In the past “soft skills” were dismissed as fluff—nice but not necessary for getting the job done. But in today’s business world, managers are finding that soft skills like good communication, conflict management, time management and a penchant for problem-solving are critical factors that impact productivity. Unfortunately, traditional classroom education doesn’t teach these skills, considering them to be personal characteristics that students should have been taught at home. This has led to what is called a “soft skills gap” in today’s workplace that has far-reaching consequences for both the employer and the employee.
