Remaining competitive with soft skill development training

It's easy for businesses to lose sight of the human factor at the core of an organization with technology ever-advancing. Hard, technical skills are undoubtedly critical, but what about the soft, interpersonal skills forming the foundation of effective collaboration, clear communication, and decisive leadership?

Welcome to the world of soft skill development training, an essential yet often overlooked aspect of employee development.

When an organization implements a soft skills learning platform, it significantly enhances the team's overall performance. With nearly two-thirds of jobs expected to be primarily soft-skill-focused by 2030, investing in developing these power skills – as we like to call them – is more critical than ever.

Knowing how to develop soft skills requires a mix of the right training and a system to measure its success. When using soft skills training for employees effectively, you’ll see improvements in nearly every other part of your organization.

Let’s take a look at what a soft skills learning platform is, and how you can utilize one to ensure your soft skill development training continues to drive innovation and growth.

What is a soft skills learning platform?

Nearly every thriving company has a system by which they train hard skills. These are technical competencies such as coding, software development, customer service, marketing tactics, etc.

Yet many overlook teaching and improving soft skills. Unlike hard skills, which typically focus on specific technical knowledge and abilities, soft skills are more about how people communicate, collaborate, and interact with each other and their work environment.

A soft skills learning platform is an online educational resource designed to foster and enhance a range of interpersonal and intrapersonal abilities within an organization's workforce.

Why soft skills are essential to the future readiness of the workforce

In an era where technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, organizations must not overlook the significance of soft skills, which can’t be replicated by machines, software, AI, etc. With an estimated two-thirds of jobs focusing on soft skills by 2030, investing in the development of these power skills is more critical than ever.

But how does your workforce gain these essential human skills? This is where a soft skills learning platform comes into play.

A soft skills learning platform enables organizations to bridge existing skill gaps, measure performance, build a culture of continuous learning, attract top talent, personalize the learning experience, and scale training efforts.

To unlock the full potential of soft skills, organizations need a robust and comprehensive skill-building platform like Spoke® by Unboxed Training & Technology.

6 outcomes of using an online soft skills training platform

Staying competitive requires a forward-thinking approach. After all, the job market changes quickly, and companies must stay nimble to boost their teams and retain their best employees.

Companies can quickly reap tangible benefits by investing in a soft skills learning platform that teaches employees how to develop soft skills. Here are some key outcomes of using a soft skills learning platform to train employees.

1. Close existing skill gaps

Targeted soft skills training helps bridge the prevalent skills gap in many industries. As business landscapes evolve with emerging technology, the demand for soft skills like adaptability, emotional intelligence, and complex problem-solving is rising.

By providing an online platform where employees can access on-demand soft skills training, companies equip their employees with essential skills and empower them to develop new ones.

2. Measure performance

Rather than relying on general observations and feedback, managers can get detailed insights into an employee’s progress through a soft skills training platform. The qualitative and quantitative data it collects can help managers identify areas of improvement, coach employees successfully, and monitor performance over time.

Tracking and analytics enable organizations to make data-driven decisions and continuously enhance the impact of soft skills training on employee effectiveness.

3. Build a culture of continuous learning

Online soft skills training can provide a continuous learning experience by offering ongoing access to resources, materials, and support. This enables employees to revisit the training content whenever they need a refresher or encounter new situations that require applying their learned skills.

Continuous learning and reinforcement help solidify the acquired skills, making them more applicable and effective in real-life work scenarios.

4. Attract top talent

Companies emphasizing soft skill development are more attractive to potential employees who value personal growth and continuous learning. A robust soft skills course can help companies attract and retain top talent in the industry.

If you want your best people to stay, train them in soft skills that boost their development! 86% of employees say they would consider jumping to another company if there were more chances to grow and learn valuable skills.

5. Personalize the learning experience

Through assessments and evaluations, soft skills learning platforms identify employees' skill levels and areas for improvement. Based on these results, personalized learning paths are created, targeting specific skills and competencies needed for growth.

This personalization enhances engagement, motivation, and the overall effectiveness of the training, as employees can directly apply what they learn to their specific roles and responsibilities.

6. Scale training efforts

Online training can be easily scaled to accommodate a large number of employees across different locations. It ensures consistent delivery of training content, ensuring that all employees receive the same knowledge and skills.

Consistency in training helps foster a common language and understanding among employees, leading to improved collaboration and communication.

By leveraging online soft skills training, organizations can effectively develop their employees' soft skills, leading to improved communication, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and overall job performance.

Harness the power of soft skills in your organization

In today's dynamic business landscape, a balanced blend of hard and soft skills is essential for any organization to thrive. While technical competencies are crucial, soft skills often differentiate industry leaders from the rest.

However, unlocking the full potential of these skills requires more than just recognizing their importance. Mastery demands a commitment to continuous learning and development through a robust, soft skills learning platform.

Spoke®: The world's best skill-building platform

Imagine an LMS that makes learning new skills and continuous practice easy, effective, and even fun.

At Unboxed Training & Technology, we developed Spoke® to do just that. It drives learners from one skill to the next through intelligent, action-oriented recommendations based on their individual interests and opportunities for improvement.

Request a demo of Spoke®, to learn how we can help you stay ahead of the curve and prepare your employees for the future of work.