Soft Skills are vital for all industries, and construction is no exception. In an industry such as construction, with high demand for technical skills, soft skills can be overlooked. However, as hiring managers realize the value of tangible, real world skills in the workplace, the need for these skills is higher than ever before. It is important for hiring managers and leaders in these organizations to see the value in soft skills, and look out for them in their hiring processes, in order to help build successful, effective, and efficient teams. Soft skills are skills made up of personal attributes and interpersonal skills, including problem solving and decision making. There are many reasons that these skills are needed; soft skills in the construction industry produce remarkable builds and results, as well as a safer and more efficient environment.
Communication
Both verbal and nonverbal communication skills are valuable in construction due to the intricate nature of the work that is performed. Nonverbal skills can mean the difference between a successful crane lift and an accident, while verbal communication skills assist in giving and receiving instructions, training, and so much more. Effective and clear communication methods keep people safe, and the projects more effective, making clear communication skills essential.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Critical thinking and problem solving are also important soft skills required by construction professionals. The ability to envision the project as a whole and adjust as needed is critical to the overall schedule and budget, as well as the ability to adapt when problems arise. Problems are a normal part of any business and knowing what to do when they arise is crucial to solving them.
Conflict Management
Projects do not always run smoothly, and conflicts are bound to happen in any workplace. As a result, the ability to innovate and make the right decision is essential and can mean the difference between a safe and unsafe work environment. Managing conflict effectively will create a more comfortable, safe, and effective environment, and is a vital skill of any construction professional, particularly in a leadership capacity.
Leadership
Leadership is a successful building block of any successful construction site and ensuring that your organization has people that are willing and able to guide their peers and handle situations with communication and motivation is needed. Emerging leaders require training in areas such as delegation, listening, giving feedback, and motivating others, but is worth the investment. Additionally, it is important clearly communicate throughout the organization that soft skills are just as important and technical skills, and furthermore, looking out for these skills during hiring and onboarding processes will ensure smooth succession planning as the organization looks to fill more senior roles.
In addition to these, other soft skills such as emotional intelligence, working under pressure, teamwork, organization, managing people are all highly desirable. Hiring individuals with a combination of soft skills and technical knowledge contributes to a more well-rounded and successful workforce.
While soft skills can be trained, they are more difficult to train than tangible skills. For example, it is much more difficult to teach someone how to deal with a workplace conflict, an angry employee, or a difficult problem, than it is to teach someone to operate a piece of equipment. We all know that training is an expensive and time-consuming process, which makes hiring people with the proper skills for your organization crucial. Define the soft and technical skills that you need and hire individuals that have the right combination of both.
If you are struggling to find people with the right skillset for your organization, contact Tim Spindlove at [email protected]
