Don’t let the term fool you: Soft skills are anything but soft.

Active listening. Communication. Empathy. Flexibility. Relationship building.

The world of so-called soft skills, a term first coined by the U.S. Army in the 1960s, is vast. Although the workplace has become increasingly driven by technology, human-centered competencies continue to be vital.

“Soft skills are force multipliers or power skills,” said SHRM President and Chief Executive Officer Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP. They complement and amplify hard skills — such as data analysis, computers, languages, or accounting — in addition to expanding workforce potential, he said. More strategic than technical skills, soft skills are vital to business operations.

Renaming them as power skills “better reflects the significant impact and influence these interpersonal abilities have in the workplace,” said Ciara Harrington, chief people officer at Skillsoft, a global platform for learning solutions in Nashua, N.H. “The term ‘power’ also refers to their ability to drive change and success, rather than implying they have a secondary or ‘softer’ level of importance.”

Other HR professionals have their own preferred synonyms: Bethany Adams, SHRM-SCP, calls them “human skills.”

SHRM member Kate Ferrara suggests “essential skills.” Jennifer Currence, SHRM-SCP, likes “people skills.”

To Currence, a partner at consulting firm HR Soul in Florida, the word “soft” implies they’re easy to acquire. Mastering them, however, is a continual process involving intentional vigilance and practice.

“These are the skills that make or break careers, teams, and organizations,” said Adams, associate director of marketing and strategy for the human resource development graduate program at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. “They are what help HR professionals navigate relationships, communicate effectively, and lead with empathy.”

Why Soft Skills Are Essential

Technical skills may land you the job, but soft skills are key to longevity and advancing through the ranks. Highly transferable, the right set of strong soft skills is like a secret superpower — they can give your career durability. HR professionals need to lead by example when it comes to prioritizing proficiency in people skills, which, in turn, will advance their own careers.

“Partnering successfully with your [employees] requires the ability to build relationships, meaning you must be able to draw on your communication, coaching, mentoring, and other skills that have traditionally been labeled as ‘soft’ but are critical to your success as an HR partner,” said Ferrara, an Irvine, Calif.-based senior HR business partner at Alcon, a pharmaceutical and medical device company.

Toolkit: Improving Employee Retention and Reducing Turnover

The most successful HR professionals develop advanced power skills that align with the needs of the teams they support, Harrington said. By drawing on this skill set, they can build productive, trusting relationships with leadership, challenging them to make difficult decisions that drive business outcomes. Building this level of confidence and trust takes time, she explained, but it creates a path toward faster and further career advancement for HR professionals. This also expands your sphere of influence.

“One of the most critical skills HR professionals can develop is their ability to influence without direct authority, which takes practice,” Harrington said.

The Top Three Soft Skills

Despite soft skills’ importance, 30% of candidates don’t have the interpersonal competencies desired by employers, according to SHRM’s 2024 Talent Trends report.

But which skills should you focus on? Consider these: communication, emotional intelligence, and adaptability.

Communication. Think of communication skills as the ability to share clear expectations and information, Currence said. This includes providing policies that are easy to understand and consistent, as well as clearly and regularly sharing information with all stakeholders when circumstances change.

“Consistently showing up with the right information and clearly demonstrating HR’s role in helping an organization achieve their goals builds trust and credibility in relationships with business leaders,” Ferrara said.

But communication isn’t just about how you speak or write — you must also be skilled in active listening. This refers to the focused and intentional act of fully understanding, engaging with, and responding to others, and it strengthens interpersonal communication, builds trust, and fosters meaningful relationships.

Assess active listening skills by recording yourself during a conversation, which enables you to check if you were empathetically listening and giving your full attention to the speaker.

Emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence (also known as “EI” or “EQ”) is broadly defined as the ability to identify and manage your emotions to successfully navigate situations and manage relationships.

Emotional intelligence accounts for 58% of job performance success and contributes to an average of $29,000 more in annual earnings, according to Aura.

Emotional literacy is a facet of emotional intelligence that emphasizes cooperation and the common good. Other important and related elements include emotional agility, the ability to acknowledge feelings without being dominated by them, and emotional courage, which enables you to act in situations even when you feel uncomfortable.

Emotional agility along with “emotional literacy and emotional courage are all musthave skills for HR,” Adams said. “They need the agility to pivot, the literacy to navigate emotions across teams, and the courage to advocate for people-centric policies.”

Adams suggested asking colleagues how you show up in emotionally charged situations. Are you reactive or agile? Do you listen with curiosity or jump to solutions?

Tools such as 360-degree feedback and emotional intelligence assessments can also help pinpoint growth areas.

Adaptability. A key workplace skill, adaptability — which could also be called agility or flexibility — enables professionals to pivot effectively in response to change while maintaining productivity and focus. It fosters resilience, innovation, and the ability to manage uncertainty, making it essential for navigating dynamic work environments and achieving longterm goals.

Grow this skill by always being open to new ideas, approaching challenges and opportunities with curiosity, and exhibiting patience during times of change.

These traits help HR professionals adapt nimbly and effectively while maintaining a balanced perspective during transitions.

How to Guide: How to Foster a Culture of Empathy in the Workplace

Setting Goals for Growth

Building these important skills is not a one-and-done event. At the start of each new year, Currence recommended, you should consider where you want to be by the year’s end. Then, set goals that challenge yourself to learn one new skill or to revisit a skill you want to improve. Taking courses, listening to podcasts, reading books, and attending educational events can all be part of your educational goal setting. As a SHRM member, look for conference sessions related to the skills you want to improve upon or browse on-demand webinars and eLearning courses.

Additionally, aim to expand your professional network, which will provide ample opportunities to practice your people-centered skills.

Finally, continue to reflect on your current relationships with leaders and fellow employees to determine if you could be more effective. Ask yourself: Do they come to me for advice or seek out resources from the HR team? Do I feel like they value the support I provide? If the answer is somewhere in the middle, ask for feedback from trusted colleagues, supervisors, or friends.

It’s key to build a workplace “culture where business leaders truly see the value in ‘soft skills’ and understand that they are essential to career growth,” Ferrara said.

“When a manager works with an associate on their personal development plans, soft skills should be an essential piece and given equal value to the traditional technical skills of a role.”