Man hammering nails into a wooden storage box

Lean Management aims to continuously improve procedures in order to strengthen business productivity. Beyond its normative dimension, and because companies are above all made up of individuals, Lean Management also tends to structure organisations around people. The know-how-to-be, the famous “Soft Skills”, are more than ever valued in this context.  

To be efficient, Lean Management relies on indicators which accurately assess performance. However, such performances are also the result of individuals, endowed with their own set of skills. In a context of increasing automation, Soft Skills, in other words behavioural skills that are difficult to quantify, are expected to become increasingly important. 

Indeed, against all expectations, and despite the legitimate concerns it generates, automation paradoxically tends to put human qualities at the centre of organisations. Softs Skills are primarily based on the ability to understand and interact positively with one’s professional environment. As this environment is currently changing, these skills are valued more than ever. As automation is applied to an ever-increasing number of tasks, companies can no longer base their competitive advantage on their ability to carry out the tasks correctly. Their real wealth will come from the men and women who make up their teams, who will be able to anticipate their customers’ requests in order to offer services and products in line with their expectations. 

Soft Skills, between AI and automation 

In a 2018 report devoted to artificial intelligence, the French mathematician Cédric Villani confirmed: “to ensure the complementarity of humans with artificial intelligence, social and relational skills, as well as creative skills, must be developed“1.  

It is clear that digital technologies result in the rapid obsolescence of a certain number of technical skills. One statistic clearly illustrates this basic trend: according to the OECD, in the 1970s, a technical skill was valid for 20 years; today, it can become obsolete in the space of… one year! Conversely, as the world of work becomes a space for interactions and meetings between individuals rather than a simple place for production, the risk of Softs Skills expiring is unlikely. They will in fact be the driving force behind the smooth running and success of businesses. 

Covid-19 and the massification of teleworking only accelerated this development, as everyone today is called upon to change their work habits and reinvent their daily lives. In this regard, and to meet the challenges of an ever changing working environment, the ability to develop one’s employability through continuous training is undoubtedly the Soft Skill needed today to make all the difference. It is in complete alignment with the Lean approach of organisations, which also aims for continuous improvement. 

Soft Skills can be classified according to 3 main categories of skills:  

  • Personal skills: commitment to work, resilience, stress management, autonomy, organisational capacity; 
  • Social skills: communication, empathy, listening skills, team spirit; 
  • Methodological skills: time management, meeting deadlines, analytical skills, digital skills. 

They are more or less important depending on the companies, their line of business, and the types of job positions. 

Five essential Soft Skills 

Each year, the professional social network LinkedIn establishes the top 5 Soft Skills to cultivate. Since 2019, these have been undeniable consistent: 

Creativity 

Creativity relies above all on the ability to think differently. This is the condition for offering innovative products capable of standing out in an ultra-competitive and sometimes too standardised market, and also for finding more efficient working methods. 

Persuasion 

Persuading in a reasoned way means knowing how to convey your ideas clearly and quickly. This implies showing empathy and relational intelligence to put oneself in the other’s shoes, understand their reluctance, and adapt one’s mode of communication to the work environment. 

Collaboration 

Knowing how to collaborate effectively, whether in-person or remotely, creating relationships of trust for effective teamwork, and recognising the complementarity of each other’s skills are obviously essential professional qualities in the age of telework, flex office and staggered working hours. 

Adaptability 

Adaptability relies primarily on the ability to think positively and to cultivate open-mindedness. These qualities are more than ever valued in the face of current developments. 

Emotional intelligence 

Our emotions have an effect on those around us. Badly managed, they can be deleterious for group dynamics. This does not mean that they should be silenced, quite the contrary. Expressing your emotions and listening to those of others is above all showing yourself to be human, it is again creating trust and empathy. In short, emotions are the real glue holding together a team. However, you have to learn how to express them wisely, depending on the circumstances. 

Differences in perception of Soft Skills depending on the country 

The European Union, through the European Parliament and the Commission, has drawn up general recommendations highlighting 8 key skills for employability and social inclusion, which give pride of place to Soft Skills:  

  • Literacy skills; 
  • Multilingual skills; 
  • Digital and technological skills; 
  • Mathematical, science, technology and engineering skills; 
  • Personal and social skills, and the ability to acquire new skills (“learning to learn”); 
  • Active citizenship; 
  • Entrepreneurship; 
  • Cultural awareness and expression. 

While these recommendations are intended to be universally applicable at the level of the European continent, they must not however obscure the differences in perception, depending on the country. 

A study by the recruitment website Joblift does in fact show significant differences in perception between countries. For instance, French recruiters put more emphasis on the individual skills of employees (autonomy, rigour) and interpersonal skills, whereas Anglo-Saxon recruiters (United Kingdom, Germany) primarily seek loyal, dedicated, committed employees with good communication skills. As for Dutch employers, they make flexibility their priority. Despite local specificities, team spirit nonetheless remains a key skill that transcends borders.