🤔 What do employers actually want?
The Top 5 soft skills in the workplace
When I started graduate school, I was introduced to a field called “labour economics”. Labour economists study issues like wage inequality, how education affects how much you earn, how people look for jobs, and so on.
I wasn’t particularly interested. Honestly, studies about how the average CEO in the US makes 400 times more than the average worker made me a little depressed.
But one day, my friend Eileen introduced me to a new trend in the field that piqued my interest: studies measuring the importance of soft skills. This was news to me - I always thought labour economists focused on “hard” skills that are easy to quantify, like speaking another language, or being able to code.
So I investigated further. Turns out the “softness” of soft skills doesn't make them any less important. In fact, there's solid evidence showing that “soft skills” are even more important than “hard skills” in determining workplace success: research conducted by Harvard University, the Carnegie Foundation and Stanford Research Center determined that 85% of job success comes from soft skills. No wonder top business schools are now making soft skills an integral part of their executive education programmes, through courses like “Authentic Leadership” (Harvard) and “Building Relationships That Work” (Wharton).
The problem with “soft skills” - and why they've only gotten attention in recent decades - is that they’re hard to pin down and measure. It’s much easier to measure someone's maths skills than their teamwork skills. People also tend to bundle “soft skills” together as though these skills are a single magical ingredient for job success rather than distinct skills that need to be developed in different ways.
So, in this article, we’re going to break soft skills down. In particular, we’re going to distill the insights of a 2022 study that identifies the most important soft skills for workplaces today. For this study, professors Shannon Fletcher and Kristen Thornton asked over 100 business professionals: what are the most important soft skills to thrive in the workplace?1
Here are the top 5 skills they found, and practical ways that you can demonstrate them in your workplace.
Skill 1: Integrity
Imagine a new employee who finds out that she’s made a big mistake in a financial report. She and her team are about to present the report to stakeholders and the error would lead to an overestimation of the company’s quarterly earnings. An employee without much integrity would proceed with the presentation and act like there hasn’t been a mistake. An employee with integrity would approach her manager and own up to the mistake. (An employee with agency - see skill 5 below - would also offer a solution to correct the error before the presentation).
Integrity is about holding up ethical standards, being trustworthy, being honest. This skill was identified as the most important workplace soft skill over the past two decades.
How it's measured:
Integrity is measured by situational judgment tests. These tests present you with a hypothetical scenario and ask you to choose how you would react. For example:
Your work team is in a meeting discussing how to sell a new product. Everyone seems to agree that the product should be offered to customers within the month. Your boss is all for this, and you know he does not like public disagreements. However, you have concerns because a recent report from the research department points to several potential safety problems with the product. Which of the following do you think you would most likely do?
A. Try to understand why everyone else wants to offer the product to customers this month. Maybe your concerns are misplaced.
B. Voice your concerns with the product and explain why you believe the safety issues need to be addressed.
C. Go along with what others want to do so that everyone feels good about the team.
D. Afterwards, talk with several other members of the team to see if they share your concerns.
Answer: The actions ranked from the most to least integrity are B, D, then a tie between A and C.
You can demonstrate integrity at your workplace by:
(Respectfully) speaking up (in meetings, to your manager) if you think something is wrong
Admitting when you've made a mistake and taking responsibility for the consequences
Handling sensitive or confidential information (e.g. client data) appropriately
Skill 2: Adaptability
Adaptability is the willingness to adjust to change, a commitment to lifelong learning, resilience in the face of challenges, and openness to coaching.
If you work at a smaller firm or at a start-up, there may be more of an expectation for you to be flexible in terms of the tasks that you take on. Job descriptions tend to be more fluid and people tend to pitch in and wear multiple hats to get things done. For example, I initially joined the company where I currently work as a part-time content writer, where my main role was writing YouTube scripts. Within two years since joining, my role has evolved from scriptwriter to book research assistant to project manager for the launch of what would become a New York Times bestselling book.
How it's measured:
If you’ve been interviewed for a corporate job, you’ve probably been asked about your adaptability directly, with questions like:
“Tell me about a time when you had to adapt to a new situation or environment at work. How did you handle it?”
