Intangible Skills
What Are Intangible Skills?
Intangible skills, often called soft skills, are personal attributes and behaviors that influence how individuals interact, communicate, and perform in the workplace. Unlike hard skills, which can be measured and taught, intangible skills are more about who a person is rather than what they know.
Examples include:
• Adaptability: Thriving in changing environments.
• Empathy: Understanding and relating to others’ emotions.
• Critical thinking: Solving problems logically and creatively.
• Resilience: Bouncing back from challenges with a positive outlook.
• Cultural intelligence: Working effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
Why Intangible Skills Matter in Recruitment
In today’s fast-paced and collaborative work environments, hiring for intangible skills can be a game-changer. According to LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends report, 89% of recruiters say when a hire doesn’t work out, it’s usually due to a lack of soft skills.
Moreover, a 2020 study by Deloitte found that two-thirds of jobs will rely heavily on intangible skills by 2030. This shift is driven by automation and the increasing need for human-centric abilities like creativity and emotional intelligence, which machines can’t replicate.
Real-World Examples of Intangible Skills in Action
1. Customer Service Excellence at Zappos
Zappos, the online retail giant, is famous for prioritizing cultural fit and intangible skills over technical prowess. Their hiring process focuses on assessing traits like empathy and adaptability. As a result, Zappos has built a team of customer service representatives who consistently deliver exceptional experiences.
2. Leadership at Airbnb
Airbnb’s leadership hiring emphasizes emotional intelligence and resilience. This approach has helped the company navigate challenges like regulatory hurdles and the pandemic while maintaining a strong organizational culture.
How to Assess Intangible Skills During Recruitment
Identifying intangible skills requires a nuanced approach. Here are some effective strategies:
- Behavioral Interviews: Ask open-ended questions like, “Tell me about a time you faced a challenging situation and how you handled it.”
- Situational Judgement Tests: Present candidates with real-life scenarios to evaluate their decision-making and adaptability.
- Group Assessments: Observe candidates’ collaboration and communication in team-based tasks.
- AI Tools: Platforms like Pymetrics analyze cognitive and emotional attributes to predict candidates’ suitability for roles requiring specific intangible skills.
Challenges and Opportunities in Hiring for Intangible Skills
While intangible skills are invaluable, they can be difficult to measure. Subjectivity and unconscious bias can creep into assessments, leading to flawed hiring decisions. However, by using standardized evaluation methods and diverse hiring panels, organizations can overcome these challenges.
Stats That Highlight the Importance of Intangible Skills
• McKinsey & Company reports that employees with strong soft skills drive 30% higher productivity.
• Glassdoor research shows that companies with highly empathetic leaders have 60% better employee satisfaction rates.
• The World Economic Forum ranks emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and creativity among the top 10 job skills of the future.
Conclusion
In recruitment and HR, recognizing the value of intangible skills is no longer optional—it’s a necessity. These skills are the foundation of effective teamwork, leadership, and adaptability in an ever-changing workplace. By weaving intangible skills into the hiring process, organizations can build teams that are not only skilled but also empathetic, innovative, and resilient.
As the saying goes, “Hard skills get you hired, but soft skills help you thrive.”
