By 2022, almost half of all employers predict that automation could cause a shift in their workforce, namely a shift away from human employees. With huge margins for productivity and revenue growth, automation comes fast, but smart business leaders do well to consider the more human aspects of their operations. With automation comes opportunity to free up the creative energies of us humans, turning soft skills into valuable assets for businesses, no matter how far that automation may go

Within a decade or two, millions of people could see their very own responsibilities and positions replaced entirely by robots, but not every business can operate like Amazon’s cashier-less grocery store. The soft skills of human employees have yet to be replicated through robotics, preventing many positions and even entire industries from welcoming in automation. Reliance on human-specific skills like emotional intelligence, creativity, problem solving, curiosity, and humor make medical fields, education positions, and even technology jobs among the lowest likely to see automation. It’s because of this very idea that not all experts agree on just how far automation will penetrate and one study has even shown that under 5% of occupations can become fully automated. Instead of absolute replacement of human employees, smart business leaders keep the bigger picture in mind; blending the precision and predictability of automation with the personality of human beings to drive success and further innovation.

Though the automation revolution may well be units way, we can keep our competitive edge by looking inwards and turning humanity into an asset in itself. To truly robot-proof tasks, it will take personal growth from employees and attention to detail from managers. Take a look at this infographic for more detail on the present application of automation, how they are paving the way for the future of automation, and how our unique human skills grow in value alongside robotic capabilities.

Infographic source: Online Bachelor Degrees