Why Soft Skills Are Important in Today’s Workplace

As work continues to change, soft skills are increasingly valued by employers in today’s professional landscape. Skills like critical thinking, communication, adaptability, leadership, and flexibility complement technical expertise and hard skills that can give you an edge on the competition.

Many of the skills learned in psychology prepare people for success in the 21st century workplace and provide employers value, according to the American Psychological Association. We spoke with Michelle Dionne, Academic Coordinator for the Certificate in Psychology and Career Education Specialist at The Chang School, on why employers are increasingly placing an emphasis on soft skills and how you can showcase them on your resumé. Overall, Michelle says these skills are invaluable to employers and can contribute to overall long term career success.

“They’re important because they enable you to create innovative solutions and work effectively with colleagues, stakeholders, and clients,” she says.

“Mastery of technical skills allows you to get your job done effectively. Soft skills provide you with the ability to go beyond completing your assigned tasks, projects, and responsibilities. They allow you to lead projects and initiatives, delegate as needed, respond to change, recognize gaps, and devise creative solutions accordingly. All the above-mentioned are necessary for progression in your career.”

Here are some of the top soft skills and how they apply in the workplace.

Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

Soft skills like critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability are essential for identifying and solving complex problems. People who can think critically are valuable assets to any organization. They are also able to attend to details, plan proactively, and show comfort with ambiguity.

The research methods that learners use in the independent study course that’s part of the Psychology certificate particularly require these types of skills, Michelle says.

“In our research methods, we spend a lot of time making sure that we are measuring what we mean to measure. For example, how you measure a subjective construct like personality is very different from how you measure something more objective like blood pressure. So, we spend a lot of time on evidence-based methods and questionnaire development.”

Innovation and Creativity

Soft skills like creativity and innovation are increasingly important in today's rapidly changing business landscape. They drive new ideas and solutions, leading to growth and competitiveness. People who have creative skills often bring innovative and resourceful approaches to problem solving and new tasks.

Michelle points out that while artificial intelligence (AI) tools can do many tasks that humans can do, humans’ ability to problem solve and use their creativity will still be in demand.

“Even with AI, it still requires a human to make sure that it’s accurate and not biased in the information it provides,” she says. “We still need humans to harness the very powerful technology we have.”

Effective Communication

Soft skills like active listening, verbal and written communication, and empathy are essential for effective communication with colleagues, clients, and supervisors. Clear communication promotes understanding, collaboration, and problem-solving.

People with oral communication skills are able to demonstrate active listening and conversational abilities. They are also strong public speakers and able to take complex subjects and communicate them to a wide variety of audiences.

Michelle says that the research involved for the independent study course in the Psychology certificate, for example, requires strong writing as well as oral communication skills. “Communication is another big one whether it involves numeric data or qualitative data, but all of our courses involve writing skills,” she says. “Some of the courses would involve oral communication or class presentations as well as the technology that you would use to make those presentations.”

Dena adds that good communication is vital to a person’s ability to network.

“Networking is all about building and maintaining mutually beneficial connections,” she says. “Communication is key to relationship building, and can therefore be your strongest asset when embarking on your networking journey.”

Adaptability and Resilience

Soft skills help people adapt to changes in the workplace, whether it's a new technology, a shift in strategy, or a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. Resilience and adaptability are crucial for overcoming challenges.

Other personal soft skills that contribute to a productive work environment include integrity, in which a person is honest, reliable, and accountable, and their work reflects the company’s ethical values and standards.

Conflict Resolution

Soft skills in conflict resolution and negotiation are essential for resolving disputes in the workplace peacefully and maintaining a harmonious work environment.

Teamwork and Collaboration

Soft skills such as teamwork, adaptability, and conflict resolution are essential for working effectively with diverse teams. Collaboration is often crucial for achieving goals and completing projects.

People who are able to work in a team effectively also show the ability to cooperate, share responsibilities, and listen to the ideas of others.

Leadership

Soft skills like leadership, emotional intelligence, and decision-making help individuals take on leadership roles and guide teams to success. Effective leaders can motivate and inspire their teams, driving productivity and innovation when completing tasks.

Time Management and Organization

Soft skills related to time management and organization help employees stay productive, meet deadlines, and manage their workload efficiently.

Stress Management

In high-pressure work environments, soft skills related to stress management and self-care are crucial for maintaining mental and emotional well-being.

People who can manage stress are more likely to be productive and avoid burnout.

Dena emphasizes that when going for a promotion or new job that it’s vital people provide examples.

“Provide examples of when you've used these soft skills in your work,” she says. “Refrain from providing a laundry list of skills on your resume without providing any context.”

While one person won’t be strong in all of these areas, it’s important to work on these soft skills alongside more technical skills required for your career in order for you to succeed.

Learn more about the Certificate in Mental Health and Addictions

Learn more about the Certificate in Psychology