Knowmads: The workers of the future

This article was written and published in Spanish and has been translated into English via Google Translate. Click here to read the original article.

Following the full evolution of the labor market, professionals must adapt to the changes that are already occurring. In fact, according to Google's forecasts, this transformation will last until 2020, the year in which almost all people will be connected to the Internet worldwide, so responding to the challenges posed by new technologies has become an critical factor for all the agents involved - companies and workers, which many will be encompassed around a term of recent creation: so-called knowmads, a neologism that combines the words know and nomad.

Created by John Moravec, the prologue of the book "Knowmads" by Raquel Roca, includes this term to refer to a new professional profile - which by 2020 will represent 45% of the workforce - and will be extended in response to automation and rapid technological evolution that the labor market and society in general will have to assume.

Some of its main characteristics is that, unlike other profiles such as the millennials - which in a year will narrowly surpass the knowmads, reaching 50% of the total workforce, according to Deloitte - so-called knowmads "do not apply to a specific age interval and, therefore, are more than a profile - it is a work attitude." However, Randstad indicates that "they are usually people who are between 27 and 35 years old."

And if it is an attitude, what parameters define it? According to LinkedIn, Ignacio Villoc, manager of events and innovation activities at the BBVA Innovation Center, referring to Raquel Roca's book, some of the characteristics they share is that they are "collaborative, curious, open, aware, responsible for their actions, their physical health and that of the planet, committed, and critical."

Villoc also emphasizes that it is a profile that is not afraid of failure, which is fundamental when innovating, and is aware of the value of releasing access to information, which is a creator of networks that connects people and ideas, remains creative and motivated, and has a well-defined personal brand.

Along with this, Randstad indicates that, in addition, they transform information into knowledge and are able to "perform work related to creativity, innovation or problem solving", which implies that it is a much more complicated professional to replace with machines.

On the other hand, Raquel Roca attributes a series of key skills that make the Knowmads go to be key in the future. In this way, the expert highlights their understanding of work as a job they like to perform, beyond perceived salary and in line with their own personal satisfaction.

It also stresses that they are generators of ideas, basic to solve the unforeseen that may arise, and have a high sense of belonging. "They perform their work autonomously and do not tolerate receiving orders well," adds Randstad in his article.

On the other hand, they dominate new technologies and are part of the so-called 'early adopters', that is, "innovators who are at the forefront in the acquisition of the latest technological products and are aware of the news of those who are to come. ", While they know how to manage social networks.

In this line, Roca affects the ability to adapt, as well as its versatility, flexibility and interest to learn continuously.

This article was written and published in Spanish and has been translated into English via Google Translate. Click here to read the original article.

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