Empathy, Language, Communication: The Three Skills to Thrive in the Workplace of the Future
Read this if you’re a student, an employer, or a freelancer/self-employed looking to excel in the future.
Prepare Yourself for The Workplace of The Future
Love it or hate it, the world of work is shifting, not only towards automation but also towards more freelance/independent contractual work in a tech-enabled platform capitalism economy.
Companies are building platforms to leverage on individuals’ untapped assets, as well as outsourcing work to freelancers to reduce overhead costs. Classic examples of such companies are ridesharing giant Uber, vacation rental goliath Airbnb, social media behemoth Facebook, and the leader in video sharing YouTube.
On the other hand, individuals who are either finding it difficult to secure employment or desire to set their own working hours with the dream of having work-life balance are resorted to performing part-time jobs, freelance work through platforms such as UpWork, TaskRabbit, PeoplePerHour, driving for Uber, or even flipping items on eBay and a host of other marketplace apps. For the fortunate few who managed to accumulate assets such as property or vehicles, they can rent them out on Airbnb and Turo for a decent amount of “passive” income.
Independent contractual work is not a new concept and has its history beginning as early as the 1900s when Congress adopted a clear distinction between employee and independent contractor to determine the coverage of New Deal-era statutes designed to protect workers.
In comparison, the platform capitalism model is relatively new, arguably starting off with file sharing when the internet took off in the early 1990s. People can upload or download files on file sharing sites, where they are fed with ads disguised as download buttons or incessant pop-ups. In simple terms, platform capitalists make a profit by matching suppliers and customers. [I am aware that there are a host of arguments defining what a sharing economy vs platform capitalism is and will cover this topic in a future post].
Now, if you look closely, the most valuable asset of these platforms and companies then is the community of people that participates and serves them. The measurement of success for these platforms are usually based on the number of daily and monthly active users. Therefore, without the people and their properties, be it intellectual or physical, these platforms and companies will only exist as soulless skeletons. Imagine if no one upload videos to YouTube or drive for Uber, what else is left for these companies?
In the workplace of the future, there are only two sides where workers belong. They are either employed at a company or they offer their products and services on platforms as an independent contractor or sole proprietor. Regardless of which side you end up on, below are three skills that will greatly help you prepare for that future.
Empathy
Empathy is a huge differentiating factor that separates the successful companies and individuals from the ones that aren’t. Empathy is the ability to put oneself in the perspective of others and the context that they live in.
For companies that outsource work or operate platforms, especially huge ones (measured by user base and revenue) like YouTube, it is extremely important to empathize with your users and contractors so they stay loyal and are able to produce their best work. There is no default mode in managing humans as each person’s circumstance is different and they react differently to risks and rewards.
To do that, companies need to build a user community around their platform and assign a community manager to engage and show that they care about the people using their products and services. With the help of CRM (customer relationship management) software, this community manager will be there to create value for the community, either by creating community events or something as simple as sending personal notes during birthdays, weddings, births, loss, and engaging on social media. No robot or artificial intelligence can do this because they don’t live the human experience; they don’t experience grief, happiness, pain, dilemmas, or anxiety.
On the flipside, if you are a freelancer or independent contractor, being empathetic to your customers will help you understand their pain points so you can deliver better, tailored results. Sure, better results may lead to better pay, but being empathetic isn’t always about making more money in the end, it is about caring for the other person at that very moment through the ups and downs.
We live in a world where genuine care and empathy is rather rare that whoever is able to provide that will have the leverage of securing lifelong users and customers. Being empathetic is the first step, the second step is having the proper communication skills to express your ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
Language
If you talk to a man [person] in a language he [they] understands, that goes to his [their] head. If you talk to him [them] in his [their] language, that goes to his [their] heart. — Nelson Mandela
The basis of all communication is language, because two people speaking or signaling different languages that neither understands will not be able to get their message across. We are already witnessing the value of language mastery in today’s globalized world, what more the future. Translation apps and services are becoming increasingly smart with deep learning technology.
However, communicating in another person’s language is more than just Google translating phrases and texts, it is about understanding their culture, history, and even the concept of time. Language is more than just words; it provides meaning within a given context. The use of phrases and colloquialisms may also add complexity to communication if one does not speak the language.
Speaking in one’s mother tongue is comforting. Think about the last time you met someone from your home country while travelling abroad in a foreign country. You both probably bonded over the fact that you speak the same language before anything else. The best way to learn a new language is to immerse yourself in an environment that uses the language in daily life. Studying, working, or travelling abroad (if you can afford it) can be extremely rewarding.
If you are a community manager, being fluent in multiple languages will be an advantage for you to engage and connect with your users. With this, you will be able to learn from different perspectives and, when paired with your analytical skills, apply solutions from one perspective to a problem of another.
The same can be said if you’re a freelancer. Mastering more languages puts you in the position to cast a wider net and take on jobs from a diverse client pool. In addition, you will also appear more personable to your clients and opens up better communication between both parties.
Communication skills
Being a great communicator involves having active listening skills and a clear and effective communication style. Communication skills are so underrated these days that almost half of the graduating class of 2017 will most likely be ranked as lacking in them.
Communication skills can be taught and honed (which is what I’m doing now by writing this post) and comes highly valued in the workplace of the future. Great communication skills not only improves work productivity by reducing doubt and uncertainy, but also improves working relationships by giving the other person your full attention and respect when conversing.
A big part of communication skills is active listening, which is defined as being attentive to what the other person is saying and try to understand the complete message being sent. With so many distractions around us, especially from that little box in our pockets (mobile devices), it is easy for our minds to wander and not listen to the person in front of us. If you are constantly distracted, practicing mindfulness will help you cut out the ambient noise and focus.
Being able to communicate clearly and effectively is a skill that takes time to practice and develop. It is a balance between the use of language, the amount of details/information to include, and structure/flow. The person that you are speaking to should be able to comprehend what you are saying without you having to explain yourself all over again. When in doubt, always over communicate and do not leave out any details just because you assume that the other party knows about it already.
The all-in-one package
If you’re a student looking to develop all three skills, the best place to do so would be at a liberal arts college. Having graduated with a liberal arts degree, I can assure you that the liberal arts curriculum will expose you to the human experience more than you could ever imagine, throw you into foreign environments to learn about language, culture, and history, and make you dialogue and express your thoughts in writing in every single class.
If you’re an employer looking to hire someone that has all the goods, go ahead and give those liberal arts graduates a chance and invite them for an interview. You might be surprised.
TL;DR
Companies need to build a community around their workers and customers to foster loyalty, collaboration, and develop a genuine relationship. Automation can take care of most things, but it can’t be human. That’s where your community manager steps in.
Workers of the future, regardless if you’re a freelancer, self-employed, or an employee, will greatly benefit from having empathy, language mastery, and deft communication skills.
Min Xiang is a graduate from Soka University of America, a private liberal arts college ranked as one the top 50 liberal arts colleges in the United States. Soka University of America students are required to learn a foreign language and study abroad for a semester in a country that speaks that language.
