Getting Ready for the New Normal Way of Working: Using Business Simulation Projects to Foster Work-from-Anywhere Skills

While entering the post-COVID-19 pandemic phase, to define a new normal way of working, some companies are transitioning toward a permanent WFX model, while others are combining WFX with colocated work (i.e., hybrid work). Therefore, fostering WFX skills (usually classified as soft skills) in early-career students becomes crucial;additionally, it can help reduce early school leaving. This work aims at understanding how business simulation projects foster the WFX skills deemed crucial by industries. To this end, we conducted two case studies involving high school students. The final questionnaire revealed that most participants evaluate their WFX as fair or higher. Moreover, they believe that business simulation projects help in developing WFX skills. Based on our results we highlight recommendations for educational practice. Copyright © 2023 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. Under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Soft Skills of Latin American Engineering Professors: Gender Gap

The importance of soft skills in the professional work of an engineer is becoming increasingly important, even more so since the emergence of Covid-19 boosted the digitization of all professional sectors. In order for future engineers to acquire this type of skills, it is necessary for engineering professors to have an optimal level of technical and transversal skills. This article analyzes the assessment made by a group of engineering professors about their degree of development of soft skills and describes gender gaps in these assessments. Based on a self-created survey to evaluate different families of soft skills relevant to engineering education, a sample of 284 Latin American engineering professors reported: 1) high evaluations of their soft skills and 2) the existence of gender gaps in the families of work behavior and social skills in favor of females. This gap is especially wide among participants younger than 45 and older than 65 in the social skills family. In addition, females also rate their work motivation skills higher, except in the 55–64 age range.

Academic perspectives on the importance of emotional intelligence and organizational citizenship behavior: Insights for IT leadership programs

The health pandemic has rapidly pushed many organizations to a virtual workplace. Working remotely has triggered an increase in anxiety, emotions, behaviors, and technostress among employees and IT professionals worldwide. Thus, today, change management and communication skills are critical in the new virtual workplace. This study's purpose endeavors to examine whether emotional intelligence is a true indicator of extra-role behaviors measured by employee organizational citizenship behavior. The research methodology uses an online survey. A total of 150 higher education faculty and leaders participated. The results indicate a statistically significant relationship p < .001 between the total emotional intelligence and organizational citizenship behaviors scores. The findings support the positive effects of employee emotional intelligence and citizenship behaviors that contribute to individual and organizational performance. This study may assist companies, researchers, and IT Leadership programs in retooling their IT leaders with the communication skills necessary for the new virtual workforce. © 2022 International Association for Computer Information Systems

Development of Soft Skills among Computing Students in Online Task-Based Learning: Insights from Technical Communication Course

Soft skills development, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, is critical for computer students as they enter the profession. Students may be able to practice these skills in a virtual setting through an online task-based course. In this study, we investigated how successfully an online task-based course encouraged the development of soft skills among computing students. The course was designed to give students real-world challenges that required them to work in groups and communicate effectively with their classmates and instructors. The inquiry was based on a qualitative examination of the students' final reports. It gave data from two semesters (Fall 2020 and Spring 2021) of students who studied a course named Technical Communication. In total, 216 students' final reports were ready for investigation. A sample of 97 reports, representing 45%, was selected based on certain criteria to ensure a high-quality investigation. According to the findings of our study, the online task-based course helped boost the development of certain soft skills among students. Students noted an improvement in their ability to communicate effectively, cooperate successfully with team members, and identify professional responsibilities, as well as a rise in their self-confidence. Overall, this study emphasizes the necessity of introducing online task-based courses into computing students' curricula, giving them a valuable opportunity to develop critical soft skills. The present design of the Technical Communication Course is believed to be efficient regardless of the education delivery method (traditional/online).

