When training a new employee, the focus is often placed on hard skills, including job-specific and technical skills. However, soft skills—such as communication, adaptability, and teamwork—are equally important yet frequently overlooked in training. Soft skills are the building blocks of the workplace. When employees develop these soft skills, they begin to excel in the workplace. Soft skills are foundational skills that help them in every other aspect of their job. They include communication and other interpersonal skills, as well as technology based and job specific skills (Deng et al., 2015). By explicitly teaching soft skills rather than expecting employees to pick them up over time, companies can accelerate their development and see immediate benefits.
Soft skills offer long-term advantages that extend beyond a single role. If an employee needs to change roles within a company, the soft skills learned will still be beneficial. Developing the soft skills in all employees helps the entire team communicate more effectively and problem solve collaboratively. Improving soft skills also promotes productivity and job satisfaction. There are no drawbacks to having employees with well-developed soft skills.
To fully benefit from well-developed soft skills, incorporate them into training courses. This can be achieved through group activities, mentorship programs, and real-world practice. However, online training presents a flexible and scalable solution, allowing employees to develop soft skills without straining company resources. Additionally, the training can be gamified to keep the trainee’s attention while still teaching them foundational skills. If your workplace would benefit from online training courses focused on soft skills developed by an experienced team, reach out to WSI Custom eLearning to learn more.
