Influence of soft skills on job competencies: a correlational study in a Peruvian government agency, 2024

The study analyzes the influence of soft skills on job competencies in a governmental institution in Peru. A quantitative, descriptive-correlational, non-experimental, and cross-sectional approach was applied using a census sample of 101 public servants from Tumbes. The instruments were validated through KMO and Bartlett tests (soft skills = .858; job competencies = .795) and showed reliability through Cronbach’s Alpha (.932 and .879, respectively). The results revealed a strong and significant correlation (Rho = .737) between soft skills and job competencies, confirming their direct association. Additionally, 55.4% of employees showed low levels of soft skills, while 54.5% demonstrated low job competencies. These findings highlight the need to strengthen soft skills as a key strategy to improve performance and job competencies within the public sector.