Emotional intelligence, adaptability, the ability to cope with stress and flexibility are becoming some of the most sought-after professional traits. Soft skills became even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced us into remote work and the related change in the way teams work.

Poles are one of the most stressed nations in Europe, and the most stress-inducing factor is paid work – according to the "Workforce View in Europe" report by ADP. In everyday professional work, success often depends on how well a team collaborates. Even the best advanced technical skills will not help a company achieve its goals if it is plagued by, among other things, poor leadership, unreliable communication or a lack of flexibility among employees.

Remote work forces the development of soft skills

According to research conducted by Eurofound, 40% of working-age Europeans adapted to the pandemic by setting up temporary offices in their homes. Working from home became the new norm. A remote team is harder to manage, which is why the current situation has forced an increased need to develop soft skills. Building a good atmosphere, including the entire emotional aspect of teamwork, is also a challenge for managerial staff.

- Efficiency and satisfaction at work depend, among other things, on the ability to act in a completely new, rapidly changing reality. During the pandemic, needs in the area of soft skills came through very strongly – for example, the ability to use one's own potential, noticing the opportunities around us, or the ability to navigate effectively and efficiently in changing, complex and uncertain times. Personal development requires pausing for a moment so that you can move forward with a full arsenal of strengths. With awareness of your potential and an open, flexible team ready for change, we can respond much better as a company to whatever the future brings. Why is coaching the best tool in such a situation? What distinguishes coaching from standard training processes is the durability of the change effect and a large, research-confirmed increase in the effectiveness of individuals and organizations. – comments Tomasz Wróblewski, an ICF accredited coach.

Stress and mental health during the pandemic

When talking about soft skills, we cannot omit one of the most important abilities – coping with stress. Respondents of a proprietary study conducted between 27 April 2020 and 1 July 2020 by the team of Kukanow, Nawrocka, SW Research indicated that they very often or often experience ailments related to the emotional sphere: being worried (28%), a constant sense of worry (27%), being overwhelmed by negative thoughts (26%) and helplessness (26%). The feeling of losing control, triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, affects comfort and mental health.

- In terms of exposure to stress, 2020 is a special year – a pandemic, meaning uncertainty, fears, isolation, fear for health, for the future, for work, for loved ones. Growing fatigue, frustration and loneliness mean that we live under enormous tension, in constant stress. The lack of balance in these special times affects various aspects of our lives to a huge extent. Each of us reacts differently in stressful situations, and the symptoms of stress can vary and often push us onto an automatic response path that frequently does not align with what we actually want and what matters to us right now. We must learn anew how to cope during a period of prolonged uncertainty and unexpected changes, and above all learn anew how to take care of ourselves – comments Mariola Anoszczenko, an ICF accredited coach.

Developing soft skills through subsidized training

The Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, in response to the effects of the pandemic, launched a call for applications for funding for development services. The training offer covers the full range of marketing topics, including: e-commerce, content marketing, social media, programmatic, as well as the latest soft skills training: managerial coaching and stress reduction techniques.

Details about the subsidized training can be found HERE.

Summary

The article shows that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased the importance of soft skills such as emotional intelligence, flexibility and coping with stress. Remote work, which became the norm for 40% of Europeans, posed new challenges for managers related to building atmosphere and managing a team remotely.

Experts point to coaching as a tool that delivers lasting effects, and research shows that as many as 28% of employees feel anxiety related to the new reality. In response to these needs, the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development launched funding for training, including managerial coaching and stress reduction techniques.