Soft skills will be the X-factor in the workplace

         “Technical skills have been the holy grail of hiring in years past, but these skills have rapidly declining shelf lives. The rise of A.I. and automation means employees are increasingly tasked with jobs that only humans can do: thinking creatively, using judgment, employing empathy, etc. Adaptability will be the most durable skill in the years to come, as the ability to learn and adjust becomes more important than any one skill. Companies, as well as education systems, will need to shift how they assess and train people accordingly.”

         While technical, hard skills get the job done, they don’t contribute to the corporate culture, morale, or team-building. There is little use to recruiting a team member with an outstanding list of technical skills if they aren’t around long enough for the business to reap the rewards of their hard work.Soft skills go both ways. While employees should be expected to act with integrity and professionalism, the business must as well. Employees feel valued and trust the business

         Job advertisements can attract dozens of candidates, all of whom may be equally qualified. Candidates may have the same degree, industry experience, or produce work of equal quality. Job interviews give candidates the ability to explicitly and implicitly demonstrate their very own “x-factor”. Research published in the Business Communication Quarterly found ten key soft skills identified as important by business executives: i) Integrity, ii) Communication, iii) Courtesy, iv) Responsibility, v) Social skills, vi) Positive attitude, vii) Professionalism, viii) Flexibility, ix) Teamwork, x) Work ethic