Top Soft Skills Trends in 2026
September 17, 2026
Managers and recruiters are increasingly focusing on targeting and engaging new employees for their demonstration of capacity in soft skills. It is often the deciding factor in seeking out new talent, being placed above technical experience, with up to 92% of managers reporting that soft skills are more important than hard skills.
Not only are they important for an employee’s success and overall productivity, having a team with a certain collective strong EQ has been shown to positively impact the profitability.
The most important soft skills for the workplace shift from year to year and have changed significantly with the onset of AI and the remote workplace. Here are the top five that we saw discussed in our research this year.
Problem solving
Across the board, the research shows that “problem solving” is the top most desirable soft skill sought by companies in 2026, being cited twice as often as the other top-ranking skills.
How to recruit for it? This demonstrates a discrepancy as it is hard to prove and might have more to say about an employee’s ability to cope with change.
Says Daniel Nilsson, CEO of MuchSkills: “In my experience, many organisations assume their employees already have strong problem-solving abilities, but few invest in structured training to develop them. Without formal frameworks, even talented employees may struggle to apply problem-solving consistently or in new contexts. That makes targeted development a priority for leaders.”
It will be interesting to see if, given the ambiguity, this soft skill still ranks as high in 2027 and how organizations are guided to identify it in potential team members.
Team work
Perhaps more pertinent to the ability to problem solve and certainly more demonstrable is a person’s capability of working on a team. It is also highly ranked as a top indicator of being a good fit for a team.
To vet someone’s team work capacity, recruiters often look for past experiences, proven results, targeted interview questions, and peer references.
Willingness to learn
The digital workplace world is changing rapidly. Team goals evolve as it does. Priorities shift. Being able to adapt is crucial if employees want to remain valuable.
Willingness to learn means having a curious attitude, genuine enthusiasm, and humility. It also shows a team member’s dedication to the organization, as “soft quitting” and coasting by are still trends being seen in the workplace today.
Are you preparing your team for significant changes? Some of our trainings may help:
Digital Transformation: Benefits of a Digital Corporate Culture
Digital Transformation: Challenges Organizations Face by Not Embracing Technology
Digital Transformation: Four Areas to Consider When Evaluating a Digital Transformation
Communication
Communication may seem like an obvious soft skill to look for in the recruitment process, yet many managers report that it is a constant struggle for both individuals and teams. In fact, at least 80% of workplace conflicts are a result of communication breakdowns or poor skills.
IMAGE SOURCE: Twin Cities Business
Some resources to help determine a person’s communication skills:
Is a Communications Assessment the Best Way to Test Candidates?
How Effective Communication Impacts Leadership Effectiveness
How to Assess COmmunication Skills in Candidates
Some of our courses that help strengthen existing employees and teams:
Increasing Social Sensitivity in the Workplace
A Guide to Conflict Resolution
Fostering Psychological Safety at Work
Interviewing Skills for Managers
Leadership
Leadership is luckily one soft skill that is easily demonstrated in the recruitment process and in day to day operations.
PepTalk defines leadership in the workplace as: “inspiring and empowering teams to perform at their best while uniting them around a common goal or ambition.”
Three ways in which a person’s leadership capacity is shown are:
-Their compassion for those around them (Gallop)
-If they foster courage by creating a safe space for team members (Center for Creative Leadership)
-How freely they express gratitude for others (Center for Creative Leadership)
According to The Global Energy Talent Index, the results of effective leadership on a team include improved decision making, increased productivity, increased innovation, and higher employee retention.
More on workplace dynamics:
Breaking Bad Communication Habits in the Workplace
Active Listening in the Workplace
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