Soft Skills, Emotional and Social Intelligence, and Resilience

This chapter examines the importance of skills, such as emotional and social intelligence, and resilience in the professional development of healthcare workers (HCW), and how these skills are crucial for maintaining medical competence and professionalism when facing a health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic generated rapid change, uncertainty, and ambiguity like no other health crisis has done previously. The SBH Health System has experienced the stress and burden of illness and death during the months of March to June 2020, which characterized the first surge in New York, but was especially prevalent in this socioeconomically more deprived borough where the hospital is located - the Bronx. As the crisis unfolded, so too did multiple fears and concerns within the SHB Health System such as lack of adequate PPE and a high volume of deaths, and each HCW had to rely on their own reserves of resilience and coping skills to overcome personal barriers for the benefit of their patients. In examining these important skills through the surge of the crisis, this chapter also provides practical suggestions and advice on the interventions implemented at the SBH Health System to care for the healthcare worker's mental health, alleviate stress, and promote a healthy and supportive environment. © SBH Health System 2022.

The future of work in shaping the employment inclusion of young adults with disabilities: a qualitative study

PurposeThe world of work is changing and creating challenges and opportunities for the employment inclusion of young people with disabilities. In this article, the perceptions held by young adults with disabilities regarding participation in the future of work are examined.Design/methodology/approachOne-on-one interviews were conducted with Canadian young adults (ages 18–36 years) living with a disability. Participants were asked about their thoughts regarding the impact of the changing nature of work on their labor market involvement and career aspirations. A thematic analysis was performed to identify and examine emergent salient themes.FindingsIn total, 22 young adults were interviewed;over half held secure employment. Career aspirations and work-related decisions were primarily shaped by a participant's health needs. The future of work was seen as a more proximal determinant to employment. Digital technologies were expected to impact working conditions and create barriers and facilitators to employment. Participants who indicated being securely employed held positive expectations regarding the impact of digital technology on their work. Participants working precariously held negative appraisals regarding the impact of digital technologies on employment opportunities. The role of technological and soft skills was critical to participating in a labor market reliant on advanced technology. Participants reported barriers to developing job skills related to their disability and their work arrangements.Originality/valueThis research highlights the importance of considering changes in the future of work, especially the digital transformation of the economy, in the design of initiatives which promote the employment inclusion of young adults with disabilities. Despite the significance of the changing nature of work, supporting health needs and encouraging access to secure work arrangements also remain paramount.

Impact of using authentic online learning environments on students' perceived employability.

The digitalization and globalization of society and the corresponding impact on the rules of the labor market is shifting the education sector toward new pedagogical approaches that integrate wholly online methodologies. Sustainable Development Goal 4 advocates for inclusive and equitable quality education that promotes lifelong learning opportunities, and, as we have seen during the COVID-19 lockdown, online learning can play a key role. In a context where lifelong learning becomes crucial to maintaining graduates' employability, the innovative teaching methodologies that promote employable competencies in online environments are especially desirable. With the purpose of improving the employability of students, this article analyses the impact of introducing the Authentic Learning Scenarios (ALS) paradigm in an online environment. We develop a quasi-experimental design. Based on the nine ALS criteria and their application to e-learning, we redesign a course in a business degree program. Data from 135 students were collected, with special focus on achieving general competences. We compare the perception of the competency profile attained between a group of students who took the course before incorporating the ALS paradigm and another group that took it once it had been redesigned. Results show that redesigning the course enables students to perceive the learning process as more authentic, as well as acquiring a more advanced competence profile. Besides this, it has been shown that technology can contribute to building cognitive authenticity in virtual classrooms, without the need for face-to-face internships, which are often not a feasible option for students of online programs.

Knowing, Doing and Being: Transferable Competencies for the Research Management Profession

While the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) Framework (2016) includes nine key 'technical' competency areas for respective RM organizational levels (administrative, management and leadership), it is the RM transferable skills that have been brought to the forefront in the current complex COVID-19 environment. For RMA, we contend that praxis, therefore, is activity-based development that through both routine actions and reflection shapes a 'change-making' enactment of the RMA profession better to perform its role in a dynamic world. The "domain theory" is thus praxis (Kemmis, 2010, p. 9), where we revisit the extant praxis architecture of Kemmis to "provide an alternative frame of reference to adjust or expand [praxis architecture's] conceptual scope" (Jakkola, 2020, p. 23). The PCF followed a project cycle that included: a needs analysis, consultation with RMA professionals, action research methodologies, quality assurance, reporting, peer review and accountability to governance structures.

