7 soft skills worth developing

In today's hybrid work format realities, approaches to work have changed a lot. Research by Hay Group has shown that managers who develop soft skills and leadership qualities can increase the effectiveness of their teams by 30%.

Many studies in the field of personnel show us that more than 60% of employers prefer to focus on soft skills when hiring and only 9% prefer to focus on hard skills. When managing teams remotely, it is more important than ever for managers to rely on soft skills and then teach their subordinates technical ones.

We think the technical side of skills is important, but once a candidate can complete a task, we look at soft skills and cultural fit. And that's what a lot of other employers are coming to.

What skills are worth developing now?

1. Communication

The ability to communicate used to be an important soft-skill that was evident even at the stage of candidate selection when writing a cover letter, now there are best cover letter writing services especially for those positions that need to communicate a lot with clients and teams. The importance of effective communication will increase in the coming year.

Managers and interdependent teams increasingly need to come together to work on projects. And if previously teammates could discuss the task at the office, now they need to communicate online. This will require the team to be able to find approaches to each other, to unite to achieve common goals.

2. Decision-making skills

It is very important for team managers in a fast-paced environment to keep their focus and make quick decisions while assessing risks. This trend will be more relevant in 2022 than ever before. Team managers have to focus on making quick decisions and taking a measured approach to assessing possible risks. It is definitely a skill worth continuing to develop this year.

3. Leadership

It's a very difficult skill. And yet, teams need visionaries who can make decisions, support them, and lead them. A leader guides and "infects" the team with an idea. Leaders in 2022 will be even more confronted with the need to learn how to balance strategic situational awareness and risk assessment, how to negotiate with the team, and how to resolve conflicts.

4. Self-Management

When hiring a man to the team, we always assess the degree of his independence and the ability to plan his activities. When working remotely for a long time, many people feel emotionally distanced from what is going on and lose focus, the stimulus they need to work.

I would even say that developing such a skill as self-management - the ability to balance between the proper allocation of resources, time expenditure and the chosen method of work - would be super important. Many people have already been able to build a life-work-balance and not damage their personal space.

5. Adaptability

In the current work format, employees often meet online, communicate with colleagues by correspondence, and adapt to the multinational characteristics of colleagues. Accepting the situation and being able to adjust to it will be more helpful than ever. The dynamics of change will only increase.

6. Collaboration

By developing adaptability and flexibility, teams can increase productivity and establish effective work. Managers should definitely encourage team collaboration and strive to achieve even greater cohesion and efficiency through it.

7. Teamwork

The ability to work in a team will be an important aspect of any job search. More and more candidates want teamwork, where there is mutual help, support, shared experience and a healthy atmosphere.

With the transition to a hybrid or remote work format, leaders are faced with a challenge - they need to be able to build a team atmosphere of support and cooperation. At the same time, not only companies are implementing changes in team building, but employees are also transforming their approach.

People on teams want to feel cared for by the employer about their interests, receive regular feedback, and be involved in working on projects.

More and more teams are meeting in informal settings, playing online games, learning together, going on vacations. And this trend will be maintained.

We hope that this year you will have the opportunity to pump your skills and be ready for any changes in the labor market.