The way we work is changing. This has led to the development of new soft skills such as empathy, kindness, resilience, optimism, and mindfulness. These soft skills are now crucial to consider when hiring and retaining employees.

Why are soft skills so important?

Due to the increasing number of automated job activities, the importance of soft skills has become more prevalent. In 2017, Deloitte reported that over half of all jobs will require the use of soft skills by 2030. It noted that hiring people with these skills can boost an organization’s revenue.

Emotional Intelligence & Empathy

One of the most important factors that people need to consider when it comes to hiring and retaining employees is the importance of social-emotional and empathy skills. Recognizing and responding to the feelings of your customers and teammates is a skill that can help boost an organization’s productivity and profitability.

When interviewing potential employees, consider asking about their charitable activities and causes. Another important question I like to ask is if they can think of a time when they encountered a difficult situation and were able to resolve it successfully. This shows if they have the necessary emotional intelligence and empathy to handle tough situations.

Ethical Responsibility & Integrity

According to Warren Buffett, integrity is the most important character trait that people need to consider when hiring and retaining employees. In my experience, many contractors and employees have impeccable character traits such as humility, honesty, and taking responsibility for their mistakes and failures.

When people tell me that they’ve made a mistake, I can trust them. Integrity is also more important in today’s fast-paced environment. Maintaining long-term success is hard if you’re doing things the wrong way.

During in-person interviews, ask the receptionist how the applicants treated the staff members. In our remote work environment, we can ask the admin assistants how the candidates conducted themselves in emails.

To promote integrity, encourage people to own up to their mistakes and do the same yourself. This can be done by asking candidates to explain how they handled an incident that happened in their life. The response they give shows if they can handle situations that go wrong.

Resilence & Adaptability

The rapid pace of technological change has made it important to hire people who can adapt to the changes brought about by today’s environment. These individuals need to be able to shift their focus from one task to another and manage uncertainty. Besides being able to adapt to the changes brought about by today’s environment, agility and flexibility are also important factors that employers need to consider.

When hiring and retaining employees, ask candidates about their most stressful situation and how they handled it successfully. I also look for people who have taken on multiple roles and responsibilities while in graduate school or college. To build resilience and adaptability, challenge yourself to be more comfortable in different situations.

Employers must consider soft skills when hiring and retaining employees. These skills help people develop their abilities and adapt to the changes happening in today’s environment.

Originally published on Michael Dupont CBS’ website.