How LinkedIn is helping employers and employees with AI at work

• AI is changing the way we work, even if we are keeping the same jobs.
• 88% of employers in APAC are changing the skills and qualifications they look for in job candidates due to automation and AI.
• By 2030, businesses will need 68% different skills than the same jobs today.

With AI making a bigger impact in organizations today, one of the biggest challenges companies face is making sure employees do not feel burdened or worried about the technology replacing them. While there is no denying that some roles will eventually be replaced by AI, most companies want to have their employees working with AI or improving their skills to work on other tasks.

As such, there continues to be a constant debate on the description of roles for employees today. For example, graphic designers are able to save a lot more time by USing AI-generated images to develop new content. But they also need to know how to work with the technology to create images that would match their requirements.

Other roles that could potentially be impacted by AI are in the customer service industry. While customer-facing roles are still relevant, other roles dealing with customers are increasingly being taken over by AI. Employees in these roles would now need to upskill themselves to work with these technologies in order to remain a valuable asset to their organization.

According to a report by Gartner, employees who believe that their jobs can be replaced by AI have a 27% lower intent to stay in their organization. At an average organization of 10,000 employees, this decrease in intent to stay costs US$53 million per year in total costs and lost productivity.

The impact of generative AI on jobs and workers will vary greatly depending on labor market dynamics and other demand drivers. This blend of certainty and uncertainty makes it difficult for executive leaders to create solid workforce plans that align with their technology and business investments.

So how can organizations keep employees satisfied with their roles as they implement new technologies at work? And how will the adoption of generative AI change job scopes and descriptions?

To understand more about this, Tech Wire Asia spoke to Tomer Cohen, LinkedIn’s chief product officer. Cohen shared insights on the evolving work landscape, especially the transformative role AI plays in businesses in the Asia Pacific region.

How will the increased adoption of AI change roles and job scopes at organizations?

AI is going to transform how we work across every field, function and industry. It will also dramatically change our career paths, as more than half of the jobs in the world will be affected by AI in some way. This is especially true for countries like Singapore, India and Indonesia, where around 60% of the jobs will be disrupted or enhanced by AI in the next several years. That’s why employees and employers need to invest in AI literacy – learning new skills and adapting to working with AI. Those who do it will be more successful.

What can businesses do to cope with these changes, especially in ensuring their employees are able to work with the technology and not be made redundant?

AI is changing the way we work, even if we are keeping the same jobs. By 2030, we will need 68% different skills than we do now to do the same jobs we have today. But many people don’t know how to work with AI and use it at work. That’s why businesses need to help their employees learn and grow their skills. They need to close the AI proficiency gap and create a culture of learning that values and encourages the development of both AI and soft skills and encourages people to move within the company. This will make their employees happier and more productive, and their businesses more successful.

In APAC, over a third of businesses (~40%) are already doing this today, and many prioritize learning using online courses, internal training, and hands-on AI tools, and they can see the benefits of it.

For example, Bunnings, a leading retailer of home improvement and outdoor living products, is one example of a company that is investing in its employees to help them learn new skills, improve their knowledge, and fill the gaps in their capabilities.

It is creating a culture of learning and development by demonstrating and communicating that careers can be built, whether that’s in one role by continuously developing and building skills over time or moving internally. Additionally, they also conduct regular pulse checks with their employees to gauge engagement levels and ensure that opportunities for skill development and career growth are available.

Given the increased impact of AI in the workplace, what skills will no longer be relevant for employees?

AI and automation are changing the skills that employers look for in job candidates with 88% of employers in APAC changing the skills and qualifications they look for in job candidates due to automation and AI. In the next six years, we will also need to change an estimated 68% of our skills to keep up with the new demands. That means we have to re-think our work and how AI can help us do it better. How some tasks like taking notes can be completely automated by AI.

But some tasks, like coding or brainstorming new business ideas, can be amplified with AI. We need to learn how to use AI tools to make our work easier and better, but we also need to focus on the skills that make us human. These are the skills that hiring managers in APAC value the most in the era of AI: problem-solving, communication, critical thinking, and the ability to learn quickly.

What skills should employees look to learn more to remain relevant in their companies?

The reality is many people don’t know how to maximize the capabilities of AI yet. That means there is a lot of room for improvement and learning. We need to focus on the skills that make us human, like working with others, solving problems, and thinking critically. These are the soft skills that employers want the most; 94% of L&D professionals in APAC recognize the growing significance of human skills, especially communication, which has emerged as the top sought-after soft skill in several countries including Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, and Singapore. Other critical soft skills that rank highly in these markets are analytical skills and leadership.

Learning AI skills, like how to understand natural language, can also open up new opportunities and possibilities for us.

What are the biggest challenges employers face when it comes to retaining top talent amid this dynamic landscape?

Retaining the best talent can be hard, with more than 90% of organizations in APAC concerned about employee retention. Fostering professional growth and learning is their number one goal to help them stay engaged and upskill.

Looking at the generation gap in the workforce, especially between Gen Zs, millennials and boomers, should businesses prioritize experience or skills more when it comes to retaining talent and working with emerging technologies?

Jobs are changing fast, and we need to change with them. That means experience alone is not enough. Businesses need to help their employees learn new skills and keep up with the latest technologies. This will make their employees more productive, adaptable, and loyal.

Employers in APAC know this, and they increasingly are looking for candidates showing a growth mindset and a strong ability to learn. They want people who have both soft skills and AI skills. These are the skills that matter the most currently in these markets: problem-solving, communication, critical thinking, AI know-how, and IT & web skills.

Lastly, what is LinkedIn doing to help both employees and employers adapt to new changes at work?

We have always used AI to help our customers find the best matches, whether it’s for jobs, learning, or networking. But now we are taking AI to the next level and we’re bringing it to the forefront. We have the advantage of being part of Microsoft, which gives us access to the latest AI technology. We also have the data from our economic graph, which shows us what’s going on in the world of work. This helps us to help our customers adapt and succeed in the age of AI.

We have been working hard to create amazing AI experiences for our members and customers. We have reimagined all of our products, from recruiting to advertising to sales to learning. We have used LinkedIn’s unique platform and insights from our huge network of one billion professionals, 67 million companies, and 41 million skills. This has created a lot of value for our customers and helped them to focus on the most important and human aspects of their work.

LinkedIn is now using AI to increase the value we bring through our products. This includes making the hiring process easier and faster by using AI to help with writing job descriptions, sending messages, and finding the best candidates. Our AI can understand natural language and help companies express their hiring goals.

For marketers, we have simplified the campaign creation process. We have used AI to help them create and run campaigns with just one click. We have also used AI to optimize their campaigns and target the right audiences. Meanwhile, for sales professionals, we have enhanced Sales Navigator with two new AI features. These are AI-assisted search and Account IQ. These features help them research accounts and find leads more effectively. They help them focus on what matters most: building relationships with buyers and customers.

There are also several other features for premium subscribers, including profile writing suggestions, a new tool that helps you to craft engaging Headline and About sections — which can lead to nearly 2x the number of opportunities.

Lastly, for employees who want skills to adapt to the new era of work, the LinkedIn Learning courses are available for free until May 31, 2024. These courses will help them build the most in-demand skills.

If you upskill to work alongside AI, you might be able to get the doors open. Maybe.

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