Uncovering a Soft Skills Problem in Your Organization

Having employees and managers who are technically proficient is critical, but there are a collection of personal characteristics, habits, attitudes and social graces that, although harder to measure, are a big factor in work performance and outcomes. These “soft skills” make someone a good employee and easy to work with.

They include things like communication, emotional intelligence, influence, leadership and time management — and when they’re missing or in short supply, it can weigh heavily on organizations.

Poor workplace communication alone, by some estimates, costs organizations $1.2 trillion annually, or 7.47 hours per employee per week. Another study puts the loss at $62.4 million per year for companies with at least 100,000 employees. It’s hard to quantify things like rework, missed deadlines, lost customers and sagging morale, but 74% of business leaders believe their company underestimates the price of poor communication.

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Gauging soft skills is subjective

Getting to the bottom of soft skills problems can be tricky because of the subjectivity. We have trouble accurately assessing our own abilities in these areas, let alone the skills of others. In fact, most of us overestimate our communication abilities, as evidenced by a study conducted by The Harris Poll for Grammarly Business. Findings show that 86% of business leaders feel their verbal communication skills are strong; but only 58% of their workers shared that opinion.

And flawed self-perception isn’t limited to management. The same study shows that those same knowledge workers consistently rate their own communication skills as more effective than the skills of co-workers, a mathematical impossibility.

An issue related to technical skills is easier to diagnose. Things like education, years of experience and past performance are easier to quantify. But an issue with soft skills usually isn’t made apparent until after you hire someone.

Consider some signs of soft skills problems:

• Missed deadlines — One of the most obvious signs of a time-management issue is when an individual or team consistently misses or pushes back deadlines. There could, of course, be other issues at play. Ask yourself: Has the individual’s workload increased? Did the scope of a project expand outside the original parameters? Does the person have the technical skills needed to efficiently do the job? Was the deadline clearly communicated?
• Prioritizing the wrong things — When someone spends huge amounts of time focused on low-priority projects, it may indicate a problem with big-picture thinking. They don’t understand how their work fits into the organization’s strategy. Letting employees make decisions about where time and resources are spent empowers them as long as they have the skills and information to choose correctly. Poor prioritizing can also indicate a communication issue. Were priorities fully explained to the person? And if the individual was unclear, what kept them from asking for clarification? Stalling on a challenging assignment could signal a lack of confidence or technical skills to do the work.
• Growing friction between workers — Some level of conflict is inevitable in any workplace. It’s normal that people don’t always agree on the best ways to do things. But unresolved conflict can slow productivity and sometimes signals a communication problem. Do the individuals involved have experience respectfully speaking up, listening well or compromising where needed? Strong conflict resolution skills are critical for navigating inevitable disagreement.
• Declining customer satisfaction — Provided the quality of your product or service hasn’t changed, losing customers can signal a problem with communication or emotional intelligence. Happy customers feel heard and respected. Employees who regularly interact with customers need strong verbal and written communication skills so they can communicate clearly with customers and work to resolve any concerns.
• Declining employee retention — Employees leave organizations for many reasons. But it’s important to look for patterns when employees resign. Are they leaving for consistent reasons? Do many of them work in one department? If an employee leaves and goes to a competitor, it could signal they don’t see a career path within your organization. Providing leadership development helps employees navigate tough scenarios, prepares them for the future and sends a message that you’re willing to invest in their growth. Even for current managers, ongoing development is important. Having a variety of management abilities helps get the best from their employees and keep them motivated and engaged.

Having employees with the right combination of technical and soft skills is undoubtedly a business advantage. But measuring soft skills is tricky, which makes hiring for them difficult. That’s why it’s important to carefully diagnose problems by noticing patterns and asking questions. People are imperfect. No one is proficient at every technical or soft skill. Offer targeted training to address issues and upskill the employees you have.