7 Skills Employees Need to Have – Both with AI and IRL
As artificial intelligence becomes a permanent fixture in the workplace, it’s reshaping – not replacing – how people work. Automation and generative AI are accelerating productivity, but they also spotlight the skills machines can’t replicate. For HR and L&D leaders, a workforce that balances digital fluency with soft skills is a competitive advantage.
Here are seven must-have skills that help employees stay effective in the age of AI and in real life.
1. Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
AI can analyze data and suggest solutions, but it can’t weigh trade-offs or solve unstructured problems. Critical thinking helps employees evaluate AI output, identify risks, and adapt strategies when conditions change.
According to the World Economic Forum, analytical thinking is one of the top skills in demand through 2027. As more workflows become AI-driven, employees need to question assumptions, assess context, and make decisions that go beyond algorithms.
2. Adaptability and Continuous Learning
Technology moves fast, so people need to move faster. The rise of AI has made reskilling and upskilling core to employee development. Workers who embrace new tools and shift mindsets quickly can stay ahead of evolving demands.
This kind of adaptability goes beyond software. You and your teams need to be open to change and comfortable with ambiguity. A skills-based approach to learning helps organizations develop people for what’s next.
To support adaptability:
- Introduce microlearning content employees can access on demand.
- Offer AI literacy training across all departments, not just IT.
- Encourage peer-led knowledge sharing and reverse mentoring.
- Recognize employees who model a growth mindset during change.
3. Creativity and Innovation
AI can generate content, do research, make images, and compose music, but it can’t originate truly new ideas. Creativity remains a uniquely human strength. Employees who combine curiosity, experimentation, and strategic thinking will continue to drive innovation.
4. Emotional Intelligence and Empathy
AI can simulate conversation, but it can’t read the room. Emotional intelligence – understanding your own reactions and responding effectively to others – can help keep teams functioning in high-stress, high-change environments.
Research shows that leaders with high emotional intelligence build stronger relationships, improve morale, and reduce burnout. Empathy also plays a central role in customer service, leadership, and DEI work, where trust – not just logic – drives outcomes.
5. Communication and Collaboration
AI can draft content, but it can’t build alignment. Teams still rely on people to share context, clarify intent, and move projects forward.
To thrive in today’s hybrid environments, employees need to communicate clearly with both humans and machines. To begin with, this requires accurately interpreting AI outputs and subsequently translating those insights into actionable steps across departments.
In addition, effective communication means listening attentively, sharing ideas openly, and engaging in constructive feedback loops. Moreover, it involves collaborating across roles, functions, and time zones to ensure that work gets done efficiently and cohesively. Ultimately, this blend of technical fluency and interpersonal agility is what drives meaningful progress in AI-integrated workplaces.
6. AI and Digital Literacy
As more roles integrate AI tools, basic digital literacy isn’t enough. Employees don’t need to be engineers, but they need to understand how AI works, where it fits, and what its limitations are.
They also need to know how to use AI tools ethically and integrate outputs into workflows. Digital literacy helps reduce misuse and builds trust in AI-powered systems.
Ways to build AI literacy include:
- Offering hands-on training with task-specific AI tools
- Creating quick-reference guides for ethical AI use
- Hosting lunch-and-learns on AI trends and use cases
- Encouraging employees to test and compare AI tools
- Adding AI awareness in onboarding and compliance training
7. Project Management and Coordination
AI can streamline planning, but people still drive execution. Effective project management connects goals to action, tracks milestones, and adjusts in real time.
Strengthen project management by:
- Training employees on agile workflows and iterative planning
- Assigning rotating project leads to develop coordination skills
- Using AI tools for scheduling and resource forecasting
- Tracking cross-functional dependencies in shared dashboards
Employees with strong coordination skills help teams move faster; more importantly, they serve as the connective tissue between strategy and execution. By balancing budgets, timelines, people, and tools, they ensure that no element operates in isolation. In addition, they close the loop between insight and impact – thereby transforming AI-enabled strategies into measurable outcomes. As a result, organizations gain not just speed, but precision and accountability.
Strong Human and AI Skills Set Teams Apart
AI is rapidly transforming the way we work; however, it is not replacing the core attributes that make people uniquely valuable. While automation and algorithms continue to reshape tasks and workflows, it is equally important to recognize that human insight, empathy, and adaptability remain irreplaceable. Therefore, strengthening soft skills in tandem with technical competencies is essential – not only for staying relevant, but also for cultivating long-term resilience.
As we look ahead to 2025, the imperative becomes clear: to build a future-ready workforce, organizations must invest in both human and AI capabilities. In other words, success will depend on our ability to integrate emotional intelligence with digital fluency.
To that end, explore the latest joint training experience from Dale Carnegie and Matt Britton—Consumer Trends Expert and Author of Generation AI. Their program, Human By Design: Future – Proofing Yourself In An AI-Driven World, is available both online and in-person, offering actionable strategies to help professionals thrive amid technological disruption.
As an owner of the Dale Carnegie Mid-Atlantic franchise, McKonly & Asbury is able to offer an extension of services to our clients and friends of the firm, expanding our expertise in the areas of leadership, team building, and people development as Dale Carnegie offers programs in leadership, management development, customer engagement, service, sales, communication, and more.
About the Author
McKonly & Asbury is a Certified Public Accounting Firm serving companies across Pennsylvania including Camp Hill, Lancaster, Bloomsburg, and Philadelphia. We serve the needs of affordable housing, construction, family-owned businesses, healthcare, manufacturing and distribution, and nonprofit industries. We also assist service organizations with the full suite of SOC services (including SOC 2 reports), ERTC claims, internal audits, SOX compliance, and employee benefit plan audits.
