When we look back a couple of years from now, the way we used to work back then and the way we work now has dramatically changed. 

The entire world has almost morphed into a new way of working, i.e., “Work from Home” or in short “WFH”, the phrase that you regretfully used for the major part of 2020, and which is expected to stay for a good chunk of 2021. However, WFH has not stopped us from innovating new technologies, services and processes that are beneficial for our companies. 

In the coming decade, Artificial Intelligence and Automation will rewrite the nature of work we are used to perform and the very qualities and talents that make us who we are as humans. To succeed in the future, it is our responsibility to collectively embrace those abilities, train and nurture our employees and hone them as individuals.

Why are soft skills necessary?

We all know with proper training and education; technical skills aren’t necessarily hard to learn. They can be easily taught and perfected. Soft skills, however, are more difficult to develop and learn, since they have little to do with formal education but are more related to the persons’ character, personality and his/ her relationships with people around them. 

Soft skills are useful in all sectors. They are usually natural abilities of a person and often related to Emotional Intelligence. 

Machines are incapable of replacing soft skills

With everything shifting toward automation, it is obvious that more and more tasks will be carried out by machines or a patch of software, but these machines are incapable of replacing soft skills.

Thus, it is important for us to invest in skill sets such as conflict resolution, creativity and empathy. While hiring for leadership positions, companies often look for soft skills as they know machines can’t replicate them. 

Soft skills and Hospitality

The shortage of people with required soft skills has an enormous effect on the performance of hospitality venues, be it, hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars or pubs, etc.

Just think of it this way: Why spend your money on Hotel A, which has a disengaged and disgruntled front desk staff, when in Hotel B, which is on the same street and has a similar

priced room, the front desk staff are warm and friendly? It seems obvious that Hotel B will rank better in reviews and ratings over the course of the year and will make more business. 

There are two challenges for hospitality managers. First, they must recognize just how important these soft skills are to the performance of their business. And second, they must recognize that these skills are rarely being trained at university or college.

Some facts and figures

As per a new study conducted by University of Michigan, workers with well-honed soft skills—time and stress management, problem-solving, communication and good teamwork, for example—tend to work at better firms and fetch higher wages.

The study revealed that there was a 12-percent boost in productivity and retention if soft skills training were to be provided to employees while delivering almost a 250-percent increase in ROI (Return on Investment)

In Deloitte’s 2016 Global Human Capital Trends, 92-percent of Deloitte’s respondents rated soft skills as a critical priority

What are the most in-demand soft skills as per LinkedIn?

Creativity: Thinking “outside the box” and come up with original ideas

Persuasion: Convincing others to support your idea or to take actions

Collaboration: Ability to work on a team and share common goals

Adaptability: Not only agree to uncertainty, but thrive in changing situations

Emotional Intelligence: Ability to recognize and understand our emotions that impact people (positively and negatively), and learn how to manage those emotions – both our own and others

What does We Are Key offer?

For existing employees, soft skills can be developed and nurtured and become an integral part of their development. We can consult with you to find out your needs and come up with a personalized recommendation. 

In addition, we consider the following elements while we recruit the best candidate for you:

• We incorporate soft skills assessment in our hiring process
• We provide continuous evaluation of their skills
• We allow time for reflection
• We support continuous learning