Assessing Wellbeing and Soft Skills of Software Developers and Students in the Context of Working from Home during the COVID-19 era

Derived from COVID-19 pandemic remote work is now a trend, involving new skills and variations on developers' wellbeing. Current students are going to live this new era in the labor market;it is needed to know if they are getting ready for this scenario. This paper presents an exploratory study based on a survey to assess how developers in industry and students in the academy experienced their wellbeing expressed in emotions during the pandemic, as well as how they practiced the soft skills involved in software development. The results of developers are considered as basis to assess how students are prepared for this context. The descriptive study has shown that developers experienced more positive emotions, while students had a mix of positive and negative emotions. In terms of soft skills, developers and students showed closer levels of practice, however students should reinforce some skills. © 2022 IEEE.

The emergence of social soft skill needs in the post COVID-19 era.

Social soft skills are crucial for workers to perform their tasks, yet it is hard to train people on them and to readapt their skill set when needed. In the present work, we analyze the possible effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on social soft skills in the context of Italian occupations related to 88 economic sectors and 14 age groups. We leverage detailed information coming from ICP (i.e. the Italian equivalent of O*Net), provided by the Italian National Institute for the Analysis of Public Policy, from the microdata for research on the continuous detection of labor force, provided by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), and from ISTAT data on the Italian population. Based on these data, we simulate the impact of COVID-19 on workplace characteristics and working styles that were more severely affected by the lockdown measures and the sanitary dispositions during the pandemic (e.g. physical proximity, face-to-face discussions, working remotely). We then apply matrix completion-a machine-learning technique often used in the context of recommender systems-to predict the average variation in the social soft skills importance levels required for each occupation when working conditions change, as some changes might be persistent in the near future. Professions, sectors, and age groups showing negative average variations are exposed to a deficit in their social soft-skills endowment, which might ultimately lead to lower productivity.

Soft Skills as a Professional Platform in the Processes of Adaptation of Healthcare Workers to Crisis Situations

Introduction: Hospital employees have become one of the main risk groups for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In extreme conditions of the pandemic and over a short period of time, healthcare professionals were forced to repurpose their work, learn a significant amount of new information, and acquire novel professional competencies. Yet, the importance of supra-professional skills and competencies (so-called "soft skills”) for their job should not be underestimated, especially in crisis situations. Objective: To establish the role of soft skills in the adaptation of medical workers to severe conditions of the COVID-19 pan-demic. Materials and methods: We conducted an anonymous questionnaire-based survey of 638 hospital workers on the basis of the Google platform. The form containing two built-in scales was specially developed by the authors to assess the level of emotional intelligence (EQ) and adaptability of hospital employees under crisis conditions. Results: We found that most employees (78.7 %) had a moderate EQ level, while 13.0 % and 8.3 % had high and low EQ levels, respectively. We established that 100 % of the respondents with low EQ and 76.5 % of the respondents with moderate EQ had low adaptability;in the rest 23.5 % of the employees with moderate EQ, the level of adaptability was assessed as medium. Individuals with high EQ demonstrated medium (53.0 %) and high (44.6 %) levels of adaptability to the situation and only 2.4 % found it difficult to adapt to rapid changes. The estimated Spearman's correlation coefficient of 0.43 (p < 0.001) showed a moderate strength of correlation between the EQ level and adaptability. Conclusions: Highly developed soft skills contribute to better adaptation of employees to the new reality. Under current con-ditions, HR managers shall concentrate on introducing soft skills development training for healthcare professionals. © 2022, Federal Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology. All rights reserved.

Design Thinking, Soft Skills Development, and the Digital Society

The Covid-19 pandemic reinforced changes that had been taking place over the past decade. These changes were triggered by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The 4IR does affect the industry and the human being as we know it. In this way, it is not hard to envision a society where technology is so developed and integrated into our lives that it increases humanity's capacity and threshold for human intelligence, cognition, and physical abilities. This research proposes a teaching–learning framework for the techno-humanist ecosystem by developing the demanded soft skills with the design process methodology. The first step of this research is to understand the essential elements to conceptualise a framework. To reach this objective, we started with a systematic review of the literature to analyse, and the second item is understanding the evolution of job offer asking for soft skills. We are investigating soft skills, design thinking and digital humanism, and the job market evolution. Then, considering the state of the art, this research will study how those ideas converge and affect each other. Finally, the primary outcome of this research will be a visual matrix representing the point of junction of these concepts. It will help to build the initial elements of a framework of a teaching–learning model that can help adapt to and face the challenges of a human-digital society. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

