How to Assess Soft Skills in the Workplace

In the previous articles, we discussed the importance of soft skills, also known as human skills, in the workplace and how they are becoming increasingly more valuable for organizations. However, assessing soft skills can be challenging as they are often subjective and difficult to measure.

Here are some ways to assess soft skills in the workplace:

1. Behavioral Interviews: During the hiring process, behavioral interviews can provide insight into an individual's past behavior and how they have demonstrated certain soft skills in the past. For example, asking about a time when the candidate had to problem-solve or work in a team can provide insight into their abilities.

2. Skills Tests: Skills tests, such as situational judgment tests, can be used to assess an individual's problem-solving, decision-making and communication skills.

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3. 360-Degree Feedback: This method involves getting feedback from an individual's peers, supervisors, and subordinates on their soft skills. This can provide a well-rounded view of the individual's abilities and areas for improvement.

4. Role Play: Role-playing exercises can be used to assess an individual's communication and negotiation skills.

5. On-the-job Assessment: Observing an individual's behavior and performance during their work can provide insight into their soft skills.

6. It's important to note that assessing soft skills should be done in combination with multiple methods and not solely rely on one method. Additionally, organizations should also make an effort to provide training and development opportunities for employees to improve their soft skills.

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In conclusion, assessing soft skills can be challenging, but it is important for organizations to invest time and resources to properly evaluate these skills during the hiring process and throughout an employee's tenure. A combination of methods, such as behavioral interviews, skills tests, 360-degree feedback, role-playing and on-the-job assessment, can provide a well-rounded view of an individual's soft skills. And providing training and development opportunities can also help to improve these skills.