Thinking skills: The new currency in the digital age

Thinking skills have emerged as a priority for business leaders seeking to navigate the complexities of a fast-evolving job market. According to NTUC LearningHub’s Special Report 2024 on Thinking Skills in a Digital Age, over nine in 10 business leaders consider strong thinking skills essential in hiring decisions, with nearly all seeing them as a critical complement to technical skills in the face of emerging technologies such as AI.

The report, based on a survey of 200 business leaders, revealed that 94% of respondents view thinking skills as key in enhancing employee capabilities alongside technical expertise. Specifically, nearly half (47%) rated thinking skills as “very important” for employees, while an additional 49% rated them as “somewhat important”.

Leaders believe that skills like problem solving, strategic thinking, critical thinking, analytical thinking, and logical thinking are crucial for building a resilient workforce adaptable to the digital economy’s demands.

Amos Tan, Chief Core Skills Officer at NTUC LearningHub, said, “In today’s fast-paced and tech-driven workplace, success hinges on the effective augmentation and application of technical expertise and thinking skills. The interplay among these skills enables employees to tackle challenges, adapt to changes, and make calculated decisions, especially as technologies like AI become integral in the workplace.”

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The report also highlighted that half of business leaders (41%) believe a combined focus on technical and thinking skills is crucial for maximising their organisation’s human capital. Nearly four in five leaders (78%) indicate they are likely to invest in thinking skills training for employees, with 55% planning to do so within the next six months.

Despite recognising the need for thinking skills, business leaders face challenges in addressing skills gaps. Over 80% report a thinking skills gap within their organisations, yet less than half (43%) have implemented training programmes over the past year. Key barriers include a lack of clear metrics to measure skill development (41%), inconsistent definitions of what constitutes effective thinking skills (38%), and difficulty tailoring training to diverse roles (38%).