In layman's terms, Soft skills are skills that do not necessarily involve a lot of technical know-how. Soft skills are personality qualities and interpersonal abilities that define a person's interactions with others. In the workplace, soft skills complement hard skills, which refer to a person's knowledge and occupational skills.
For a person to stand out in the job market, there is a need to focus on developing soft skills. Hiring managers typically look for job candidates with soft skills because they make someone more successful in the workplace. Someone can be excellent with technical-hard skills, but if they can not manage their time or work within a team, they may not be successful in the workplace. Soft skills are generally not hard to learn, but they can make a big difference in an individual's career.
The rise of remote work is a game-changer for the way people work. It helps individuals avoid the stress of working in an office and offers the freedom to be more productive than ever before.
The remote work trend is growing. According to a study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than half of the workforce now works remotely, at least part-time. Remote work has become so popular that big companies like Netflix have embraced it.
But what makes someone a "good" remote worker? Is it just about having technical skills like programming, design, writing, or coding?
No, remote workers need all sorts of soft skills too.
Essential soft skills for successful remote work
- Communication
Arguably the top of the list is the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively within a virtual workplace, no matter the channel by which the communication takes place. You must determine the best channel based on the type of information you need to communicate and how fast you need feedback, whether via email, telephone, video call, or direct messaging.
The temptation to procrastinate can be high when working outside a traditional work environment. With little supervision, it is essential to be deliberate about meeting deadlines. Time management is a process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between different activities. Create boundaries and move the workspace from all possible distractions.
3. Coordination
Coordination is working with others to accomplish a goal or task. Since remote work frequently brings together a team, consumers,+ or clients from many time zones, excellent coordination abilities are required to guarantee balance and ensure quick delivery of the anticipated outcomes.
All collaborative protocols, the development of a workable project outline, the control of deadlines, and work cross-functionalities must all be adhered to for coordination to be successful.
4. Critical Thinking and Flexibility
Critical Thinking requires being observant to gather and objectively assess information, notice trends and conduct research to access observations. When working remotely, your team members or clients will not always be readily available at your back and call to answer or provide information. It is, therefore, vital to have the ability to think critically outside the box to generate intentional, resourceful, and relevant results.
5. Self-Motivation
Working from a remote workplace presents unique challenges not experienced in an in-person environment. You can manage self-distraction by adopting proper time management, but being self-motivated means being a self-starter because there is no physical presence of a co-worker that can immediately suggest a creative idea to start a project. To succeed in remote work, you must be able to make consistent contributions and work knowing you need to get things done all by yourself.
6. Comfort Using and learning Digital Tools
To succeed at working from home, you must have the ability to use digital tools effectively. Although so many remote jobs do not require extensive usage of technological tools, being comfortable with project-specific software, relevant platforms, and tools is necessary.
Each organization or individual has uniquely preferred tools, so you need to have the basic knowledge or feel at ease learning what your specific job requires.
7. Emotional Intelligence and Cross-cultural Tolerance
Although remote work means working at home, it does not mean you are not a part of a bread cultural team. You must be tolerant of all parties you come across and respect their peculiar identity, whether you agree with them or you do not. You must be able to “read the room” when communicating with non-verbal cues while exhibiting empathy, self-awareness, and adaptability to new challenges.
How to gain and develop soft skills
Read Books
Reading can teach you about a wide variety of topics, but it does not have to be reading for pleasure. Reading helps widen your intellectual ability. Reading industry-specific books will help you understand and develop the needed soft skills relevant to that industry.
Listening and Pay Attention to Details
Listening and paying attention to details in small conversations can help you develop impressive communication skills. It enables you to understand the positions and arguments of others. Practicing little listening skills will help you avoid being defensive in discussions, and it helps you build rapport with others.
Seek Feedback
Ask for feedback on how you work or perform during each session (e.g., during a team meeting). Feedback is essential. It will help you develop leadership skills because it allows you to see how your team members view your performance at work while working together as a group.
Enroll in Online Courses
Developing soft skills extend beyond the individual. Many different online tools and resources can help you develop particular soft skills. Look for reliable sources like respected colleges and their extension or continuing education programs because the quality of these will vary greatly, enroll in them and learn.
Enhance your Writing
Writing is a crucial component of communication in the digital world of today. While face-to-face interactions and video conferencing are usual in many workplace environments, remote work requires a lot of writing. There are many materials, including emails, meeting notes, and chat messages, that you must write. Writing is an investment that will make you appear to flow in a remote work setting.
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