(Credit: fizkes/Adobe Stock)

As hiring and retention continue to shift and evolve, traditional job skills feel as outdated as a floppy disk. Employers are no longer solely fishing for candidates with degrees from revered institutions. They're looking to hook folks who possess so-called "soft skills," knowing these are oftentimes harder to learn and apply than the tactical/technical ones. As workplaces are still testing new ways of working, emotional intelligence, empathetic communication, and adaptive problem-solving – are now the need-to-have building blocks of a thriving and adaptable workforce. 

SHRM found that 77% of organizations have placed a premium on hiring for these skills to cater to the multifaceted needs of today's labor force. Microsoft's CEO said empathy is far from a mere soft skill; it's the "most formidable skill of them all (Yahoo Finance)." As we wade through the sea of change, the mandate for businesses becomes crystal clear: fostering an environment that nurtures and cultivates these invaluable soft skills is the answer to sustainable hiring and retention.  

For soft skills to grow, here are 4 things employers need to give their employees:

|

1. Alignment: What's in it for Me? What's in it for All?

It's not just about the company having a higher purpose; it's every single person within the organization being able to identify their higher purpose and finding alignment between their individual purpose and the organization's greater mission. Playing to each person's strengths and mapping them to their goals and needs brings autonomy and freedom. Alignment doesn't just apply within the confines of the organization. It can be applied to everyday operations as well. For example, navigating remote, hybrid, in-person, or a 4-day work week. Some of these may not work for all, but they might be a good fit for those with a need for greater flexibility. Testing these work models, explaining the why behind them, and knowing that responsibilities can be fulfilled — regardless of when and where work gets done — can then work for all.