An examination of the levels of work ethic in the university context across the United States of America, Korea and China

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine individuals' levels of work ethic amongst current and recent university attendees across three countries. This article presents the results of a survey of 537 respondents from the United States of America, Korea and China, thus extending the previous research into work ethic, often conducted from a Western perspective. The comparative study aims to enhance the understanding of cross-cultural and gender differences and similarities whilst probing for the levels of work ethic amongst the respondents.Design/methodology/approachA comparative research method was adopted because the authors' aim was to probe similarities and differences across three societies. Multiple analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-tests were utilised to explore gender and country-related differences. Cluster analysis was applied to probe for segments highly similar to each other in the levels of work ethic of the respondents.FindingsThe results confirm the hypothesised differences between countries as well as across gender groups, with American females having the highest levels of work ethic, closely followed by Chinese males and females. Three distinct segments – low, medium and high levels of work ethic – were found in all three countries, indicating that there are individuals in each of the societies who could benefit from strategies for increasing the individuals' levels of work ethic.Originality/valueNovel gender comparisons of the three country groups revealed American females as having the highest levels of work ethic and Korean females the lowest, whilst the identification of clusters of low, medium and high levels of work ethic provides evidence of the need to increase levels of work ethic to enhance productivity, regardless of the country of origin.

Higher Education in India: Emerging Issues

Higher education has an important role in rebuilding a nation through its significant contribution in overall development of the human resources. However, Indian scenario is not at all encouraging in terms of gross enrolment ratio, research output or employability of university graduates. Some of the recent reforms in higher education sector ignites a little hope about enhancing the effectiveness of higher education institutions in the country. In this article, the authors have tried to look at the emerging issues plaguing the quality of higher education and provide a fresh perspective on reducing the lag.

How COVID-19 impacted soft skills development: The views of software engineering students

Since a pandemic was declared in 2020, Irish higher education institutions transitioned from on-campus to online delivery. This disruption created challenges to students' acquisition of hard and soft skills. With greater employee mobility, there is an increased emphasis on soft skills development, especially those skills that enhance employability, i.e., creativity, leadership, communication, innovation, teamwork, adaptability, resilience, time management, organization, self motivation, ability to work under pressure, critical thinking and problem solving and organizational ability. The purpose of this study was to understand the effects of COVID-19 on fears for the future and on soft skills development. In this study, 111 Software Engineering university students were surveyed. The results show heightened fears for the future with regard to job opportunities, the loss of time and the lack of control. While females reported to being more fearful, they also reported enhanced empathy and strengthened resilience. Postgraduate students were less fearful about the future compared to undergraduate students whilst also reporting better time management and organization skills. This study showed that despite disruptions to education, the Software Engineering students self-reported enhancements to resilience, empathy, time management and organizational skills, with the greatest impact on resilience and time management. © 2023 The Author(s). This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.

The effects of a one-to-one technology implementation on high school students' communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity skills

The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to employ a quantitative research paradigm to determine the impact of a one-to-one technology initiative on the development of the 4 C skills of high school students. An objectives-based evaluation model was used to review the one-to-one implementation for future planning and continuous improvement. COVID-19 provided an additional factor that forced both teachers and students to use their newly acquired one-to-one technology tools faster and more extensively than anticipated. The immersion into the new learning environments were captured through pre and post COVID-19 experiences.This study found that teachers did not perceive any effects on the development of 4 C skills of students after the one-to-one technology initiative. A one-way ANOVA test supported the null hypothesis that there was no effect as perceived by teachers. They did find value in the technology tools overall, noting the ease of communication, increased collaboration opportunities, more creation tools, and a more equitable learning environment. Student data revealed a much more positive perspective of the effects the one-to-one technology initiative. The student analysis showed statistically significant differences in all 5 dependent variables as reflected in the Kruskal-Wallace non-parametric test. This research can help fill a void in existing research by focusing on the development of students' 4 C skills instead of grades and test scores to determine any impact after the implementation of the one-to-one technology initiative. This research study can guide future initiatives and inform best practices for innovative change. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Skill redefinition and classification, capitalism, and labour process theory of work: evidence from Thailand

