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Soft skills may not help a learner perform a specific task or master a job-related topic. However, they are an invaluable part of the learning process. In this article, I'll offer insight on how to build soft skills courses for corporate eLearning, and highlight the top 4 skill sets that learners need in the modern workplace.
How To Develop Soft Skill Courses For Corporate eLearning
Soft skills are specific abilities or traits that learners need in real world environments. In many instances, these skills offer individuals the opportunity to effectively manage their time, increase their productivity, and become an integral part of a team. Given the nature of these skills, they are often difficult to measure, which can make it challenging to cultivate them in eLearning settings, as you cannot quantify how well someone interacts with their peers or how successfully they can manage a team. However, there are some tips that can help you integrate soft skills online training into your eLearning experience.
Top 8 World Popular Soft Skills To Include In Corporate eLearning Programs
The JOBTEST Aptitude Tests and Competency Model model incorporates 8 core competencies. Some employers may prioritize competencies outside of the model below but it provides an excellent overview of what one might expect to be compared against when completing a SJT.
The competencies being assessed and a broad definition of each are provided below:
1. Communicating and Influencing
Relates well to others; adapts communication style to successfully influence and communicate with others. Listens to other people and communicates with impact and empathy. Communicates effectively orally, in writing and via electronic means in a manner appropriate to the audience. Successfully explains complex or technical information to non-experts. Makes an impact, putting one’s own point across with clarity and purpose.
2. Team working
Works effectively as part of a diverse team and demonstrates the ability to work collaboratively and empathetically within diverse teams. Puts the needs of the team above their own and demonstrates openness and honesty with team members. Builds a sense of team spirit by listening to, encouraging and supporting colleagues and wider team members.
3. Building relationships
Successfully networks within and outside of the organisation. Builds and sustains effective relationships within own area and across the wider organisation; forms long-term mutually beneficial working relationships with colleagues, customers, partners and suppliers that support the longer term goals of self, team and the organisation as a whole.
4. Customer Focus
Strives to anticipate and understand the needs of customers. Applies their understanding of customers to ensure they receive timely and efficient service, going the extra mile in order to surpass expectations. Focuses on customer needs and levels of satisfaction in all they do; acts upon customer feedback; takes customer concerns and feedback seriously.
5. Creative and Analytical Thinking
Finds new ways to move the organisation forward by applying creativity balanced with realism and pragmatism. Takes account of wider factors in their approach to analysing problems and develops workable, innovative solutions. Demonstrates the intellectual and analytical capacity to quickly identify issues and propose solutions. Considers a multitude of angles when analysing a problem or situation. Draws effective conclusions, even when dealing with conflicting or complex data.
6. Commercial and Market Awareness
Demonstrates up-to-date knowledge of industry, market and competitor information. Uses such information to inform planning and decision-making. Identifies and seizes opportunities to grow the organisation; demonstrates an understanding of the wider issues that can impact its success. Understands how their own area and input can impact the wider organisation and beyond.
7. Achieving Results
Takes responsibility for the successful delivery of own tasks and responds quickly and enthusiastically to requests from others. Displays drive, determination and resilience even in challenging circumstances. Thrives on challenge and hard work; displaying enthusiasm in all that they do. Takes action rather than over-debating or over-analysing. Approaches work with a sense of urgency. Focuses on results, keeping the end goal in sight at all times.
8. Planning and Organising
Delivers high quality work in an efficient and timely manner. Successfully manages own and others time and ensures necessary resources are available as required. Adapts to changing circumstances without compromising on quality or creating unrealistic schedules. Creates and monitors clear action plans and communicates updates to plans with all relevant stakeholders.
4 Tips To Enhance Employees' Soft Skills Through Corporate eLearning Programs
- Include interactive eLearning scenarios.
eLearning scenarios are one of the most powerful tools you have at your disposal when developing soft skills online training experiences. They are interactive, engaging, and give your learners the opportunity to explore real world consequences without the risk. They are also given an example of the soft skill in action. For example, if you are trying to develop their teamwork skills, create an eLearning scenario that features a group of characters and various decisions the learner must make in order to lead them. The learner can get a firm grasp on how their actions and behaviors impact others, so that they can then alter undesirable behaviors and build the skill.
- Define measurable performance goals.
It’s true that soft skills are difficult to measure. However, you can set specific performance goals around the soft skills that can be measured. For example, a 20% increase in customer satisfaction would be a performance goal that centers on communication or customer service skills, both of which are soft skills. This is a quantifiable measurement that allows you to track the learner’s progress. If they fail to meet this number by the end of the quarter, then you may need to offer them additional support.
- Focus on one soft skill at a time.
Grouping a variety of different skill sets into one online training experience may seem like the ideal solution, but it typically produces lackluster results. In fact, it’s best to focus on just one specific soft skill at a time, so that you can give learners the chance to quickly and conveniently build the desired skill. For example, rather than spending an hour participating in simulations and reading numerous text blocks, make the online training course 5 minutes long and have it focused on a specific skill they need to develop. Use a variety of online tools and exercises so that they can explore the skills from many different angles and in different applications.
- Tie soft skills online training to real world applications.
Learners simply won’t be motivated to build their soft skills unless they know it will benefit them in the real world. More importantly, they need to able to use the skill in the real world after they have mastered it in the virtual learning environment. For this reason, it’s important to tie the soft skills online training to real world applications. Use eLearning scenarios, real world examples, and simulations to give them a clear idea of how and when they will be applying the knowledge they have learned.
Soft skills are life skills, and giving your learners the opportunity to build their self-confidence, boost their communication skills, and effectively collaborate with their colleagues can make a world of difference outside the virtual learning environment.
Now that you’ve learned tips on how to build soft skills, take a moment to read the article Active Learning In Online Training: What eLearning Professionals Should Know to learn how to integrate active learning into your online training course in order to increase your employees’ engagement, motivation, and performance levels.
Author: Nguyen Cong Thuy
