No matter which industry you are in, soft skills training for employees has become more important than ever.
An April 2021 global survey on reskilling by McKinsey lays bare the importance of urgently addressing skill gaps. Across industries, most respondents said that developing social-emotional skills (more than hiring, contracting or deploying employees) is the best way to close those gaps. Companies have thus doubled down on initiatives to reskill or upskill staff since the pandemic began. The McKinsey survey also points to a shift in the most important skills to develop, and they happen to be social and emotional in nature.
Around the world, the pandemic has accelerated aspects that were previously deemed as the future of work. With an increased adoption and reliance on digitization and automation, it’s imperative that employees put to use skills that machines cannot imitate. Displaying sensitivity, leading with empathy, building and nurturing working relationships are all indicators of valuable soft skills. To remain relevant and on top of your game, social & emotional skills programs are a must. Various online soft skills training for employees helps hone the necessary social and emotional skills. Here is a three-step guide to developing social-emotional skills.
1) Ask for feedback
Draw up a list of people (including a good mix of HR executives, leaders and juniors) and ask them questions with the intent to genuinely listen. Are there any instances where you could have behaved in a more empathetic manner? Do you have a tendency to talk over people in meetings? We all have blind spots when it comes to social and emotional behaviors. Take the feedback in the right spirit and work towards sharpening your soft skills. For instance, next time, instead of admonishing a co-worker during a team meeting, try having a 1-1 chat with them and point out their mistakes. Or, if you notice a normally cheerful team member not acting their usual self, take time out to ask them how they are doing and build a real connection.
2) Observe and learn
Who are the go-to folks at your workplace when things go awry? Identify the people who share a great rapport with most co-workers and observe how they interact with people during meetings, client calls and even virtual happy hours and team bonding sessions. Take cues from non-verbal forms of communication, the vocabulary they use to spark conversations, the way they make everyone feel respected regardless of rank or experience, and so on. Try to incorporate some of those emotionally-intelligent behaviors in your day-to-day work.
3) Sign up for a virtual course
The most effective way to gain comprehensive soft skills is to enroll in a skilling program that is designed to help you move forward in your career. Wadhwani Opportunity’s no-fees virtual courses feature mobile and video-centric global content, experiential learning, scenario-based simulations and progressive methodology. Not just social and emotional skills, they impart 21st Century Employability skills such as digital literacy, problem solving, entrepreneurial mindset, customer-centricity, and more. Wadhwani Opportunity’s courses empower you to get promotions, rise up the ladder and shine at your workplace.
