Written by Nataliya Galasyuk
December 8, 2023
Soft skills in the workplace are becoming increasingly sought after. LinkedIn’s report found that 92% of talent professionals consider soft skills equally or more important than hard skills.
Due to the nature of soft skills, it isn’t as easy to test them. You may hire someone with an outstanding resume, only to realize down the line that they lack creativity, leadership, and adaptability. In fact, the same LinkedIn report found that 89% of new hires don’t work out due to a lack of soft skills. How much do you know about them?
Soft skills are someone’s personal attributes, such as communication and creativity. These determine how someone interacts with others and handles situations. Though they’re non-technical, soft skills in the workplace are equally as important as hard skills. They aren’t taught in a classroom, but they can be coached and encouraged.
In contrast, hard skills are the technical knowledge and abilities that are specific to a job. Examples include foreign language fluency, programming, or Microsoft Excel proficiency. Employers can usually measure hard skills as they’re learnable and improve with practice.
5 Examples of Soft Skills: Communication, Teamwork, Adaptability, Creativity & Problem-Solving
Let’s discuss five examples of soft skills. Each has its own attributes that make these valuable soft skills in the workforce.
Read for more soft skills, a deeper explanation of why they’re important, and suggestions on how to measure them.
But if you can’t easily test soft skills, how can employers identify and assess them in job candidates? It’s hard because soft skills are interpersonal and transferable across jobs and industries. Nonetheless, there are ways to recognize them in candidates.
Savvy employers seek to foster a culture of continuous learning. Constant training and development are the key to remaining agile and competitive. As an employer, you should be investing in strengthening employee soft skills in the workplace.
Encourage employees to complete soft skill training courses. They can access them online and complete them at their own pace. You can also conduct role-playing exercises where employees act out scenarios. This is more engaging and means they can learn from each other.
Mentorship is another route to developing soft skills. It’s particularly useful for entry-level employees who can gain a lot from senior expertise. Job shadowing or even job swapping is another way to get employees engaging with unfamiliar teams and implementing different skills.
You should also always be monitoring and evaluating your employees. Offer constructive feedback and criticism to show that you’re invested in their development.
While both hard and soft skills are important, there’s been more of an emphasis on soft skills in the workforce in recent years. AI and technology are automating many roles across different industries. While technology can replicate some tasks, it’s the human characteristics that make all the difference.
Companies need employees who can think on their feet and adapt to rapidly advancing technology. They should be able to embrace change and input their own creativity and innovative ideas. This is the way that companies can remain competitive and stand out from the rest. Soft skills in the workplace are crucial to stay ahead of the curb.
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