2023). The future of the journalism profession from the perspective of profession- als following the COVID-19 pandemic. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 12(3), 179. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36941/ajis-2023-0070.
Commission of the European Communities. (2001). Making a European Area of Lifelong Learning a Reality (COM(2001) 678 final). Brussels, 21 November 2001. Received from: https://eur-lex
.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52001DC0678.
Conceição, L.C., Pereira, L.F., Dias, Á.L. (2023). The key competencies for the future of work: A bib- liometric study. Journal of Chinese Human Resource Management, 14(1), 3–37. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47297/wspchrmWSP2040-800501.20231401.
David, S., Zinica, D., Bărbuță-Mișu, N., Savga, L., Virlanuta, F.O. (2024). Public administration managers’ and employees’ perceptions of adaptability to change under “the future of work” paradigm. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 199. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2023.123088.
Elhajjar, S. (2023). The current and future state of the marketing management profession. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 32(2), 233–250. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10696679.2023.2166535.
Elhajjar, S., Yacoub, L., Ouaida, F. (2023). The present and future of the B2B sales profession. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 44(2), 128–141. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134
.2023.2183214.
Filipowicz, G. (2019). Zarządzanie kompetencjami. Perspektywa firmowa i osobista. Warszawa: Wolters Kluwer.
Gallagher, S. (2019). Peak human potential: Preparing Australia’s workforce for the digital future.
Melbourne: Swinburne University of Technology.
Gallego, A., Kurer, T. (2022). Automation, digitalization, and artificial intelligence in the workplace: Implications for political behavior. Annual Review of Political Science, 25, 463–484. DOI: https:// doi.org/10.1146/annurev-polisci-051120-104535.
Grosu, V., Cosmulese, C.G., Socoliuc, M., Ciubotariu, M.S., Mihaila, S. (2023). Testing accountants’ perceptions of the digitization of the profession and profiling the future professional. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 193, 122630. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2023.122630. Harzing, A.-W., Alakangas, S. (2016). Google Scholar, Scopus and the Web of Science: A longitudinal and cross-disciplinary comparison. Scientometrics, 106, 787–804. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007
/s11192-015-1798-9.
Herrera-Franco, G., Montalván-Burbano, N., Carrión-Mero, P., Apolo-Masache, B., Jaya-Montalvo,
M. (2020). Research trends in geotourism: A bibliometric analysis using the Scopus database.
Geosciences, 10(10), 1–29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10100379.
Hlihel, F.B., Chater, Y., Boumane, A. (2024). Developing a competency model for maintenance 4.0 stakeholders. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 41(6), 1519–1549. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-05-2023-0151.
Illanes, P., Lund, P., Mourshed, M., Rutherford, S., Tyreman M. (2018; 2024, 30 stycznia). Retraining and reskilling workers in the age of automation. Received from: https://www.echs-nm.com/wp-content
/uploads/2019/10/retraining-and-reskilling-workers-in-the-age-of-automation-_-mckinsey-company.pdf
Jacobs, B., Taljaard-Swart, H., Marx-Pienaar, N., Diedericks, L., Sonnenberg, N., Donoghue, S., Pretorius, A., du Rand, G. (2023). Preparing students for the future workplace: How online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic hone required transferable skills. Education + Training, 65,10, 81–97. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-09-2022-0371.
Kajwang, B. (2021). An analysis of crucial skills required in the modern workplace by insurance sector employers. European Journal of Technology, 5(1), 35–41. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47672/ejt.892.
Kaushik, M., Guleria, N. (2020). The impact of pandemic COVID-19 in workplace. European Journal of Business and Management, 12(15), 9–18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7176/EJBM/12-15-02.
Kelan, E.K. (2023). Automation anxiety and augmentation aspiration: Subtexts of the future of work. British Journal of Management, 34(4), 2057–2074. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467–8551.12679. Kraus, S., Jones, P., Kailer, N., Weinmann, A., Chaparro-Banegas, N., Roig-Tierno, N. (2021). Digital transformation: An overview of the current state of the art of research. SAGE Open, 11(3). DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211047576.
Li, L. (2022). Reskilling and upskilling the future-ready workforce for industry 4.0 and beyond.
Information Systems Frontiers, 26, 1697–1712. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-022-10308-y. Laal, M., Salamati, P. (2012). Lifelong learning: Why do we need it?. Procedia – Social and Behavioral
Sciences, 31, 399–403. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.12.073.
Liu, N.-C., Wang, Y.-C., Lin, Y.-T. (2023). Employees’ adaptation to technology uncertainty in the dig- ital era: An exploration through the lens of job demands–resources theory. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 71, 7286–7297. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/TEM.2023.3264293.
McKinsey & Company (2023; 2024, 1 lutego). Leading Off. Essentials for leaders and those they lead. Received from: https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/email/leadingoff/2023/10/02/2023-10-2b. html.
