All around the globe, the nature of work is rapidly changing. Mainly due to the pandemic, the way we work has changed forever, from its most rooted structures to the way we relate to each other. We are transitioning from a knowledge economy to a more self-knowledge-based economy. In every area of our work operations, automation and robotics are transforming how we manage traditional day-to-day tasks. However, regardless of all these changes and advances, only humans have the critical thinking and creative skills to find ways to gain a competitive advantage.
In this scenario, interpersonal, communicative, and similar "soft" skills are being rebranded as "power skills" in today's work environments. Find out in this article why these abilities are getting increasingly popular and what you can do, as an HR professional, to empower your employees in today's working world.
Hard skills, which historically have been perceived as more valuable, refer primarily to technical competencies. These skills can be learned through courses, vocational training, and on the job, and are mainly focused on specific tasks and processes such as the use of tools, equipment, or software.
On the other hand, soft skills are often used as a collective term for personal, emotional, social, and intellectual skills. Popular soft skills include communication, teamwork, and other interpersonal skills, such as critical thinking, empathy, adaptability, active listening, and emotional intelligence. These abilities are often described as the counterpart of hard skills, which are measurable, functional, and technical.
While our way of working undergoes structural changes and tasks become more automated, job roles, responsibilities, and relationships adapt and evolve.
So whether to facilitate the shift to a remote or hybrid work setting, build more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizations, or find new ways to enhance cooperation and productivity, soft skills are now more in demand than ever - to the point that they are no longer called soft.
Human competencies are the new essentials for the workforce and workplace. From displaying creativity in solving problems to being a team player with active listening abilities, power skills are key - and they aren’t just about individual success! Developing power skills can create tangible business results while paving the way to a happier and healthier workplace.
Many workplaces devote a lot of attention to developing employees’ hard skills. Soft skills, while they are equally as important as hard skills, are often ignored.
Even calling these attributes soft often discredits their importance - which is why changing the term to power skills allows trainers and HR teams to stay ahead of the technical curve.
Here are a few examples of pivotal power skills employees can enhance through training:
● Decision making: empower employees to make the best decisions by weighing the pros and cons based on values and goals;
● Adaptability: empower employees with tools to address adversity and change with grit and resilience;
● Emotional intelligence: teach employees to perceive, understand, manage, and express emotions in a healthy and empathetic way;
● And many others, such as leadership and management, problem-solving, communication, time management, and so on.
Going forward, power skills will be increasingly critical for our ever-evolving workplace. Training your employees in power skills should be a priority, just like working with the most comprehensive software to facilitate the work of HR teams. In this regard, at Talcura we have the best services and software for HR professionals, designed to help attract, hire and onboard top talent. Schedule a free demo and learn more about our customizable solutions.
