People skills shine in the modern era of work

It appears there is an increased appetite for people skills in the post-COVID-19 workforce. Employees and employers alike can benefit by leveraging this in-demand skill set.

Interpersonal skills – that refers to people, social, communication, and networking skills – have seen a sharp rise in employer demand since the pandemic, according to a CSIRO study.

The research, conducted between 2015 and 2022, analysed 12 million job advertisements and found that employers are increasingly seeking employees who can work well with others.

Lead author and CSIRO scientist David Evans commented on the findings, claiming he was surprised with the results: “Periods of low unemployment are usually associated with a dampening of employer’s skills expectations.”

“Despite this job seekers’ market following the pandemic, we were surprised to observe a further acceleration of interpersonal skills demand across many occupations.”

Even more surprising was that the desire for these skills was reportedly even more important in remote and hybrid working situations, contradicting the belief that remote and hybrid work breeds antisocial behaviour.

Mr Evans continued: “You’d also be forgiven for thinking the rise of remote working arrangements might suit introverts or more independent workers. But the data shows working from home is not working alone. We observed job postings offering remote work were 1.2 times more likely to mention interpersonal skills than face-to-face roles.”

These results can be a great tool for individuals and employers looking to develop skill sets. With the importance of interpersonal skills clear, building on this skill set can help hone career development.

“This finding can help individuals prioritise what skills to invest in developing. We also know that when employees’ skills are aligned with employers’ expectations, you have happier employees, lower turnover, and higher productivity,” Mr Evans explained.

“Our results also support the ongoing relevance of calls for Australia’s education and training providers to focus on developing the interpersonal skills of students. The data suggests these ‘soft skills’ are increasingly front of employers’ minds and critical not to overlook.”

Interpersonal skills may seem like the thing you’ve either got or you don’t. This is not true, however. Developing this skill set is the same as building any other and requires time and effort.

To assist in this, Indeed published 14 considerations for increasing interpersonal skills:

1. Establish your goals.
2. Observe successful interactions.
3. Identify ways to practice.
4. Solicit feedback.
5. Reflect and modify.
6. Keep interactions focused.
7. Leverage recording technology.
8. Stay positive.
9. Choose your language carefully.
10. Self-regulate.
11. Know your values.
12. Offer empathy.
13. Negotiate effectively.
14. Practice active listening.