Seeking Safe Spaces: Graduate Transitions into a Digitally Transformed Workplace - Skillnet Ireland

This study reinforced the significant impact of digital transformation on customer propositions, business operating models, and work processes, tasks and activities. It highlighted how these changes influence the social dynamic of the workplace from leadership styles and management practices to the very experience of work itself.

One of the key findings was that, due to the automation of work, graduates are experiencing steeper learning curves while simultaneously experiencing an erosion of ‘safe spaces’ in which to learn. This has the potential to compromise their successful transition from college into the world of work and deserved further exploration. This new study, conducted throughout 2021, captures insights from over 1000 people working in Ireland today and specifically examines how 12% of these respondents, Ireland’s current graduates, experience the transition from college to work.

The research shows that graduates are indeed transitioning quickly into more advanced tasks and activities which demand higher levels of skill. It also highlights graduates are not confident about their business acumen, problem solving and technological skills. Most concerning of all however, are the levels of burnout graduates are reporting. It is possible that such levels of burnout are related to the erosion of the safe learning spaces graduates previously enjoyed.