Research Commons
      • Browse 
        • Communities & Collections
        • Titles
        • Authors
        • By Issue Date
        • Subjects
        • Types
        • Series
      • Help 
        • About
        • Collection Policy
        • OA Mandate Guidelines
        • Guidelines FAQ
        • Contact Us
      • My Account 
        • Sign In
        • Register
      View Item 
      •   Research Commons
      • University of Waikato Research
      • Arts and Social Sciences
      • Arts and Social Sciences Papers
      • View Item
      •   Research Commons
      • University of Waikato Research
      • Arts and Social Sciences
      • Arts and Social Sciences Papers
      • View Item
      JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

      The importance of social skills for the future of work

      Piercy, Gemma Louise; Steele, Zanian
      Thumbnail
      Files
      3 The Importance of Social Skills in the Future of Work.pdf
      Published version, 685.7Kb
      Find in your library  
      Citation
      Export citation
      Piercy, G. L., & Steele, Z. (2016). The importance of social skills for the future of work. New Zealand Journal of Human Resources Management: Special Issue: ‘The Future of Work’, 16(1), 32–42.
      Permanent Research Commons link: https://hdl.handle.net/10289/12519
      Abstract
      Technological change and precarity has made social skills increasingly important in the workplace for both permanent and non-permanent staff throughout the labour market. This is especially true for those in precarious work located in the growing service sector. We argue that, in order to avoid staff becoming redundant due to technological change, which invalidates their ‘hard’ technical skills, it is crucial that Human Resource (HR) practitioners to recruit on the basis of soft skills. However, we also argue that simply recruiting soft skills is not enough to ensure the workplace has access to the kinds of social skills that are required. Providing all staff with opportunities to develop and practice their skills is essential as these are the hardest tasks to automate since customers favour personal engagement. Furthermore, for employees, cultivating and maintaining easily transferable social skills is a key part of remaining relevant in an employment relations environment where precarity is a by-product of labour market flexibility.
      Date
      2016
      Type
      Journal Article
      Publisher
      Human Resources Institute of New Zealand
      Rights
      This article is published in the New Zealand Journal of Human Resources Management. Used with permission.
      Collections
      • Arts and Social Sciences Papers [1403]
      Show full item record  

      Usage

      Downloads, last 12 months
      89
       
       

      Usage Statistics

      For this itemFor all of Research Commons

      The University of Waikato - Te Whare Wānanga o WaikatoFeedback and RequestsCopyright and Legal Statement