Alternatively, at the psychometric testing stage, you might have been asked the extent to which you agree with statements like:
“I can handle new and unknown situations well”
“I am able to work effectively in spite of any personal worries that I have”
“If I have to change my plans, I can stay relaxed”
At your workplace, you can demonstrate adaptability by:
Identifying opportunities presented by new, unfamiliar, or unexpected situations, and finding ways to capitalise on these opportunities
Communicating effectively with colleagues (e.g. active listening, sharing ideas) to find the best outcome
Performing your tasks well or finishing a project successfully even if you feel worried or nervous about it
Skill 3: Conscientiousness
Conscientiousness is what psychologists call a “Big 5 personality trait”. Someone with high conscientiousness at work typically demonstrates excellent time management skills: they get tasks done when they say they will, if not earlier. They maintain a high level of organization, keeping their workspace and projects in order. They’re consistently reliable, communicate respectfully, and are committed to delivering high-quality work.
How it's measured:
Conscientiousness is usually measured using the Big 5 personality test. You might be asked the extent to which the following statements describe you well:
“I pay attention to details”
“I get chores done right away”
“I am exacting in my work”
Job interviewers might also ask you questions related to how you prioritize competing tasks, how you manage deadlines, and your approach to quality assurance.
At your workplace, you can demonstrate conscientiousness by:
Meeting deadlines or finishing tasks ahead of schedule
Practising due diligence and care with work tasks (e.g. making sure to proofread emails and documents before sending them, double-checking spreadsheets for errors)
Closely monitoring projects you're responsible for so you know exactly what stage they are at and who's doing what, then doing the necessary follow-ups to make sure the work is delivered on time.
Skill 4: Partnership
“Partnership” is a somewhat confusing term, because it makes us think of business partnerships. But by “partnership”, the authors mean strong teamwork, where inclusivity and diversity are integral values. Someone with good partnership skills is good at actively collaborating, valuing each team member's unique contributions, and creating an environment where different perspectives are welcomed and considered.
How it's measured:
Your partnership and teamwork skills can be measured with teamwork situational judgment test questions like:
Suppose that you find yourself in an argument with several co-workers about who should do a very disagreeable, but routine task. Which of the following would likely be the most effective way to resolve this situation?
A. Have your supervisor decide, because this would avoid any personal bias.
B. Arrange for a rotating schedule so everyone shares the chore.
C. Let the workers who show up earliest choose on a first-come, first-served basis
D. Randomly assign a person to do the task and don't change it.
Someone with good partnership skills will select response B and, more importantly, act accordingly.
At your workplace, you can demonstrate partnership by:
Identifying the strengths of your team members and finding ways for them to use these strengths in the project you're working on together.
Helping to create a safe space where all team members are comfortable with sharing their opinions and ideas. For example, listening attentively and respectfully to show that everyone's ideas are valued.
Using inclusive language and behaviours. For example, you may have some assumptions (conscious or otherwise) about what your team members might think or behave based on their age or ethnicity (e.g. “older colleagues are less tech-savvy”), so before you act/speak, think about whether your words might make some people in your team feel excluded or unwelcome.
Skill 5: Agency
Someone with high agency in the workplace takes initiative, leads despite being an employee, and proactively solves problems. They don’t wait for directions. Instead, they identify opportunities for improvement and act on them. It’s this drive for self-direction and problem solving that makes them thrive at work.
Consider Alex. He’s new to the tech industry and discovers a gap in the market for sustainable tech solutions. Low-agency Alex thinks “someone’s probably going to fill that gap” or “I better not take on anything new given that I’m new.” High-agency Alex would spearhead the development of an eco-friendly app that he’s been thinking about, without waiting for external validation.
Now consider Jamie. She’s a nurse and notices a recurring issue in patient care coordination. Low-agency Jamie thinks “meh, that’s just the way things are” and gets on with her job. High-agency Jamie takes the initiative to develop better communication protocols and leads a small team to implement it.
How it's measured:
Agency can be measured by your agreement with statements like:
“I am constantly on the lookout for new ways to improve my life”
“I feel driven to make a difference in my community and maybe the world”
“Wherever I have been, I have been a powerful force for constructive change”
At your workplace, you can demonstrate agency by:
Actively seeking solutions to problems, even if that's not part of your job description, and (respectfully) proposing these solutions to your boss/manager
Thinking of potential problems and implementing measures to prevent them from occurring in the first place
Staying up-to-date with market trends and developments in your industry or field, so you can identify opportunities for improvement in your workplace
The Soft Skills are the Hard Skills
“The soft skills are the hard skills,” said Amy Edmonson, professor of leadership and management at Harvard Business School. Now you can walk away with knowledge of the most important skills your boss wants you to have, and how to demonstrate them.
By “thriving”, they meant a combination of vitality (feeling positive and alive at work) and learning (continued personal growth).