Editor’s Note

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Will the Fourth Industrial Revolution take away your jobs? How skilled are you to meet the future requirements? Are you aware of the skills that will be most desired by employers by 2020 and beyond? With all these questions looming large, employees are always looking out for ways to future proof their careers.

 

This era of technological innovation isn’t about the “wholesale replacement of the human workforce.” According to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Future of Jobs Report 2018, many businesses are opting for an augmentation strategy, where machines perform the repetitive tasks and allow professionals to use their distinctively human talents to solve more complex issues. Proficiency in new technologies is an obvious plus for professionals, but technical skills are only part of a future-proof skill set. Read Josh Kamrath’s article, What Does A Future-Proof Skill Set Look Like? to find out the top skills of the future.  
 
A pay raise represents how much employers value an individual’s contribution, but it also symbolizes much more. It sends employees messages about how they are valued compared to colleagues and how they are valued relative to the market. As a result, the impact of the salary increase on performance is often muted, with employees receiving mixed messages that leave them dissatisfied. So, how can employers help the salary increase be more effective? Read Lauren Mason’s article, To Pay For Performance, Give The Salary Increase A Break, for more insights
 
Maternity leaves differ in different countries. Flexible working hours, extended maternity leave, breastfeeding rooms, free education and free healthcare are just a few of the ways that some countries build the best working environments for mothers. If you wish to know about maternity leaves around the world, read Aliyah Loughlan’s article, How Paid Maternity Leave Differs Around The World.
 
In an ideal world, men and women would be equally likely to be the breadwinner of a couple. But a new analysis found that in the 50 largest metros, women were the main breadwinner in less than 31% of couples’ households. To find out more on these cities, read Elyssa Kirkham’s article, 10 Cities Where Women Outearn Their Partners
 
Workplace equality is a hot topic, but unfortunately, some employees still face discrimination because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. However, there are companies that welcome the LGBTQ community with open hands. According to research by personal finance blog OverdraftApps.com and The HRC, companies within the banking and personal finance sector have topped the list as the best places to work for the LGBTQ community. To find out more about the top LGBTQ friendly industries in the US and more on this topic, read Uri Abramson’s article.
 
This is not all, we have a bunch of other informative articles on integrated talent management, performance management and compensation management in this issue. Hope you enjoy reading all the articles and get back to us with your valuable feedback/comments.