5 essential soft skills in the workplace

As the skills-based hiring approach continues to gain traction among employers, it’s all the more important to look at soft skills as a complementary part of the hiring strategy.

Key Takeaways

• Soft skills – intangible qualities that focus on human behaviour, personal traits and cognitive capabilities – can be used as a key indicator of candidate potential in a role.  
• Choosing which soft skills to prioritise should ultimately be based on the needs of a specific role, though these five may be a good starting point for many employers.
• A number of available tools can help screen for soft skills

Soft skills in the workplace matter. Not only do candidates need training, knowledge and technical skills – they must also be able to problem-solve, communicate and get along with others to succeed in a modern workplace. Those intangible qualities that focus on human behaviour, personality traits and cognitive capabilities may be more important now than ever, especially as technology like AI continues to advance. And screening for these soft skills can help improve workplace wellbeing, too.

According to Indeed research tomorrow’s skills are soft: As machines get smarter, both employees and employers recognise the importance of soft skills such as empathy, active listening and collaboration.¹ Research by AlphaBeta estimates that the average Australian will spend an extra 1 hour and 20 minutes on job-related activities involving interpersonal skills by 2030.² This is reflected in our data which found:

• 56% of employees believe that human triumphs over machines when it comes to emotional intelligence.³ 
• 41% of employees believe that human triumphs over machines when it comes to critical thinking.⁴

Leveraging these transferable, people-centred capabilities has long been a trend among so-called 'unconventional hires' and job seekers looking to make a career transition, though employers should expect to see this practice more often among candidates in general as skills-based hiring continues to grow in popularity. 

Fundamental soft skills: Where to begin

While it’s best to tailor a candidate search for a specific role or an organisation’s unique needs, employers may find it helpful to use some of these basic soft skills as a starting point.

Empathy 

While not usually associated with the workplace, empathy is one of the most important soft skills people need both in work and in life. Empathy helps a person read people and situations, adapt accordingly, build trust and connect more effectively. It’s also good for business: Company cultures that encourage empathy attract highly engaged individuals. 

When managers model empathy, companies also have better retention rates and higher employee morale. And empathy is a critical foundation for a diverse and inclusive work culture. 

Emotional intelligence

One of the most important leadership skills, emotional intelligence (also known as 'emotional quotient', or 'EQ') is the ability to gauge and manage emotions and build professional relationships. EQ influences how well employees interact with one another as well as how they manage stress and conflict. A high EQ often correlates to high job performance and increased job satisfaction. 

Emotional control 

A skill set connected to EQ is emotional control: the ability to regulate emotions and how they are (or aren’t) displayed. Those with emotional control can manage their stress and stay productive under pressure, and many managers value this skill at every level of the organisation. If candidates describe themselves as easily angered, frustrated or dejected when a task goes south, they may not be the right fit for the team. 

Communication skills

Good communication involves listening and observing as well as talking. Candidates must be not only articulate; they must also be able to 'see' beyond the spoken word and notice questionable behaviours and patterns. Employees with expert communication abilities can mitigate a problem before it becomes a crisis, fostering collaborative solutions when they’re needed most. 

Self-awareness

This is the mother of all soft skills: Without it, it’s pretty hard to develop other skills that may be lacking. Those with self-awareness pay attention to how they show up in different situations, know their shortcomings and are interested in and open to feedback. They want to grow, and they’re aware when they’re doing it and when they’re not. 

Screening for the top 5 soft skills in the workplace

Candidates may not always be aware of their own soft skills (or know how to articulate them). But savvy hiring teams can learn a lot during the application and interview process. For example, when a candidate completes a task on time and conveys it to the recruiter, that’s a sign of punctuality and great communication. Of course, the nerves that come with an interview can cloak some of a candidate’s better qualities – so collect data and impressions from multiple sources. 

A whole array of digital and situational tools is available to help teams assess soft skills. Conducting behaviour-based interviews using the STAR method (situation, task, action and result), for example, allows candidates to tell stories about how they handled various scenarios. A candidate’s references can also provide insights on their soft skills in the workplace, such as how they handled stress, time pressure and collaborative opportunities. 

Among digital tools, video recording best captures candidates’ emotional nuances – and reviewing videos after the fact can reveal even more than the initial round. There are even virtual reality (VR) assessments that immerse candidates in a simulated world of the job they’re applying for. About one-third of employers are already providing day-in-the-life content to job seekers, whether it’s short videos of a typical workday or virtual company tours; offering these types of resources can help organisations keep up with talent competitors and crystallise a great candidate experience.⁵ VR assessments and training also have tremendous recruiting advantages, increasing work efficiency in industrial plants by 60%.

Employers may also want to consider leveraging AI-powered tools to streamline manual processes like note-taking and summarising group feedback from interviews. While it’s essential not to remove the human element from hiring, optimising tedious tasks in the workflow can free up interviewers to focus more on the candidate during the interview.

Above all, remember that hiring for the right blend of skills takes a measured approach. By screening for these and other soft skills in the workplace, organisations can fill roles more effectively and set up candidates for success in any role.

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Meghan M. Biro is a globally recognised analyst, author, speaker and brand strategist. The founder of TalentCulture, she hosts #WorkTrends, a popular weekly podcast. Her career spans recruiting, talent management, digital media and brand strategy for hundreds of companies, from startups to global brands like Microsoft, IBM and Google. She also serves on advisory boards for leading HR technology brands. Meghan can be regularly found on Forbes, SHRM and a variety of other outlets. You can also find her on X and Instagram.

The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Indeed.

Sources:

^1-4 Indeed x YouGov, Skillfully Aligned, April 2024

⁵ Indeed 'International Employer Survey' with Qualtrics, December 2023 (n=4,774)