Soft Skills Training in the Workplace
Whilst employers and HR teams are fully aware of the need to train their staff and the courses they can provide to help upskill and improve job performance, the area of Soft Skills Training is often overlooked.
In fact, former LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner found that the biggest skills gap in the US workplace as in soft skills which helps demonstrate the need to look more closely at this important area of employee development.
Hard Skills
‘Hard’ Skills tend to relate to specific expertise and knowledge that employees may require to do their job successfully. For example, a teacher requires a degree or other qualification whereas a company secretary might need to be able to work at a certain typing speed. Hard skills vary and can change depending upon the requirements of the job.
Soft Skills
‘Soft’ Skills are more often described as relating to an individual’s personality traits, attitude, and behaviours. Although these are often innate, they can also be developed and honed through the correct type of training.
Often HR teams, employers and recruiters specify specific soft skills that organisations require from their employees. They tend to include skills that allow people to work well in a team, communicate effectively and manage conflict. Emotional intelligence is also an especially important soft skill for those in leadership or management roles.
The benefits of employing staff with excellent soft skills
Developing a team of staff with excellent soft skills is essential because this means that employers benefit from having employees who are flexible and adaptable at work and cope well during times of change. Most workplaces today are fluid and dynamic so having a team of staff with an interpersonal skillset that enables them to problem solve, team build and manage change is essential for employers.
The main soft skills sought by most organisations include but are not limited to:
- Communication – written and verbal
- Teamwork
- Problem Solving
- Conflict Resolution
- Leadership
- Flexibility
- Interpersonal / people skills
Soft Skills Training
Many employers assume that soft skills are innate and can’t be developed or changed. In fact, assuming your team will always know how to act in any situation can lead to numerous problems.
All individuals can benefit from training, to help them to boost their productivity, enhance the way they build relationships with others, and improve the way they communicate.
For employers, providing soft skills training means that you’re investing in your team and helping to build their resilience. Soft skills are needed to build a positive work environment and can help improve the profitability and success of your organisation.
Here at REALSENSE Learning, we have a suite of Soft Skills Training Courses ready and waiting for you to upskill your workforce so why not get in touch and try them out for free?
Some of our most popular Soft Skills training courses are described below:
This course explores the basics of teamwork and gives information about putting together a team of people who will work well together. It then goes on to cover conflict in teams, explaining some of the reasons why conflict may arise and strategies for managing it. The course then looks at different management styles and ways to build resilience in your team.
This course is aimed at managers and supervisors who want to develop more effective relationships with their team members and look at leadership theory, team development and the importance of communication. The course encourages leaders to look at team goals and demonstrates working towards goals with an overall vision for your team.
Mental Health Awareness Training
The Mental Health Awareness course helps to promote a healthy and supportive working environment and is packed with hints, tips and strategies for supporting employee mental health. The course focuses on workplace wellbeing and is useful educational tool for employers to provide to their employees as part of their health and wellbeing training
Emotional Intelligence Training
Our Emotional Intelligence training course is aimed at supervisors and managers seeking to develop more effective relationships with members of their teams. This course is a great starting point for people new to their leadership role as well as more established managers that want to enhance their skills. The course acts as a great introduction to the subject and covers the key concepts and theories relating to emotional intelligence.
For more information about any of our training courses – for soft skills, hard skills, off-the-shelf training or bespoke learning, get in touch or give us a call on 01332 208500.
