British consulting firms are set to cut back on remote work for junior staff to develop their soft skills as artificial intelligence (AI) takes over, according to the Financial Times (FT).
AI is taking on more technical work, making human skills more in demand. According to company executives, these skills need to be developed through face-to-face interactions in the office.
Saye Ganbari, head of EY’s UK consulting practice, said the company would be forced to reduce flexibility in favour of in-person presence to help employees develop their “soft skills”. She added that “this will be a significant challenge for management” as many employees have already built their lifestyles around remote work. Consulting firms use an apprenticeship model, where junior associates follow senior colleagues. But during the pandemic, teamwork training was neglected, with AI and technical skills being prioritized. EY is now investing in soft skills training. KPMG is experimenting with new approaches to in-person training to develop both soft and technical skills. Boston Consulting Group is expanding office activities, including chess clubs and sports clubs, to encourage junior consultants to spend more time in the office. Deloitte and PwC have previously launched additional training for junior associates after noting their weaker teamwork and communication skills compared to previous generations. Azets has reduced its hiring assessment requirements and encourages employees to spend four days a week in the office for informal training.