“Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions to affect other people.” – Jim Rohn, Entrepreneur.
Managers often see soft skills as a “nice bonus,” but their significance should not be understated. These skills help employees and managers function in the workplace, allowing people to interact and work together cohesively. The more developed a person’s soft skills are, the better equipped they’ll be to navigate the work environment, complete tasks, projects, develop new relationships, close sales – achieve organizational objectives. In this article, we look at the soft skills employers love to see in their employees and how they contribute to a productive work environment.
What are soft skills?
Soft skills are personal qualities that support situational awareness and enhance an individual’s ability to function in the workplace. The term soft skills are often used interchangeably with “people skills” or “emotional intelligence.”
Examples of in-demand soft skills are:
- Time management
- Communication
- Adaptability
- Problem-solving
- Teamwork
- Creativity
- Leadership
- Interpersonal skills
- Active listening
- Attention to detail
Why are Employers Interested in Soft Skills?
Employers want to know that employees can work well with their peers. Soft skills are social attributes that enable individuals to interact effectively with others. These skills help employees build and maintain smooth working relationships, navigate complex situations, and work toward company goals.
What would happen if there were no soft skills?
It is easy to take soft skills for granted because they are hard to identify and quantify. Moreover, soft skills allow people to function in groups to make sense of each other and the social environment. Without soft skills, it would be impossible for people to communicate, form relationships, or work in teams. In short, if employees did not (or do not )have strong, soft skills, the workplace would become chaotic, toxic, and unproductive.
What do the Studies Say about Soft Skills?
“Soft skills get little respect, but they will make or break your career” – Peggy Klaus.
- 92% of talent professionals said soft skills matter as much or more than hard skills (LinkedIn)
- 85% of career success comes from having well-developed soft skills and people skills. (Blinklist)
- Hard skills, including technical skills and knowledge, only make up 15% of career success. (Blinklist)
What are the top six soft skills Employers are looking for?
The following list of skills are (arguably) the six most valued soft skills employers look for in employees and actionable suggestions for improving them.
Communication
Communication skills allow for clear and concise exchange of information, ideas, and feedback among team members, clients, and stakeholders. It promotes understanding, collaboration, and alignment, improving productivity and successful outcomes.
Improve communication skills:
- Simplify your messages.
- Be aware of your body language.
- Actively listen to others to enhance productive and polite conversations.
Adaptability
In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing work environment, being adaptable demonstrates the ability to embrace new technologies, processes, and ways of working and to adjust quickly to shifting priorities and challenges. Adaptable employees are more resilient, open-minded, and capable of handling unexpected situations, making them valuable assets to employers.
Suggestions to enhance adaptability:
- Seek out new experiences.
- Challenge your fears.
- View challenges as opportunities for growth.
- Develop your weakest skills (math, language, drafting, technical knowledge, etc).
Active Listening
Active listening fosters effective communication, empathy, and understanding. By attentively listening to others, employees can gain valuable insights, avoid misunderstandings, and build stronger relationships. Active listening promotes a supportive and inclusive work environment, improving teamwork and problem-solving.
Suggestions to develop active listening skills:
- Focus on understanding rather than formulating a response.
- Restate others’ content to show comprehension.
- Remain fully engaged during conversations.
Attention to Detail
Paying attention to detail is vital for producing high-quality work and ensuring task accuracy and precision. It involves carefully reviewing information, identifying errors or inconsistencies, and maintaining a high level of thoroughness in all aspects of work. Attention to detail demonstrates professionalism, reliability, and a commitment to excellence.
Suggestions to strengthen attention to detail:
- Pay close attention to tasks and information.
- Double-check your work for accuracy.
- Develop systematic approaches to ensure thoroughness.
Problem-Solving
Problem-solving skills are critical for overcoming challenges and finding innovative solutions. Employees who can analyze problems, think critically, and develop effective strategies contribute to efficient operations and continuous improvement. Problem solvers demonstrate resilience, resourcefulness, and a proactive approach, which employers highly value.
Foster problem-solving skills:
- Think critically by evaluating information.
- Ask questions
- Exploring motivations from different perspectives to find logical solutions.
Time Management
Effective time management enables employees to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and maintain productivity. It involves planning, organizing, and allocating time efficiently to optimize workflow and achieve goals. Employees with good time management skills are reliable, efficient, and able to balance multiple responsibilities effectively.
Improve time management: Set goals and prioritize tasks, use apps, digital tools, and project management software to stay organized, and practice focus and productivity techniques to meet deadlines effectively.
“Developing soft skills won’t be successful in most cases using a one-and-done approach like a single webinar or panel discussion… Instead, the soft-skills training methods that tend to work best are “flexible, shorter and more frequent.” – Society for Human Resource Management.
Soft skills are vital in modern workplaces, allowing people to interact and work together productively. Employers tend to emphasize hard skills more because they take longer to develop and are often directly connected to organizational outcomes. Moreover, soft skills are necessary for people to function in social settings. Thus, when organizations take the initiative in developing employee soft skills, they will find that improvements in communication, adaptability, active listening, problem-solving, time management, and others, lead to enhanced organizational performance, synergy, and success.
Thank you for reading our article!
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