New research from Wiley shows that teaching soft skills can make employees better at their jobs and more likely to stick around, but a lot of companies aren’t taking advantage of this.
According to the latest Wiley Workplace Intelligence report, most people say their employer offers training to help them grow professionally, but only a third offer training specifically for soft skills. And less than half offer any kind of learning opportunity beyond the basics.
Paying off
The research suggests that soft skills training really pays off for employees. Most of those who received it say it made them better at their jobs.
Nearly half of the people surveyed say their training helped them grow professionally. And having access to training is a big reason why many employees choose to stay at a company.
“Soft skills are crucial for fostering effective communication, collaboration, and adaptability in the workplace,” the researchers explain. “Organizations that neglect to invest in these areas could hinder employee growth, diminish team dynamics, and potentially limit the organization’s ability to thrive in an ever-changing business landscape.”
A range of skills
Soft skills, also known as interpersonal skills, cover a wide range of abilities like communication, listening, empathy, teamwork, creativity, problem-solving, and leadership.
People reported that they receive soft skills training through different methods, such as in-person sessions (28%), virtual sessions with an instructor (20%), self-directed virtual learning (20%), and a combination of in-person and virtual training (30%). Among these, in-person training got the highest rating from respondents.
Despite the availability of learning and development opportunities, the research suggests that employees aren’t dedicating much time to such training. Most of those surveyed (60%) said they spend two hours or less per month on professional development.
The report’s data is based on surveys completed by 2,070 individuals in North America, working in various roles across different industries. Among them, 56% have direct reports, while 36% are individual contributors.
