Soft Skills Can Produce Strong Results

Does Generation Z, as it enters the workforce more fully, lack the soft skills needed for success?

While it’s unfair to paint an entire generation with a broad brush, a common perception— supported by observable behaviors—suggests that many Gen Z workers struggle with these essential skills on the job. As Bruce Tulgan writes in his book Bridging the Soft Skills Gap: How to Teach the Missing Basics to Today’s Young Talent, “young employees, despite excelling in their fields of interest, often lack fundamental soft skills.” Since employee retention is a key part of The Council Foundation’s mission, we analyzed what can be done to remediate this problem and help our industry’s Gen Z employees succeed.

Lack of soft skills can present itself in various ways. It may be the inability to have a conversation, to make eye contact, or even just to eat at a table with multiple people present. On the “In the Know” website, an anonymous Zoomer wrote, “There is a significant number of young people who lack social understanding and communication skills.” The writer emphasized that “physical, face-to-face interactions can feel alien and unnatural to many young people today.” This is by no means true for an entire generation, but the population is large enough to justify notice.

Tulgan, who specializes in generational diversity in the workforce, breaks soft skills into three key categories:

1) Professionalism

2) Critical Thinking

3) Followership

Let’s look at each in detail.

1) Professionalism is defined by several behaviors:

a. Self-evaluation is the ability to understand your emotions, strengths, and weaknesses. It’s the foundation of emotional intelligence.

b. Personal responsibility involves focusing on what you can control, most importantly yourself. You control impulsive behavior and respond to situations effectively.

c. Positive attitude means conveying a generous, enthusiastic demeanor.

d. Good work habits involve wellness, timeliness, and productivity.

e. People skills encompass active listening, observing, and empathizing, and the effective use of words, tone, expressions, and gestures in all forms of communication.

2) For critical thinking, Tulgan identifies three skills:

a. Proactive learning means keeping an open mind, suspending judgment, and seeking out information.

b. Problem-solving involves analyzing the situation, generating solutions, evaluating and selecting the best option, and implementing the solution.

c. Decision-making, a skill related to problem-solving, emphasizes selecting the optimal course of action when presented with a set of alternatives.

3) Followership consists of respect for context, citizenship, service, and teamwork:

a. Respect for context demands adapting to the existing leadership, rules, and structure, even in unfamiliar scenarios.

b. Citizenship is accepting, embracing, and observing the duties of membership and belonging.

c. Service is approaching relationships ready to see what you can offer. d. Teamwork is playing whatever role is needed to support the larger mission.

Why does Gen Z struggle with these basic skills? Early career development specialist Ana Homayoun, in the Fast Company article “The Invisible Handbook of Skills Gen Z Employees Lack,” explains that Gen Z has faced unique challenges: pandemic-disrupted schooling; the rise of digital communication, which reduces in-person interactions; increased reliance on texting; and the shift to hybrid work environments.

The world they grew up in has left them with shorter attention spans and difficulties adapting to workplace expectations. They emphasize informality, flexibility, and digital communication, which at times can be perceived as less professional compared to the way in which older generations communicate.

However, all is not lost.

Soft skills can be taught, Tulgan says. Managers can help young employees develop these essential skills, but they should be prepared to face resistance.

When suggesting that Gen Z workers improve their soft skills, managers may hear responses such as, “Why does this matter?” Gen Z’s lived experience with digital communication and remote work has prioritized efficiency and output over professional relationships.

Tulgan advises responding by emphasizing that a lack of soft skills is holding them back and that dramatically improving in these areas can provide a significant strategic advantage in their careers. To make this message as impactful as possible, tailor your response to their interests and strengths. Here are some examples of how to do that:

• Zoomers focus on building personal brand. They grew up in a world where it was important to have a strong online identity. So you can ask them, “Do you want to build your personal brand and stand out? Soft skills will help you connect and influence people.”
• Many members of Generation Z want better job opportunities; some are even looking for partnerships. You can ask, “Do you want more career freedom and flexibility? Strong communication skills open more doors.”
• Gen Zs want to feel that their work matters and contributes to a greater cause. Ask them, “Do you want to make an impact? Leadership and emotional intelligence are game changers.”

Employers should be motivated to help Gen Z employees improve their soft skills because doing so benefits both the individual and the organization.

Improved soft skills for Gen Z will improve workplace communication. Stronger communication skills lead to clearer, more effective communication within teams. Productivity and efficiency can grow as employees collaborate more effectively, adapt to changes, and perform better, which will require less micromanagement. Developing skills like conflict resolution, decision-making, and emotional intelligence is critical for career advancement and helps organizations cultivate future leaders from within. Improved soft skills create positive experiences for customers that boost customer satisfaction and brand reputation. When employers invest in skill development, employees feel valued and are more likely to stay. This reduces turnover and builds a more engaged workforce.

Today’s young talent has so much to offer on the job. But they undermine their value if their soft skills are not strong. Let’s not lose them to this fixable problem. Let’s lead them out of the soft skills gap.