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10 important soft skills examples and why your workforce needs them

Whatever the role or sector, success in the workplace relies on more than just industry experience and technical knowledge. In order to work effectively with others, follow procedures accurately and continue to develop their careers, employees also require a variety of professional and interpersonal competencies, collectively known as soft skills.

In this article, we’re going to explore what soft skills in the workplace are and why they’re important for employers and employees alike. We’ll also give some examples of the most important soft skills for business owners, managers and HR professionals to foster in their employees.

12 minutes

Written by TBC

What are soft skills in the workplace?
Why are soft skills important?
Hard and soft skills: What’s the difference?
What are 10 important soft skills examples?
Why you should invest in soft skills for business
How to develop soft skills in your workforce

What are soft skills in the workplace?

Soft skills are certain traits that can help an employee to be successful in the workplace. Unlike hard skills, where a person may hold a particular certification or be experienced in using a piece of software, soft skills are more difficult to quantify. They often revolve around interpersonal relationships and emotional intelligence, as well as the ability to remain organised and professional. Some soft skills examples include communication, creativity and initiative.

While certain soft skills may seem more relevant to some roles than others, the very nature of these traits means that they are readily transferable to a variety of different applications. It’s therefore important not to pigeonhole by job title, age, gender or level of seniority, and to instead focus on building soft skills holistically throughout your organisation.

For example, fostering soft skills for teamwork will help people who work within set teams to function better as a unit, meet deadlines and improve morale. However, working as a team doesn’t only cover interactions with those in one’s immediate department; it also incorporates learning how to effectively communicate and cooperate with people on all levels. This is useful when dealing with external organisations, members of the public, and stakeholders at a senior level.

Why are soft skills important?

Soft skills in the workplace help to build better relationships and build a culture of support and mutual respect across the organisation. For example, higher levels of emotional intelligence give employees a deeper insight into the needs and experiences of others. This allows them to approach challenging situations with empathy and positivity, creating a healthy working environment that facilitates teamwork, boosts morale and keeps projects on track.

As well as benefiting employees on an individual level, soft skills support profitability by improving staff retention rates and minimising the need for costly recruitment. Investing in developing soft skills in your workforce can help business growth and development by promoting efficiency, driving innovation and creating new opportunities. In fact, research has shown that failure to provide skills-building opportunities in the workplace costs the UK £22.2 billion a year.

Soft skills tend to be easily transferable across a variety of roles, industries and levels of seniority, making them an extremely valuable tool for all employees. Certain soft skills such as empathy, delegation and integrity can also help to develop leadership skills and create resilient leaders to further support and motivate the workforce. In the same report, 92% of workers said that soft skills were important for their careers, with only 84% saying the same of sector-specific knowledge.

This shows the usefulness and versatility of soft skills, as well as offering an insight into the UK workforce’s interest in developing these essential traits.

Hard and soft skills: What’s the difference?

Hard skills refer to specific, teachable abilities or knowledge that tend to be job-specific and technical in nature. They can typically be learned through formal education, training programs, or on-the-job experience. Examples of hard skills include proficiency in programming languages, statistical analysis, machine operation, or fluency in a foreign language.

Soft skills, on the other hand, usually focus on personal attributes, traits, and behaviours that influence how individuals interact and work with others. They are often linked to emotional intelligence and personality traits, and are therefore harder to quantify than hard skills. Examples of soft skills include communication, teamwork, organisation and time management.

While hard skills are necessary for specific tasks or roles, soft skills are more about how effectively an individual can apply those hard skills in various situations. Both hard and soft skills are important in the workplace, with most roles requiring a combination of both. Possessing certain hard skills might be enough for an employee to be hired, but soft skills often determine the success of their career and the quality of their working relationships.

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Communication

Communication is a vital skill both within the workplace and in our everyday lives. It’s not just about speaking to others in person; it also includes the ability to write professional emails, talk on the phone, and practice active listening to ensure that others are heard and respected.

Why your workforce needs communication soft skills:

Strong communication skills enable people to clearly share complex ideas, delegate tasks, and pass on time-sensitive information. Learning to communicate well with others fosters collaboration, prevents misunderstandings and enhances productivity, all of which support a positive working environment. It’s one of the key soft skills for teamwork.

Creativity

Creativity is a skill that encompasses innovative thinking, generating new ideas, and finding unique solutions to problems. From designing eye-catching motifs to developing new manufacturing methods, there are almost limitless opportunities for creativity in the workplace.

Why your workforce needs creativity soft skills:

Creativity isn’t just for disciplines such as graphic design or architecture; it has a place in just about every role and industry. Creative minds help to drive innovation, solve problems and develop new ways of working, all of which can boost employee satisfaction and productivity.

Adaptability

Adaptability in the workplace is an important soft skill for business. It involves being flexible to changes in schedule or working environment, readily adjusting to new or unexpected circumstances, and knowing when to step in and support others, even when it’s outside the job description.

Why your workforce needs adaptability soft skills:

In a dynamic workplace, adaptability enables employees to navigate uncertainties, embrace new technologies, and thrive in evolving roles or industries. Those who embrace change are able to work well in teams and complete tasks efficiently, while employees who respond quickly to unexpected circumstances help to create a great leadership and support network.

Work ethic

Employees with a strong work ethic demonstrate dedication, reliability, and a strong commitment to achieving goals. They tend to believe in and care about the tasks that make up their role, are loyal to the organisation, and go above and beyond to achieve a successful result.

