Artificial intelligence can already write texts, create presentations or even code in a few seconds. You might think that tech experts will become the kings of work. However, Microsoft assures that a very specific quality will soon be the most valuable in business.
The AI advances at breakneck speed. Today, she drafts contracts, prepares marketing campaigns and responds to emails in the blink of an eye. Obviously, many imagine that the most sought-after employees will be those who perfectly master these new tools. But the latest analyzes from Microsoft and LinkedIn tell a different story. The more companies automate their work, the more they look for… something else entirely.
This observation also comes at the wrong time. A study by Gallup, an American consulting and analysis firm, reveals that the level of stress among employees remains very high and that the feeling of loneliness is gaining ground. Even when everyone works in the same premises, everyone can spend a good part of their day behind their screen talking to software rather than with a colleague. This is not really the best recipe for creating team spirit, because a team that no longer communicates as easily also loses confidence. And when confidence disappears, productivity often begins to falter.
Besides, it’s not just a question of the atmosphere in the office. When employees hesitate to ask a question, share a difficulty or ask for a helping hand, projects set back. Errors take longer to be spotted and everyone works more in their own corner. The leaders understood this well. Deploying the best AI tools is no longer enough, you must also succeed in keeping a team united, motivated and capable of communicating naturally.
In this context, Microsoft believes that only one skill will really increase in value in the coming years: emotional intelligence. Understanding the concerns of your team, creating a climate of trust, bringing together different profiles and creating a desire to work together will become a much more important advantage than mastering a new tool. Software will continue to advance. Human qualities will remain impossible to automate.
Thus, companies are starting to review their way of managing. Meetings are no longer just about scrolling through figures or reading a dashboard, they remain fundamental for fueling real discussions where everyone can share an idea, a doubt or a difficulty. Specialists also recommend that managers agree to show that they do not know everything. It may seem counterintuitive, but recognizing uncertainty often creates much more confidence than trying to play encyclopedias on legs.
They also advise not to forget the little moments that make up the life of a team, especially at a time when teleworking is already being called into question in many sectors, now that the Covid crisis is behind us… A work anniversary, a personal success, a project finally completed after several weeks… An AI can send an automatic message of congratulations, but everyone quickly sees the difference. Human relations do not work with copy and paste, even if very well written!
