A soft skill is a personal attribute that supports situational awareness and enhances an individual's ability to get a job done.
Such skills include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, time management, critical thinking, decision-making, stress management and more.
According to e-learning platform Playbox, traditional education channels fall short when it comes to teaching teens soft skills – in addition to hard academic knowledge – because they are just so overwhelmed.
“Although we want our teens to be successful in their future careers, we also need them to be good, well-rounded people, with both hard and soft skills that enable them to become meaningful contributors to society,” said the platform.
Here are five facts about soft skills according to Playbox:
- 80% of recruiters say the ability to adapt is becoming increasingly vital in the workplace.
Teenagers must be prepared for their lives to change suddenly, in ways they may not always be able to control. To that end, they must be resilient enough to deal with it.
- 9.7 million employees experienced workplace conflict in 2018/19.
Soft skills teach teenagers that life is not really a in the park; there will be bad moments, tragic moments and difficult moments.
And that you can discover what it takes to triumph. This frequently implies that your teenagers must be capable of conflict resolution.
- 90% of employees are more likely to stay with a company that empathises with their needs.
Understanding how to be empathetic is essential for communicating with and understanding people from all walks of life.
- Attitude is the number one factor when hiring new employees.
Values and manners are the soft skills required to navigate life and make solid relationships. Those with the right attitude are more likely to advance in life, making it a key skill to learn alongside reading and writing.
- Courage is one of the top seven qualities recruiters look for in the hiring process.
The workplace is constantly evolving. Teens are going to have to consider innovating and building something for themselves – from the ground up – and that’s where guts come in.
They'll need grace to stay on top once they have made it. It takes hard work to be successful, and knowing the ins and outs of your craft is no longer enough. You must be brave and humble – the two go hand in hand as soft skills that will propel teenagers forward!
IOL Business