Top 5 skills shaping the future of work & how the BSc Business Management prepares you for them
The nature of work is shifting at speed. Automation, AI, digital transformation and global economic pressures are reshaping what organisations need from their workforce. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, employers are prioritising a set of core skills that will define the future of business and management roles.
The new online BSc Business Management from Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University is designed around these demands. The curriculum builds analytical, digital and leadership capabilities that help learners thrive in modern workplaces – and prepares them to lead through change, not simply adapt to it.
1 - Analytical thinking: The highest-value cognitive skill
The WEF highlights analytical thinking as the single most critical cognitive skill for the next five years. 69% of experts expect demand for analytical thinkers to grow, making it one of the skills least affected by automation.
This is a core focus of the BSc Business Management. Through the Business Technology, Introductory Business Economics, Business Accounting and Finance, and Business Analytics courses, you’ll build the ability to interpret data, evaluate evidence, and make decisions grounded in analysis rather than intuition. These are competencies employers consistently look for across management roles.
2 - Creative thinking: Rising faster than any other problem-solving skill
As organisations seek innovation and new approaches to complex problems, creative thinking is gaining prominence. 75% of businesses expect demand for creative thinking to increase, reflecting its link to innovation, entrepreneurship, and adaptability.
The programme incorporates creative problem-solving throughout courses such as Fundamentals of Marketing and Innovation and Enterprise. You will explore how to generate ideas, challenge assumptions and develop solutions that drive value in competitive environments.
3 - Resilience, flexibility and agility: The most important interpersonal skills
The WEF identifies this as the highest-ranked interpersonal skill, with 67% of businesses citing it as essential. As industries evolve, organisations need people who can adapt, pivot and respond confidently to uncertainty.
The BSc develops these skills through its self-paced online structure, which itself requires learners to manage time, prioritise work and build effective study habits. Courses such as Leadership and Strategy, People Management, and Operations and Project Management strengthen the ability to adapt to changing contexts and navigate workplace challenges.
4 - Leadership and social influence: Critical for progression into management
As companies reshape their organisational structures, leadership capability remains in high demand. Four in ten employers plan to prioritise leadership development in their skills strategies.
The degree embeds leadership development across the curriculum – from People Management to Leadership and Strategy, preparing you to guide teams, manage conflict, influence stakeholders, and make strategic decisions grounded in ethical and sustainable practice.
5 - Motivation and self-awareness: Key to performance and long-term growth
The report shows that 52% of employers consider motivation and self-awareness essential. These skills underpin professional resilience, reflective practice and the ability to learn continuously in fast-changing roles.
The programme encourages reflective learning, personal development planning and professional awareness, helping you understand your strengths and areas for growth. This is supported by courses that emphasise responsible leadership, inclusive practice and ethical decision-making, such as Leadership and Strategy, Innovation and Enterprise, and Business Accounting and Finance.
Skills aligned with global workforce needs
Beyond the WEF’s five priority skills, the BSc Business Management develops broader competencies aligned with long-term workforce trends:
- Business analytics and data literacy for roles shaped by AI and digital transformation.
- Project management and operations skills, addressing significant UK and global skills gaps.
- Financial and strategic capability, enabling confident, evidence-based decision-making.
- Sustainable business and ethical leadership, now central to organisational strategy as ESG expectations intensify.
- Adaptability to emerging technologies, with AI, automation and analytics integrated throughout the curriculum.
These are not abstract skills. They are applied through coursework, case studies, simulations, and the Industry Specialisation Certificate completed in stage three, which allows you to focus on a specific professional domain and demonstrate job-ready expertise.
Preparing for a decade of global demand
Global data shows that business, management and operations roles will experience sustained growth through 2034 (Lightcast, 2025), with millions of vacancies emerging each year. A degree that builds analytical, digital and leadership capabilities positions graduates strongly for this landscape.
The online BSc Business Management offers a structured, future-focused route into these careers – equipping learners with the skills to step into management, accelerate their progression, or build and grow their own ventures.
Equip yourself with the skills the future demands
The workplace is changing. The skills required to succeed are changing with it. This programme ensures you remain ahead of that curve.
If you want a flexible, career-driven, industry-aligned route into business and management, the BSc Business Management gives you the tools to begin.
Study on your terms.