Should You Upskill and Reskill Your Team on Soft Skills?

“By 2022, no less than 54% of all employees will require significant re-skilling and up to 1.4 million workers will need reskilling by 2026.” [i]

Why Soft Skills Training?

When determining training topics for upskilling and reskilling employees, soft skills are often overlooked. Often companies do not place as much value on soft skills as they do on hard skills. Hard skills can be determined by technical skills and certifications, but soft skills can be more challenging to measure. However, soft skills training is important for the success of any organization and can also provide a great return on your investment. In fact, a study conducted by Boston College, Harvard University, and The University of Michigan found that soft skills training boosts productivity and retention by 12% and delivers a 250% return on investment.[ii] Research shows that soft skills lead to several benefits, many of which can directly impact your organization’s bottom line:[iii]

• Improved productivity
• Increased retention rates
• Better teamwork and customer service
• Better workplace communication
• Higher level of employee engagement
• Lower absenteeism

Upskilling and Reskilling Your Team on Soft Skills

Growing your team’s professional and soft skills is critical to helping them be effective in today’s constantly changing work environment. Emphasizing soft skills in the workplace not only creates a more positive culture but can also benefit relationships with clients and partners as well as directly impact your organization’s bottom line. In a national survey of over 400 employees, 70% of respondents indicated that their job-related training and development opportunities influenced their decision to stay at their job. Other research found that from a sample of 4,300 workers, 74% felt that they weren’t achieving their true potential at work due to a lack of development opportunities.[iv]

As businesses continue to evolve and look for new growth opportunities, leaders are concentrating on making sure their employees have the necessary skills to succeed as the organization and modern workforce change. Regardless of a company’s industry, size, or growth strategy, people are the biggest asset of an organization. Just as any other skill needs to be continuously practiced and developed, soft skills do as well.

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[i] Go-Globe
[ii] How Can You Measure the ROI of Soft Skills?
[iii] Why Soft Skills Matter And The Top 3 You Need
[iv] Mind-blowing Statistics that Prove the Value of Employee Training and Development