Graduates lack soft skills to succeed

A survey conducted by Hay Group reveals that businesses across India are finding it difficult to hire graduates who have the self-awareness and self-management skills to succeed in their organisations. According to the 'Generation Awkward' research, conducted by Hay Group in India, China and the US, the generation of young professionals - brought up on a diet of social media and remote learning - are joining the workforce at a time unprecedented change.

Today businesses require collaborative working, multidisciplinary project teams and matrix structures, putting a high demand on soft skills, which these young professionals lack. In fact, 74 per cent of respondents in India said that they have hired graduates who lack the people skills while 71 per cent believe that less than a quarter of their graduates have the people skills they need. Eighty per cent of business and HR directors say that graduates who do not develop people skills create toxic work environments.

The study says the rise of email, personal devices and social media has affected this generation of graduates. They are not communicating face to face. According to the research, graduates in India themselves don't value people skills, with 77 per cent surveyed believing they will succeed in the workplace regardless, with 77 per cent saying that people skills get in the way of getting the job done.