Purpose: This paper aims to apply a mixed-methods approach to redefine essential work skill sets, propose components of these skill sets that are necessary for workers in the contexts of emerging market economies (EMEs), examine potential selection tools that should be applied across firms and explain implications for the labour process theory (LPT) of work. Design/methodology/approach: During the first phase of this study, qualitative data was collected from methods, including semi-structured interviews with human resources (HR) experts from the Personnel Management Association of Thailand, top and HR executives and managers of firms across industries in Thailand. Non-participant observations were made during the pre-interview, interview and post-interview stages. Analysis of archival documents and Web-based resources was then conducted. The authors used the qualitative data obtained from the first phase to develop survey instruments for conducting quantitative research during the second phase of this study. Findings: The empirical findings demonstrate that essential work skill sets are "soft skills” that help workers survive and thrive in the business arena in EMEs. These essential work skill sets have implications for the LPT of work in that they play an important role in transferring the power of negotiation from employers to workers in the labour market. Essential work skill sets here can be divided into eight skill domains: (1) ideation and system thinking, (2) information and digital literacy, (3) social skills with appreciation for diversity and inclusion, (4) communication and language, (5) creativity and innovation, (6) emotional quotient (EQ) for self-management and development, (7) growth/outward mindset and (8) cognitive skills for the job role. Within each essential work skill set, there are several skills that workers in the current world of work need to possess (42 skills in total). Additionally, potential selection tools include behavioural observation, behavioural-based interviews, STAR (Situation, Task, Action and Results) interviews, role plays, case studies and simulations, high-pressure interview questions, project assignments, assessment centres, in-depth interview questions and special methods, such as face reading and fingerprint reading. Top and HR managers across industries strongly agree that the eight essential work skill sets and 42 skills are necessary for workers to survive in the business arena in EMEs. They also strongly agree that talent selection tools, especially behavioural-based interviews, are used by their firms to select high-skilled job candidates in the labour market. Research limitations/implications: Because the eight essential skill sets proposed in this paper are based primarily on the qualitative data obtained from top/HR managers in firms across some industries, generalization to respondents across other industries or across other EMEs may be limited. It is possible that the context of other EMEs may be different from that of Thailand. In this regard, some of the essential work skill sets that are suitable in the case of Thailand may not be suitable in the case of other EMEs. Future studies should thus explore how institutional contexts of other countries/economies shape the definition of essential skill sets and their components, as well as potential selection tools that shall be applied to select high-skilled labour in those contexts. Practical implications: This paper provides practical implications for top managers and/or HR managers of firms across various industries in EMEs. In particular, managers should internally train and develop their employees/workers to possess the eight essential skill sets: (1) ideation and system thinking, (2) information and digital literacy, (3) social skills with appreciation for diversity and inclusion, (4) communication and language, (5) creativity and innovation, (6) EQ for self-management and development, (7) growth/outward mindset and (8) cognitive skills for the specific job role so that their employees/workers can survi e and thrive in the era of the brittleness, anxiety, non-linearity and incomprehensibility of the business world under pandemic conditions. Additionally, top managers and/or HR managers of these firms should apply the potential selection tools proposed in this paper to probe into job candidates' past experience and behaviours to better predict such candidates' success at work. In this regard, job candidates/workers should prepare themselves to possess these essential work skill sets so that they can be successful in the business arena and should understand potential selection tools that firms may apply to recruit and select them. Social implications: This paper provides social/policy implications for the government and/or relevant public agencies of Thailand and of other EMEs. These governments should encourage firms across industries to invest resources in training and developing their employees/workers to possess those essential work skill sets so that these employees/workers are industry-ready, leading to the alleviation of the problems of skill and mismatch in the labour market. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the prior literature on human resource management (HRM), the comparative institutional perspective on employment systems based on the varieties of capitalism (VoC) framework and the LPT of work in the following ways: first, this paper fills in the research gap in the field of HRM that calls for studies that explore how the COVID-19 pandemic shapes essential skill sets and skills development among workers within firms (Cooke et al., 2021). Second, this paper provides implications for the LPT of work regarding how essential work skill sets are likely to return the power of negotiation from employers to workers in EMEs during the current situation. Third, the VoC framework tends to focus on only two types of economies, liberal market economies and coordinated market economies. However, this paper examines essential work skill sets and potential screening tools in the context of the underresearched country of Thailand, an EME. In fact, the Thai labour market is quite different from that of other EMEs labour markets, as it is impacted by an aging workforce. This paper contributes to the literature on comparative institutional perspectives on employment systems as it redefines essential work skill sets, proposes various components of these skill sets among workers and examines potential selection tools that are applied across firms located in EMEs. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Developing compassionate self-leadership: a conceptual framework for leadership effectiveness in the digital age

