Stay ahead of AI with the 5 most important soft skills

Artificial intelligence, these days you hear nothing else. Automation. ChatGPT. Midjourney. Copilot and many other AI tools. Digital transformation is changing not only how we work, but also what we need to stay effective in our jobs. Technology is taking over more and more tasks. But there is also an area where people always win out over machines, these are the so-called soft skills.

In a digital work environment, it's not the technical tools that make the difference, but the way people communicate, collaborate and solve problems. The result? Soft skills are no longer "nice to have," but indispensable skills to remain future-proof.

From technical skills to soft skills

According to the World Economic Forum (2023), the demand for soft skills has increased 30% over the past five years, and it will only increase. Their Future of Jobs Report makes it clear: the skills that will future-proof organizations are not programming languages or tool knowledge, they are communication, critical thinking and resilience.

Why? Because technology transforms functions, but people provide connection, innovation and collaboration. And that's where human skills come in. Here you can think of:

• Communicate empathically, especially in remote or hybrid teams
• Solving problems in uncertain situations for which there is no manual
• Leading teams in which technology is increasingly important
• Creative thinking and improvisation in difficult issues
• Collaborate with different teams

Soft skills determine whether technology is embraced and adopted. They are the bridge between innovation and impact.

The 5 most important soft skills for the digital workplace

At SkillsTown, we see in our training and learning data that these five soft skills are the most frequently reflected in learning requests from organizations:

1. Remote communication

In hybrid and remote teams, communication is becoming increasingly complex. Nonverbal cues fall away, making clear communication even more important.

Training tip: Effective remote communication, Online meetings with impact

2. Adaptive capacity

Change follows in rapid succession. Employees who are agile and can quickly switch between tools, processes and expectations are becoming more and more desirable.

Training tip: Dealing with change, Flexible thinking in your work.

3. Digital self-direction

Digital tools offer endless possibilities, but require discipline and self-organization. Employees must learn to prioritize, deal with distractions and take ownership.

Training tip: Digital focus, Personal effectiveness in a hybrid environment ->link? Check it out

4. Collaborating in diversity

Teams today are more international and interdisciplinary. This requires empathy, feedback skills and intercultural sensitivity.

Training tip: Intercultural communication, Working with different generations

5. Leadership in a digital world

Executives have a new role: coach, connector and facilitator of learning and innovation. Technical management gives way to leadership focused on the human side.

Training tip: Coaching leadership, Leadership in the hybrid work environment

All of these trainings can be found under our offerings. 

Why soft skills have been undervalued for too long

Many organizations have spent years focusing on technical training: new software, new systems, new protocols. But they often forget that the success of these tools depends on how people interact with them.

Too many trainings focus on "knowing what," but not on "knowing how.
And it is precisely in the "how" the behavior, the mindset, the collaboration that lies the difference between adoption and frustration.

In addition, soft skills are often difficult to measure. How do you measure empathy or creativity? As a result, they are too often seen as less urgent, even though they are so important.

Here's how to help employees develop their soft skills

How do you tackle this smartly within your organization? At SkillsTown, we see that soft skills develop best when they:

• Being concrete and contextual: not vague competencies, but real-life situations
• Be offered blended: combine e-learning, coaching and feedback
• Being personal: let employees choose what fits their role and ambition
• Woven into everyday work: through microlearnings, for example.

How SkillsTown activates soft skills

At SkillsTown, we offer a variety of online training courses, webinars and essentials on soft skills. Examples include:

• Dealing with resistance
• Giving powerful feedback
• Learning to listen
• Nonverbal communication
• Psychological safety in teams
• Leadership with impact

In addition, using our authoring tool Create, organizations create their own soft skill programs tailored to their culture, industry or strategic goals. Combine this with Learning Analytics from our tool Reveal, and you make growth visible and measurable.

At SkillsTown, we love to help you. With online training, smart learning pathways and practical support, we make soft skills measurable, fun and relevant.

Want to set up a soft skill program for your organization? Schedule an appointment with a Learning expert.