In an era where AI is transforming operations, workflows, and entire industries, one challenge remains: Do your employees have the human skills to keep up?
A Tampa-based service company recently shared something with me that many leaders quietly acknowledge but rarely say aloud. The owner told me:
“I know my current employees aren’t ready. They don’t have the skills or capabilities to take the company where I need it to go.”
He wasn’t talking about technical expertise.
He meant emotional intelligence, customer service, problem-solving, adaptability, and increasingly, AI literacy.
He meant emotional intelligence, customer service, problem-solving, adaptability, and increasingly, AI literacy.
These are the skills that drive performance, shape culture, and determine whether organizations rise or get left behind. Yet most employers still struggle to assess these capabilities—both during the interview process and in day-to-day performance.
The truth is simple: Soft skills aren’t “nice to have” anymore— they are the differentiator. And the unfortunate reality is that many workers lack these competencies and need intentional development.
That’s why employers must evaluate, measure, and upskill their teams with purpose. During the interview process, the goal isn’t just to confirm whether a candidate has the skills today—it’s to assess their current level, their capacity to learn, and their willingness to develop the additional competencies your organization needs.
Below are three practical strategies for assessing these critical skills in today’s evolving workforce.
1. Assess Emotional Intelligence Through Behavioral Scenarios
Emotional intelligence (EQ) determines how well employees communicate, collaborate, handle conflict, and serve customers.
To assess EQ during interviews, move beyond surface-level questions and instead explore specific behaviors that demonstrate adaptability, self-awareness, and sound judgment.
Try questions like:
- “Describe the last time you had to adapt your communication style for a colleague or customer. What did you change and why?”
- “Tell me about a moment when a customer or coworker became upset. How did you respond, and what happened next?”
These questions reveal:
- Self-awareness
- Empathy
- Judgment
- Conflict-handling style
Soft skills surface through real examples, not rehearsed answers.
2. Use Critical Thinking Mini-Challenges (5–7 Minutes)
Critical thinking remains one of the top skills missing in hiring assessments, yet it’s one of the easiest to evaluate with short, practical tasks.
Provide candidates with a realistic business scenario, such as:
- A customer complaint
- A scheduling issue
- A quality control problem
- A process bottleneck
Then ask:
- “Walk me through your thought process.”
- “What’s the first thing you’d want to know?”
- “What risks or consequences do you see?”
What you’re watching for:
- Logic and reasoning
- Prioritization
- Awareness of impact
- Ability to balance multiple perspectives
This approach helps you quickly identify individuals who can think, analyze, and reason - not just follow instructions.
3. Evaluate AI Literacy as a Soft Skill, Not a Technical One
AI is not replacing human workers, but it is reshaping what high performance looks like.
AI literacy includes:
- Knowing when to use AI (and when not to)
- Asking effective questions and prompting well
- Spotting errors or bias in AI-generated outputs
- Applying human judgment to enhance AI-assisted work
To evaluate this, incorporate questions such as:
- “Tell me about a time you used AI to improve a task or workflow.”
- “How would you verify the accuracy of AI-generated information?”
- “What tasks do you believe AI should not handle?”
For current employees, hands-on AI-in-practice assignments—paired with guided reflection—can uncover strengths and development needs. It’s also beneficial to create AI task forces, focus groups, or compliance teams to support responsible and consistent implementation across the organization.
The Bottom Line
In today’s workplace, soft skills and top performance are driven by a person’s:
- Emotional intelligence
- Communication
- Adaptability
- Critical thinking
- Human judgment when utilizing technology and AI
These skills should be assessed intentionally. Because if you don’t assess them, you can’t develop them. If you can’t develop them, your organization will eventually underperform.
Just like the Tampa business owner I spoke with, many leaders already recognize the truth: Your organization can only rise as far as your workforce is equipped to grow.
Ready to strengthen how your organization hires and develops talent?
I offer a 20-minute Workforce Skills Assessment Strategy Call, where we review your current hiring or employee evaluation practices and identify opportunities to better measure soft skills, improve performance, and build a future-ready workforce.
If you’re working to align your team with today’s expectations—and tomorrow’s demands—I’d love to support you.
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Written by Andrea Corpening, Elite Business Performance
Contact information: andrea@elitebusinessperf.com | www.elitebusinessperf.com | 813-314-7696