Employer Perceptions of Soft Skills in the Workplace

Community colleges focus on technical skills, completion rates, and employment metrics. As careers in the United States become increasingly technical, employers indicate that technical skills are just part of an employee's role. Regardless of the level of technical application, employees must be able to make decisions, think quickly and rationally, exhibit self-awareness, communicate effectively, and solve problems. Due to the technical nature of the work, employees must be motivated to develop career and cultural competencies. The purpose of this study was to explore employers’ perceptions of the role of soft skills in the workforce. Using a semi-structured protocol and eight industry professionals in Duval County, Florida, a focus group was conducted to explore employer perceptions of soft skills in the workforce. Four themes emerged from the data: cultural fit, motivation, communication, and performance. The data indicated that employees’ contributions to the organization’s culture were most important to them, while an employee’s performance was considered the least important. Organizations could use this data to better inform onboarding and professional development for new employees and those moving into supervisory positions. Community colleges could use this data to better inform their curriculum and course content. Data indicated that community colleges must offer soft skill training as a prominent element of a two-year degree program, while employers will focus on discipline and industry-specific skills.