Soft Skills Matter Now More Than Ever, According to New Research

An analysis of over 1,000 occupations and hundreds of skills—capturing 70 million job transitions—examined the importance of foundational skills (like reading comprehension, basic math, and the ability to work well in teams) to career progression. Those who had a broad base of foundational skills (as opposed to a few highly specialized skills, like coding) learned new things faster, earned more money, moved into more advanced positions, and proved more resilient amid market changes throughout their careers. This is because foundational skills helped workers to be more adaptable, provided a solid base from which to learn new skills quickly, and gave them the ability to facilitate smooth, nuanced organizational changes, which is valued in higher-earning positions. Amid massive technological changes, like the advancement of gen AI and its estimated impacts on jobs, the study makes a strong case for the continued development of soft skills—for both individuals and firms.

Find the article in Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2025/08/soft-skills-matter-now-more-than-ever-according-to-new-research