Making soft skills ‘stick’: a systematic scoping review and integrated training transfer framework grounded in behavioural science

Abstract

Soft skills training often does not yield the desired behaviour changes at work–a phenomenon known as the soft skills transfer problem. Meanwhile, behavioural science interventions have proven successful in changing behaviours in various contexts. The aim of the present research is to develop an integrated soft skills training transfer framework grounded in behavioural science. The COMPASS (Capability, Opportunity and Motivation of Professionals’ Application of Soft Skills) model integrates two leading frameworks in the fields of professional development and behavioural science: Baldwin and Ford’s training transfer framework and the COM-B behaviour change model. To probe the viability of the COMPASS model, we conducted a systematic scoping review, which identified 91 eligible articles derived from 2,632 screened abstracts. From this review, 69 factors emerged that were each assessed for their evidence in promoting soft skills training transfer. Mapping the factors onto the COMPASS model shows that the model captures the literature well. Crucially, we show that all constituent elements of the model likely contribute to training transfer. The COMPASS model provides an overarching theoretical grounding in the literature on behaviour change. We discuss how practitioners can leverage this work to promote soft skills transfer.