In the next five to 10 years, technology such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things will transform how most businesses are staffed, operated and managed. Standardized, repetitive tasks will be automated, leading to a reduction in headcount, warns a recent posting from online publication Training Industry.

Humans will only be needed to perform the work that technology can’t—jobs that involve high-level problem solving, critical thinking, innovation, creativity and emotional engagement, says Professor Ed Hess of the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia.

Learning and development professionals can teach those skills and help people learn to be more open-minded and less defensive; manage their thinking and emotions; listen reflectively; and connect, relate and engage with others in ways that build trust and cultivate collaboration and teamwork.

Companies can also work with L&D professionals to establish a culture that promotes higher-level human thinking and emotional skills, Hess says. That culture should be based on three psychological principles: positivity, self-determination theory and psychological safety.

See the full article: “Learning & Development in the Smart Machine Age.”