Skills for a digital world of work

Demarcation for a healthy work-life balance

During the interview, it becomes clear that the blurring of boundaries between professional and private life is one of the biggest challenges. Especially in times of working from home, it is important for employers to establish clear guidelines to define when presence is expected. Whether you are more productive at home or in the office is up to the individual. According to Sarah Genner, research shows that we often work more productively at home, while social interaction and important information transfer take place in the office. Hybrid forms of work are also an option, but they need to be well communicated and coordinated. This is precisely why demarcation is more important today than ever.

In the podcast, Sarah Genner also talks about the right to be unavailable. Working from home makes it possible to fulfil different roles more flexibly and to shape one's own life in a more self-determined way. However, this flexibility harbours the risk that work and leisure time become blurred or that breaks are neglected. This increases the risk of burnout. The right structures that make breaks a matter of course can have a preventative effect. The responsibility for this lies not only with the employer, but also with the employees themselves.

Sarah Genner openly admits in the podcast that this is often easier said than done: "I sometimes find it very difficult to stick to my own tips for keeping my distance. And I also find it difficult to admit that." Nevertheless, she emphasises how important it is to keep at it and gives the following tips for healthy distancing:

• Specify working hours in your email signature
• Communicate the expectations of managers clearly and comprehensibly
• Take regular breaks
• Clearly regulate deputisations
• Do not take mobile phones into the bedroom
• Set up absence notes

Skills of the future - mental fitness

When Sarah Genner talks about the skills of the future, Technology is surprisingly not at the forefront. Much more important to her are a willingness to learn, a willingness to change, curiosity, the ability to work in a team and a high tolerance for frustration. Because we have to accept that Technology sometimes doesn't work. Genner compares the employees of the future to rough diamonds - company-specific knowledge makes them shine.

When it comes to recruitment, the focus is increasingly shifting from pure expertise to personal purpose and values. A person's inner drive and set of values must match the purpose and values of the company. This fit helps to ensure that the collaboration is satisfactory for both sides in the long term.

Employees are faced with the challenge of constantly opening up new channels, learning digital programmes and tools and responding to the changing needs of customers. This can only be achieved with continuous training and reflection on one's own working patterns. Mental fitness and a willingness to learn are crucial. Flexibility and agility are also important. Companies must ensure that the willingness and ability to learn are firmly anchored in the corporate culture. Incentives should be designed in such a way that further training is perceived as a matter of course. This is the only way for companies to remain leaders and innovative.

How learning works best is individual. Companies can promote Education in various ways:

• Internal knowledge transfer - online, hybrid or face-to-face; when employees need the knowledge
• Knowledge platforms - linked to AI to suggest new content to employees based on their prior knowledge
• External training programmes - to support new ideas and expand the network

Which generation will benefit from Digitization?

Whether the younger or the older generation will benefit more from the changes remains an open question. The younger generations have grown up with digital Media, tools and channels and are agile in these worlds. The older generations, on the other hand, have a greater learning curve, but are often better able to set boundaries thanks to their life experience and established identity.

Sarah Genner emphasises that positive psychology can help with this. She refers to three essential core values: zest for life, gratitude and the joy of learning. These qualities make people strong and happy - and are also the best prerequisites for mastering the challenges of the future.