Executive Perceptions of Top Ten Soft Skills at Work: Developing these through Saif

Abstract

Hard skills are technical competencies and domain knowledge. Soft skills are a combination of people skills, interpersonal skills, communication skills, and emotional intelligence amongst others. Soft skills are vital at the workplace today. These skills are distinctive because they stress on action. They have become crucial for every person in the present context. This paper deals with the significance of soft skills for getting a job and for sustenance and development at the workplace. Flexible, excited people with a blend of hard and soft skills are sought after by organizations as part of their growth process. This study identifies top 10 soft skills as perceived the most important by business executives: communication skills, teamwork and leadership qualities, positive attitude, integrity and work ethic, responsibility, interpersonal skills, stress and time management, flexibility, professionalism and courtesy. Based on an integrated approach, SAIF has been proposed to develop these soft skills systematically.