Work Disruptions and Skill Shifts: Insights on the Characterization, Importance and Development of Soft Skills

Abstract

In current changes of the context caused by the expansion of digital technologies, there is a constant rupture in the set of skills needed for work. As a result, companies of all sizes are facing a worrying shortage of people with the right skills for in-demand roles. Part of this phenomenon is due to the growing appreciation of so-called behavioral skills, or soft skills, such as empathy, interpersonal communication, the ability to work in a team, resilience, and perception of contexts. This study aimed to characterize the importance of these essentially human skills in the context of new work and production realities. Using systematic bibliographic research in relevant databases, the study shows that there is a tendency towards an increase in the gap (gap) between the skills in demand in organizations and the skills available in the workforce. While skills gaps include both technical and behavioral ones, it is the latter that tend to raise managers' greatest concerns as they are not easily developed. It is proposed that managers reflect on the degree of availability and ways to develop soft skills in the internal environment of their organizations, which may guide strategic decisions to maintain productivity and competitiveness in the market, especially in small and medium-sized companies. While skills gaps include both technical and behavioral ones, it is the latter that tend to raise managers' greatest concerns as they are not easily developed. It is proposed that managers reflect on the degree of availability and ways to develop soft skills in the internal environment of their organizations, which may guide strategic decisions to maintain productivity and competitiveness in the market, especially in small and medium-sized companies. While skills gaps include both technical and behavioral ones, it is the latter that tend to raise managers' greatest concerns as they are not easily developed. It is proposed that managers reflect on the degree of availability and ways to develop soft skills in the internal environment of their organizations, which may guide strategic decisions to maintain productivity and competitiveness in the market, especially in small and medium-sized companies.