Three top soft skills for 2022 and beyond

One of the areas that the Covid-19 pandemic has got business leaders thinking about is reskilling. The question they seem to be asking is –what are the top soft skills that employees need to succeed in this ever-changing workplace environment beyond 2022?

The pandemic has altered the work landscape for the foreseeable future. Reliance on technological advancements will be the lifeline for every business going forward. 

To remain relevant and ensure that an employee adapts well, they must possess these three top soft skills, and here are some skills companies will be looking for in a potential team member in 2022 and beyond.

Tech-savvy

Even before the pandemic happened, digital skills were beginning to take prominence as the minimum desirable skills that employers were looking for. In fact, over 80 percent of job vacancies today require some kind of digital skills. 

Since Bill Gates, Microsoft applications, the need for technology driven tools in the business world has increased immeasurably. And this is driven by the new business norms – remote and hybrid work models – which do not require people to be physically present to do business.

Applications like Zoom, Google meet and so on have played critically important roles in business continuity since the onset of the pandemic. The pandemic has even further accelerated the desperate need for specialist digital skill sets to help businesses become more aligned with today’s countless technologies and platforms.

Therefore, every employee will do well to investment in understanding the technology landscape in their profession and the new tools available that can help them navigate their career and profession.  

Although it’s not possible to know every system or platform available, demonstrating a solid working knowledge of data literacy, computer programming, big data, the Cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and more, will help you catapult your profile above the rest.

Communication and emotional intelligence

Pundits fear that the increase in using of technology platforms to do business will result in people being emotionally detached from those they are working with. To an extent, this is true because communication and social intelligence go hand-in-hand and there is still a need for genuine human connection and understanding in every job role.

To have good emotional intelligence is to be aware of, and demonstrate empathy for, others’ emotions and behaviors which is crucial in any environment where people interact. This calls for good communication skills as many of the people continue to work from home. Clarity in emails and at virtual meetings is a must to cement trust and retain high productivity levels.

Flexibility and adaptability

Flexibility and adaptability is something we all have to get used to. We all have to learn to work with unpredictable patterns. These are crucial skills that every employer will be looking for in the people they hire.

As businesses worldwide see a stark rise in the number of employees being able to work from home, it’s likely this new way of working will last even after the pandemic passes.  

Before the pandemic, flexible at work was aligned to geographic mobility; however, now it is about having an open mindset, being able to work well under pressure, adjusting to new and unexpected deadlines, prioritizing tasks and, in some instances, taking on additional responsibilities.

Personal Leadership

Every one today needs to take personal leadership. This is about being accountable to yourself on how you utilize your employer’s time. Employees need to demonstrate that they can manage every resource that is committed to them by their employer. In today’s workplace landscape, every employee should demonstrate good leadership.

Good personal leadership needs to be demonstrated right from the top of the hierarchy to the bottom. Business leaders need to take the lead in communicating strategy and vision, while encouraging others and embracing feedback from the employees. Self-awareness and holding yourself accountable is particularly important during these challenging times.