Grounded on two of the most influential models of emotional intelligence and self-leadership theory, the proposed conceptual framework in this study reflects the importance of self-compassion in leadership effectiveness. Compared to previous studies, which mainly originate in task and material-oriented cultures, the HEART-led framework, posits a fresh, dynamic approach to leadership development. Calling for a return to the primordial leadership qualities of mindfulness, integrity, resilience and compassionate human connection, this model resonates more with the much-needed leadership skills of the post covid-19, digital age. Findings from the literature review reveal that self-compassion positively affects emotional intelligence levels and self-directed behaviours, such as optimism and initiative, which in turn influence leadership effectiveness. Preliminary qualitative evidence from the framework's application in management education suggests that compassionate self-leadership can be taught and that it can be transferred to a variety of learning contexts both in higher education and the workplace with encouraging results. © 2022 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Brushing up on time-honored sales skills to excel in tomorrow's environment

PurposeDetermining the skills required for salespersons to maximize their effectiveness was the main driver for conducting the present study. In order to identify those necessary skills, this study aims to review various research techniques drawn from multiple disciplines and applied that knowledge to salespersons.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a mixed-method methodology. This study began by conducting a literature review and then interviewed experienced salespersons with varied backgrounds to develop a comprehensive list of sales skills and themes and categorize them into competency categories. This study then conducted a quantitative analysis to determine the respective importance of the skills and themes by surveying a sample of internal stakeholders of a multinational company. Finally, this study calculated the reliability and validity of the themes.FindingsA total of 206 relevant skills (later reduced to 110) and 28 themes were identified and grouped into three competency categories: conceptual, human/interpersonal and technical. Survey respondents rated the skills and themes higher than the "somewhat important” score of 3 out of 5, with the overall mean importance for skills being in the "important” range (score of 4.27 out of 5). All identified skills were believed to be important to a salesperson's success.Originality/valueThis study's expanded list of sales skills will improve employability, reduce turnover among employees and build better groundwork for fostering learning through work, resulting in better performance. These skills represent a 2020 updated list that could be used for future academic research and training and research in the business world.

Importance of Soft Skills in Health Sciences Students and Their Repercussion after the COVID-19 Epidemic: Scoping Review.

Soft skills (SKs) are skills related to the interaction among people and their way of dealing with tasks. Increasingly valued in the workplace, they are especially relevant in health professionals due to the importance of the relationship among them and their patients and families. Given their importance, the university training of healthcare professionals must promote the development of SKs. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a turning point in many areas, changing the learning process and, even more, the use of these soft skills as a fundamental ingredient in human relationships. The aim of this study was to analyse the available evidence regarding SKs in health science students, specifically nursing students, and to describe whether there is a worsening in the development of such skills after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the PRISMA-ScR methodology for systematic reviews, this study included articles on social skills and possible changes in these skills as a consequence of the pandemic in health sciences students The results highlight the importance of these emotional competences for future nurses, being particularly relevant for communication and emotional self-awareness and showing their influence on academic aspects, such as academic performance or mental health and coping skills. A major limitation of the present study was not considering aspects such as compassion or empathy. However, the novelty provided by this work is the analysis of the changes in SKs produced as a consequence of the pandemic. It is definitely clear that there is a need to enhance emotional intelligence, and thus soft skills, in future health professionals.