Just like the art of interlocking two loops of yarn to create something cohesive and valuable, employers need to weave both hard skills and soft skills into their workplace to create a close-knit team.
Canadian businesses say they’re struggling to find workers, and it’s not because potential hires lack training in their field. Rather, it’s a lack of soft skills.
Knitting can be compared metaphorically to leadership. It’s important to have the right amount of tension when knitting. If the stitches are too loose, you risk losing a stitch or creating a hole in the fabric. Or, if the stitches are too tight, it will be difficult to maneuver the yarn on the needles, or the garment will be too small.
Having employees with strong soft skills may seem ‘seamless’, but if employees don’t have interlocking skills, the fabric of your organization will unravel.
According to a recent survey from Harris Poll, commissioned by staffing firm Express Employment Professionals, 59 percent of Canadian businesses say they can’t find qualified employees to fill vacancies. And a third of those businesses say one big reason is that prospective hires don’t have soft skills.
