Soft skills remain an important consideration when hiring new employees. A survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals, found that dependability (90%), communication skills (89%), and a willingness to learn (88%) are the top soft skills hiring managers say are absolutely essential or very important in job applicants.
Other sought-after soft skills:
- Problem-solving skills (85%)
- Adaptability (85%)
- Critical thinking (84%)
- Initiative (84%)
With a continued tight labor market, reskilling employees remains a popular option. More than three-quarters (77%) of hiring managers said they prefer to train their current employees for new roles before making an outside hire. This is up from 75% in the second half of 2021 and 72% in the first half of 2021.
Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller said that soft skills create a more collaborative work environment and can also translate to other areas of life. “No matter the company structure, dependability, communications skills, and willingness to learn are timeless attributes.”