Montanari, S., Agostini, E., Francesconi, D. (2023). Are we talking about green skills or sustainability competences? A scoping review using scientometric analysis of two apparently similar topics in the field of sustainability. Sustainability, 15(19), 14142. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914142.
Parry, S.B. (1996). The quest for competencies. Training, 33(7), 48–57.
Pearson(2023; 2024, 16 lutego). Thefutureof skills. Employmentin 2030. Receivedfrom: http://umiejetnosci 2030.pl/#rynek-pracy.
Petropoulos, G. (2021). Automation, COVID-19, and labor markets, ADBI Working Paper Series, 1229, Tokyo: Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI).
Poláková, M., Suleimanová, J.H., Madzík, P., Copuš, L., Molnárová, I., Polednová, J. (2023). Soft skills and their importance in the labor market under the conditions of Industry 5.0. Heliyon, 9(8), e18670. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.
Ram, J. (2023). Investigating staff capabilities to make projects resilient: A systematic literature review and future directions. International Journal of Production Economics, 255, 108687. DOI: https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2022.108687.
Raman, R., Subramaniam, N., Nair, V.K., Shivdas, A., Achuthan, K., Nedungadi, P. (2022). Women en- trepreneurship and sustainable development: Bibliometric analysis and emerging research trends. Sustainability, 14(15), article 9160. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159160.
Ramos-Monge, E., Fox, P., Garcia-Piquer, A. (2023). Addressing soft skill gaps in the digital employ- ment market: The case of Spanish students in a technology-based university. Education + Training, 65(6/7). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-04-2023-0165.
Razmak, J., Pitzel, J.W., Belanger, C., Farhan, W. (2023). Brushing up on time-honored sales skills to ex- cel in tomorrow’s environment. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 38(4), 701–723. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-12-2020-0533.
Shah, N., Bano, S., Saraih, U.N., Abdelmegeed Abdelwahed, N.A., Soomro, B.A. (2023). Leading towards the students’ career development and career intentions through using multidimensional soft skills in the digital age. Education + Training, 65(6/7), 848–870. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-12-2022-0470.
Shtembari, E., Elgün, R.F. (2023). Generation Z “life skills” acquired and enhanced through internships before and during COVID-19 pandemic. Administrative Sciences, 13(2), 38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13020038.
Shelest-Szumilas, O., Trąpczyński, P., Fazlagić, J., Jasiczak, J., Kuźmar, S., Lis, K., Rydzak, W., Szymkowiak, A., Woźniak-Jęchorek, B. (2023; 2024, October 15). Prognoza zapotrzebowania na kompetencje i kwalifikacje w wybranych branżach w związku ze zmianami w gospodarce. Warszawa: Konferencja Lewiatan. Received from: https://open.icm.edu.pl/items/185a5436-e562-4915-96ed-1a82d079b99e.
Staškeviča, A. (2019). The importance of competency model development. Acta Oeconomica Pragensia, 27(2), 62–71. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18267/j.aop.622.
Stephany, F., Teutloff, O. (2024). What is the price of a skill? The value of complementarity. Research Policy, 53(1), 104898. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2023.104898.
Suarta, I.M., Suwintana, I.K., Pranadi, F., Hariyanti, N.K. (2017). Employability skills required by the 21st century workplace: A literature review of labor market demand. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 102, 337–342. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2991/ictvt-17.2017.58. Thwe, W.P., Kálmán, A. (2024). Lifelong learning in the educational setting: A systematic literature re- view. Asia‑Pacific Education Researcher, 33, 407–417. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-023-00738-w.
Tímea, J., Horváth-Csikós, G., Gáspár, T. (2023). Gap analysis of future employee and employer on soft skills. Human Systems Management, 42(5), 527–542. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3233/HSM-220161.
Verma, S., Singh, V. (2024). The Employees Intention to Work in Artificial Intelligence-Based Hybrid Environments. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 71, 3266–3277, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/TEM.2022.3193664.
Vuchkovski, D., Zalaznik, M., Mitręga, M., Pfajfar, G. (2023). A look at the future of work: The digital transformation of teams from conventional to virtual. Journal of Business Research, 163, 113912. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113912.
Webb, A., Layton, J. (2023). Digital skills for performance: A framework for assessing current and future digital skills needs in the performing arts sector. Arts and the Market, 13(1), 33–47. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/AAM-09-2021-0054.
Weerasombat, T., Pumipatyothin, P., Napathorn, C. (2024). Skill redefinition and classification, capitalism, and labor process theory of work: Evidence from Thailand. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 32(1), 153–182. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-08-2022-3394.
World Economic Forum & Boston Consulting Group (2018; 2024, 30 stycznia). Towards a reskilling revolution: a future of jobs for all. Received from: https://www.weforum.org/reports/towards-a-
-reskilling-revolution.
World Economic Forum (2020; 2024, 20 stycznia). The Future of Jobs Report. Received from: https:// www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2020.pdf.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Entrepreneurship – Education
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Articles are published under the terms of the Creative Commons License (CC BY-ND 4.0; Attribution– NoDerivs).
