5 indispensable skills you need for the future of work

The way we work is changing and the pace of change is accelerating faster than you think. Change is rapid, radical and unpredictable. Global connectivity and intelligent machines are two of the most important drivers of change.

Work is now more than just showing up and doing what you are told. The skills employers look out for will never be the same again in the future. Some qualities are rare and employers will do everything to bring people with such skills to join their teams.

There's a major shift happening in the skill sets you need to stay relevant now and in the future. Technology is making many jobs redundant, others easier, and creating new ones along the way. These are a few of the most important skills you need to be indispensable now and in the future.

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1. The ability to create

The human ability to create cannot be toppled by just any machine. People who can look at internal business problems from a different perspective often end up solving them in completely unexpected, often elegant ways. They are the ones others look to for creative plans and strategies in any business.

The truth is, a lot of people spend their work life executing on people's plans instead of creating or taking initiatives. If you do more than just follow instructions at work, it will be very difficult for your employer to let you go for an intelligent machine.

Creative thinkers will always be innovative and inventive. They always look for new ways of doing things that add value, create new opportunities or move the company in a new direction. You can start developing your creative skills by investing in courses that broaden your perspective.

2. The ability to dig deeper and do work that matters

What you do or better still choose to work on should mean a lot to the success of the business. Go for projects that decide the future of the company. Ask to help out if you are not chosen to work on the most important tasks or assignments.

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If you're one of the few employees who are constantly coming up with new ideas and are taking on new responsibilities that are not required of you, you will make a lot impact.

Prove your worth. Be willing to go the extra mile. Don't just stay busy, work on what you need to do or do just what you are told. To become indispensable, your ideas, suggestions, opinions, and solutions should matter and make a big difference.

3. Agility

The explosion in connectivity around the world makes the ability to adjust and adapt new processes even more important to employers. Work environments are constantly changing, business processes keep evolving, and companies that can consistently adapt without necessarily having to change entire processes will win.

Every business wants people who are capable of making adjustments where necessary. Your ability to respond to new situations without having to change overall approach will be a desirable skill for every employer in the near future. Agility allows team members to take advantage of emerging opportunities when it matters. Can you adjust quickly when things are not working as planned?

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4. The ability to work with on site and remote teams

For many employers, spending every minute working in the office is no longer a necessity. A lot more companies are now embracing remote workers, freelancers and contractors. An intuit study estimates that by 2020, more than 40% of the American workforce, or 60 million people, will be independent workers--freelancers, contractors, and temporary employees.

Both large and small businesses are now embracing text, chat, video, file sharing, and screen sharing in addition to email and phone communications to work better. If you are able to learn and use new technologies at a faster rate, and communicate better with both on site and remote teams, you will continue to be an invaluable asset to your company.

5. The ability to connect with people in a more meaningful way

People skills are highly relevant, even now. The rise of intelligent machines will make it even more important to posses soft skills. The ability to quickly understand other's emotions and take a human approach to business is of immense importance to every company's growth.

Emotionally intelligent people who rank high on responsiveness, empathy, listening, and self-awareness are assets to every business. If you are not a people's person, it's not too late to learn how to better relate with your peers, customers and business partners.

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