Why your workforce needs work ethic soft skills:

A strong work ethic cultivates a culture of accountability, drives productivity, and ensures that tasks are completed with quality and efficiency. It also helps to build mutual respect and trust between colleagues and ensures that all employees are being held to the same standards, creating a positive working environment.

Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence refers to a person’s capacity to be aware of, understand and control their own emotions, as well as having an empathetic approach to those of other people. Employees with higher emotional intelligence find it easier to manage interpersonal relationships.

Why your workforce needs emotional intelligence soft skills:

More recently recognised as one of the most important soft skills, Emotional intelligence enhances teamwork and conflict resolution while contributing to a pleasant, positive and supportive working environment. Better understanding of others’ emotions is an especially important soft skill for leaders, making it easier for those in leadership positions to effectively manage and support their team members.

Problem solving

Problem solving encompasses analysing issues, identifying effective solutions, and making sound decisions both on an individual basis, and on the behalf of the wider organisation. Proactivity is an important element when developing problem solving skills, as it enables workers to anticipate issues before they arise and put mitigating measures in place.

Why your workforce needs problem solving soft skills:

Strong problem-solving skills drive efficiency, giving employees the tools they need to tackle challenges independently. This helps them to contribute to the overall success of projects and initiatives, giving them a greater sense of pride and ownership over their work. In turn, this can boost employee morale, productivity and retention rates.

Organisation

Having good organisation skills doesn’t just mean being tidy, punctual and prepared; it also means having the ability to structure tasks well, manage time and resources effectively, and adhere to set structures and procedures while carrying out tasks.

Why your workforce needs organisation soft skills:

Being well organised enhances productivity, minimises errors, and allows employees to handle multiple tasks efficiently. Employees with strong organisational skills are often able to work autonomously and still deliver great results.

Positivity

Positivity enables people to approach their work with optimism, enthusiasm and a constructive mindset. Employees with a positive outlook are focused on the good and finding solutions to the bad, which tends to make them great team players and problem solvers.

Why your workforce needs positivity soft skills:

A positive attitude boosts morale, increases motivation, and fosters resilience in the face of challenges. As well as contributing to the effectiveness and efficiency of the team, positive attitudes create a more pleasant and productive workplace for everyone.

Dependability

Dependability is all about being reliable, holding oneself accountable, and being consistent in meeting commitments and deadlines. It’s an important soft skill for those in both managerial and non-managerial roles, and shows that a person is able to handle various responsibilities.

Why your workforce needs dependability soft skills:

Dependability ensures smooth workflows and strengthens team dynamics, creating a cohesive workforce based on mutual trust. Those who are seen as being dependable tend to work well autonomously, and are the first to pitch in and support others when a deadline is looming.

Initiative

Having initiative means being able to not only take responsibility for one’s own work, but also to take proactive steps to contribute beyond assigned tasks and support the wider team without being asked. Employees with initiative tend to show drive and enthusiasm, and are constantly striving to take on new challenges.

Why your workforce needs initiative soft skills:

Initiative improves problem solving and enables more streamlined teamwork. It also drives change, helping organisations to seize opportunities to grow and succeed outside the realms of normal operation. Employees who take initiative can be great assets to companies looking to innovate, expand or boost profits.

Why you should invest in soft skills for business

Everyone has different skill sets, career ambitions and areas to improve, yet many employers fail to provide personalised or self-directed learning to support their employees. With more and more competition in the business world, it’s important for employers to focus on setting themselves apart from other organisations. This includes both separating themselves from the competition by investing in talent that can grow and diversify business, but also distinguishing themselves as an attractive workplace for current and future employees.

A lack of career development is one of the top reasons that employees choose to leave a role. Providing opportunities for employees to upskill and develop their hard and soft skills is an effective way to boost job satisfaction and foster organisational loyalty.

This helps you to retain talent and avoid the costs associated with hiring and training new staff. Developing a culture of learning within your organisation that goes beyond traditional, generic training can help to support business operations while also improving employee satisfaction. With the average cost of replacing an employee currently at around £3,000, employee retention is an essential part of business growth and development strategies.

It’s worth noting that proactively upskilling your employees is often more efficient than recruiting for the skills you need. This enables you to capitalise on an employee’s existing interpersonal relationships within the organisation, knowledge of the business, and their fit within the company culture. As well as hard skills, there are many important soft skills for business that can also be taught through training and development initiatives.

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How to develop soft skills in your workforce

Providing access to a variety of workplace soft skills courses is a great way to boost job satisfaction and employee retention while offering many benefits to your organisation. Managers, team leaders and HR professionals should consider providing learning opportunities alongside standard topics such as compliance training outside of the standard compulsory/compliance driven training, and identify employees who either need to develop more soft skills, or are actively pursuing career development opportunities. Regular employee satisfaction surveys and performance reviews backed up by Individual Development Plans can provide valuable insights into the types of training and development opportunities that employees would benefit from.

Like any other type of skill, soft skills take time to learn and develop, and the more they are practiced, the stronger they will become. Employees who are looking to develop their soft skills should be encouraged to:

Be open to stepping out of their comfort zone
Work with different departments and people
Embrace training opportunities
Adapt to change and different ways of working
Readily take feedback on board

When you invest the development of the soft skills within your workforce, your employees will no only thrive in their roles but feel valued and fulfilled. We have a comprehensive catalogue of eLearning courses available to facilitate and encourage workplace learning. Offering this alongside a robust career development platform will help to identify any soft skills gaps and empower your employees to develop them,