Though they haven’t even reached 30% of the total labor force yet, Gen Zers (or zoomers) are beginning to align on many issues with their employers, like the preference for hybrid remote work and the importance of better benefits. Gen Z and their managers also agree about one of the most pressing business issues: Graduating college students lack proficiency in human skills.
Human skills (also known as soft skills) are nontechnical competencies that involve communication, empathy and other skills essential to achieving goals with others in the workplace while getting along with them. As their name suggests, human skills are often learned from other people, but not everyone has the benefit of learning these skills from experts. A 2022 survey found that 83% of employers are currently struggling with employees with poor soft skills, and 78% expect to eventually confront a skills gap.
Graduates need support outside of the classroom to fill this gap before they enter the workforce. I believe the key is extracurricular leadership programs.
