It is not surprising that routine job roles such as data entry clerk, buyer, and bookkeeper are expected to continue their decline.  There will be an increasing demand for data analysts, artificial intelligence and digital automation specialists, across all industries.  This has important implications for the procurement function and its traditional job roles. Some of the new skills required will be in short supply.  Companies must address issues such as re-training, staff retention, re-allocation of job content and investing in hiring people with specialized skills.

Alongside this, the trend for remote working will continue. People will need to enhance their interpersonal skills and communication abilities to enable them to overcome challenges such as working in teams and time discipline.

Reviewing the Top 10 skills for 2025, as identified in the WEF Report, we see that many of these are conceptual and require judgmental ability. Some of these non-technical skills have been identified previously, it is the emphasis on logical thinking, applying new technologies, and self-management that are now highlighted.

Read more about what it means for procurement here

This article was first published on sievo.com