Work and organisations
The profound impact of soft skills on employment, success, efficiency, effectiveness and overall performance is not to be underestimated.
Likewise, it is important to underline the fundamental role of transversal skills in creating a solid, competitive, and flexible team.
Transversal skills are the foundational and vital pillars of a organizational climate focused on well-being. Soft skills are the true value an individual can bring to the company and the entire organization.
In terms of employability , they really make a difference.
Maybe we should think of soft skills in a different way.
If we focus only on results (productivity, performance, goals), we'll end up off track or on uneven ground. This is also sound advice for modern leadership.
Today's most in-demand soft skills
I don't believe there can be just one comprehensive list encompassing all the 'top' soft skills, as their value depends on the specific context in which they are applied—the workplace.
Yet, if we accept this challenging though unrealistic task and draw on recent studies, we can still compile a list of the most sought-after abilities nowadays.
Effective communication certainly tops this list . Being clear and persuasive, being collaborative, and listening are just some of the essential but complex sub-dimensions
The World Economic Forum's - Future of Jobs Report 2025 then recalls the need to possess
Emotional intelligence, as well as knowing and effectively managing emotions, is a complex and complex task. An essential skill, as Goleman puts it.
Adaptability and flexibility certainly top this supposed ranking, especially given the rapid pace of innovation and technology. Consequently, tolerance for uncertainty also becomes mandatory .
Organizations then need people who know how to analyze complex situations and find innovative solutions, therefore equipped with critical thinking, problem solving and strategic creativity ,
Teamwork
Teamwork, however , becomes the true heart of soft skills, fueled by collaboration, networking, and sharing. After all, we are also social beings!
This list, which is not necessarily exhaustive, must also include another skill that often falls mercilessly into oblivion: the capacity for continuous learning. I am referring to constant updating and learning, to a necessary open-mindedness, to the essential and vital curiosity about diversity, different cultures, and alternative perspectives.
Working on soft skills means promoting, even with innovative methods, an enrichment that is not only cognitive but, above all, emotional and motivational.
Therefore, it involves facilitating personal and professional growth and developmentso as to be competitive and make progress in our lives and careers.
Transversal competencies as a top priority
Going beyond any reflection, according to the World Economic Forum in its update of "The Future of Jobs Report 2025", soft skills represent, in all respects, a top priority for companies all over the world.
The study highlighted some particularly striking findings:
- 94% of companies consider soft skills more important than technical skills. Excellent finding.
- The most in-demand skills include: critical thinking, creativity, empathetic leadership , and change management. Easy to say!
- Soft skills are strategic for tackling the evolution and dominance of new technologies. An undeniable truth.
communication , effective interpersonal skills , and problem-solving are almost mandatory. They always have been!
REFERENCES
Kyllonen, P. C. (2023).Soft Skills and 21st Century Workforce Development: The Role of Cognitive, Emotional, and Social Competencies in Career Success.Springer.
Pellegrino, J. W., & Hilton, M. L. (2023).Educating for Innovation: The Role of Soft Skills in Problem Solving and Creativity. National Academies Press.
World Economic Forum (2025).The Future of Jobs Report 2025.World Economic Forum.