As the old adage goes, an employee doesn’t quit their job – they quit their boss.

Many of the most experienced professionals would fail miserably as managers. It’s simply a different skillset. This doesn’t mean all the years spent in the workforce are a waste, but it does mean leadership training can make all the difference.

In the past, it was the “hard” leadership skills that were prized. Employees proved themselves through years of experience. Whether it was technical skills, conflict resolution experience or budgeting and project management expertise, those skills were considered essential to the success of a manager or supervisor.

But forward-thinking organizations no longer focus on these skills to the exclusion of all others. Instead, they seek balance between these hard skills and the softer “human” ones.

The Human Touch

Successful leaders can’t focus only on meeting sales quotas or efficiency targets. They also can’t spend all their time on budgets or rely on their experience as individual contributors to carry them through.

Leaders who lack human skills to balance their technical expertise often fail miserably as managers. They drive away talent and struggle to find new employees. They may be faced with an excessive amount of employee burnout.

In short, a manager’s soft skills can greatly impact employee engagement. Organizations with engaged employees see 23% higher profits compared with those who have apathetic employees, which creates a question about why more organizations are not paying more attention to this.

What’s more, the research shows that 85% of job success comes from soft skills. Employees today take their “whole selves” to work. They don’t leave their financial woes or their personal lives at the door when they sit down at their desks. And corporate leadership doesn’t expect employees to be robots, performing an endless string of tasks at a measured rate.

Instead, employees share their stresses and their struggles in the workplace, often with their supervisors. Managers who allow and even encourage their teams in these struggles will not only create a supportive workplace culture, but will build trust and loyalty among their direct reports.

The Qualities of a Human Leader

Anyone can come in with a degree or certification, learn the processes and policies of an organization and create a pathway for their team to achieve a goal. But as AI becomes more important in the business world, soft skills will become a differentiating factor among managers. Those who take the time to get to know their employees and what makes them tick will reap the rewards.

Supporting managers in their quest to gain soft skills can be challenging. When it comes to empathy and compassion, for example, it’s critical to train managers to understand that these are positive attributes that can advance their careers.

According to one oft-quoted publication, the most essential soft skills of 2024 include creativity, time management, flexibility, problem solving, empathy, critical thinking and emotional intelligence.

There is sizable evidence that managers with the right balance of hard and human skills respect employees’ dignity and will infuse ethical considerations into their decision-making process. That type of leader will inspire employees to work harder while increasing loyalty.

How to Grow a “Human” Leader

As another saying goes, leaders are made and not born. Almost no one comes into an organization with a perfect managerial style in place. But an organization can encourage leaders to grow into their “human” skills by following these tips:

• Change the starting point. It’s often assumed that a stellar employee will automatically perform as an excellent manager. This is not always true.
• Offer training and feedback. Many new managers need to grow into their roles. Offer continuous feedback and even training sessions to help them enhance their “human” skills, from flexibility to adaptability to motivation. The training should be curated versus generalized based on engagement data surrounding that particular manager.
• Encourage growth. Just as managers can create an open environment for their direct reports, organizational leadership can create a safe space for their managers to learn and grow. Don’t let managers fear failure.
• Revisit Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Observe what makes a great manager, because if an organization doesn’t attempt to measure the soft skills, it sends the message that a manager’s development doesn’t matter.

It isn’t easy, but it’s worth the effort. Leaders that embrace “human” skills not only impact their organizations today – through improved performance and behaviours – but also create the model for future leaders to follow.

Faizal Mitha is Chief Sales and Innovation Officer for global insurance brokerage Hub International’s Employee Benefits and Retirement Savings division in Canada. In this role, he leads a talented team across Canada reimagining the traditional employee benefits experience. Faizal began his career as an underwriter with two of Canada’s largest insurers before moving into benefits consulting and leading the practice at ES3 Advisory which was acquired by Hub for their advanced capabilities in digital, employee health and the proven ability to engage younger demographics in the benefits conversation.