The good news is that durable skills last a lifetime and provide value for both employers and employees. The bad news is that not enough job applicants or employees possess highly developed durable skills, also known as soft skills or non-technical skills. Practically speaking, this challenge presents an opportunity for workforce development that delivers long-lasting benefits.  

How pervasive is the lack of durable skills? According to an Adecco survey, 92% of employers think that workers aren’t as skilled as they need to be to succeed in their roles.  

Three vital skills that applicants and employees lack include adequate critical thinking, listening, and interpersonal skills.  

Additional Durable Skills Sought

• Conflict resolution 
• Communication  
• Collaboration 
• Mindfulness 
• Creativity 
• Character-based skills, such as fortitude, growth mindset, and leadership  

What’s the impact of missing or minimal durable skills? Nearly half of employers surveyed (45%) feel that they are missing out on growth opportunities, while 34% feel that product development is suffering, and 30% think that company profits are being hurt. 

Employers need leaders and employees who are able to effectively work within a team in an office and other workplace settings. Durable skills are the foundation for strategic thinking, project management, teamwork, and problem solving. Fortunately, individuals can develop these skills regardless of a person’s career path, education level, and other demographic factors.   

Many workers and job applicants are not learning durable skills on their own. Generational turnover, layoffs, quiet quitting, automation, hybrid workplaces, and workforces who doing more with fewer resources all impact the scarce time and resources available to teach or learn durable skills.

Rather than be reactive to the skills gap and compound internal problems, human resources and talent acquisition specialists at businesses and other organizations can take a proactive approach. 

Durable skills development addresses the skills gap at the heart of workplace hardship for employers. These skills cannot be automated and acquired through artificial intelligence or technology. Building and mastering durable skills for all generations in the workforce begins with human interaction and instruction. 

The investment is worthwhile. Once acquired, the skills may be modeled for others within an organization. Durable skills are transferable from role to role, and also add increased value as employees gain responsibility to lead others or projects. Lastly, companies that invest in workforce development, such as durable skills training, are more likely to retain employees. 

Led by expert instructor Jeremy Gray, UMKC TalentLink’s Durable Skills certificate program addresses the ongoing need for durable skills development within businesses, nonprofits, and civic organizations.  

“This program helped me see areas where I need to improve to fulfill my role, such as better recognizing people’s needs while at the same time connecting them to the right resources.” – Program participant 

As principal consultant at Noble Consulting, Gray has provided training to more than 7,000 leaders in personal growth, communication, and leadership development. Training may be customized to meet specific workplace needs within all levels of an organization. 

Learn how your business, nonprofit, or organization can invest in durable skills and build a better workforce. 
 
Need leadership training for first-time supervisors and managers? UMKC TalentLink offers a certificate program to build leadership skills. Explore what our four-session program covers.