Are you a big softie? Can you build a successful workforce with soft skills?
Every employer and recruiter knows the technical and specialist skills they need to look for in a candidate so that they can effectively perform a role.
But how much attention is given to being able to build a successful wordforce with soft skills? Are these even important? The answer is ‘Yes’. And it’s not just professions such as human resources, teaching and medical that can benefit from this addition to the required skillset.
Companies who neglect to find a good balance between soft and hard skills to get a sound cultural and technical fit into the company, may be losing out on both productivity and high performing teams.
There are requirements of many jobs across a range of industries which require a high level of soft skill in order to enhance, or even successfully complete, a technical or hard-skilled task.
Soft skill requirements in jobs
• Collaborating with cross-functional groups on a major project
• Helping team members who may be struggling
• Dealing with customers, executives and internal teams
• Giving and receiving coaching on technical matters
• Adapting to different styles of management
• Flexibility in dealing with different personalities within a team
Whether it’s in an executive office suite, or on a construction site, there is a place for soft skills to compliment specialist skills. A shift of focus in the recruitment process could land you your next diamond, a future leader.
Of course, soft skills are much harder to gauge but this is improving with more sophisticated behavioural scoring tools, video interviewing and situational questioning.
It’s worth remembering that it’s easier to teach someone to perform a task than it is to teach someone an attitude. Recruiters and employers need to consider soft skills to build a successful workforce.
