Why soft skills are important for workplace wellbeing

Often in busy work environments there is so much pressure placed on achieving goals and hitting targets that the wellbeing of employees gets forgotten. There could be many reasons why this occurs but ultimately, this kind of responsibility lies with the management and their ability to use soft skills to nurture, inspire, and motivate their workforce. In a study by Gallup, it was found that "about 50% of the 7,200 adults surveyed left a job to get away from their manager".

In order for a business to retain and maintain the wellbeing of staff, it’s vital for employees to feel a level of trust and respect towards their line manager. For many of us, we are much more likely to enjoy job satisfaction and go the extra mile when we are given support not only within our role but also for our mental wellbeing.

How to improve leadership soft skills?

Let’s not forget that managers are also human and might need assistance from time to time to improve their soft skills in order to ensure a happy and positive workplace. Being given help to better their emotional intelligence, communication skills, and interpersonal skills will stand them in good stead for being a respected leader that can maintain a healthy and inclusive workplace culture.

Get to know your team

Although it’s important to have a professional relationship with your employees, it’s equally as important to understand them on a personal level. Finding out what motivates a person, how they respond to stress, or understanding how they communicate with others can help you manage their workload and environment effectively.

Learn to listen properly

Especially when our jobs are busy and stressful, it’s easy to neglect the wellbeing of others, but by taking time out to listen to your staff’s needs or feelings, you can manage workloads much more effectively.

Give considered and empathic feedback

Not only can constructive feedback be beneficial to employees, but it can also help managers understand how they can improve workflow and productivity. It may be that a member of staff is struggling with one particular role, so rather than reprimanding them, ask them if there’s another area they feel they would excel in. Not only does this give them more job satisfaction, but it also gives them the confidence that you have considered their wellbeing.

Developing your own soft skills

Become more aware of an employee’s emotional needs by looking out for any subtle signs that may arise from personal issues, stress, or anxiety. Is someone quieter than usual, are they interacting less with others, do they look tired, are they more agitated than normal? These can all be signs that a member of your team is off-kilter and might need to air their thoughts to you in a private and confidential environment.