3 Soft Skills Every Tech Professional Needs

In an increasingly tech obsessed culture, the spotlight has shifted to technical skills in the professional world. But it’s important to remember that soft skills are still critical in today’s work environment. Employees cannot be fully effective without soft skills to back up their technical skills. Expertise and knowledge are essential, of course, but knowing how to communicate and build relationships with others is often the key to a successful project and work life. Here are three soft skills that are essential in today’s workplace:

1. Teamwork - One of our core values here at Egnyte is Teamwork - we believe that together we can do great things!
2. We are always working towards creating new and innovative products. Innovation often requires teamwork: different people with specialized skill sets taking ownership of various aspects of the job. Brainstorming with others helps teams think of creative solutions and prevents stale ideas from being used over and over again.
3. When there is a sense of unity and togetherness, it is easy to remain enthusiastic and engaged at work. When we work with others, we’re inspired to work hard every day, as opposed to braving the storm alone.
4. Studies have shown that you are more likely to achieve a goal if you have others around you working towards the same goal versus trying to achieve the goal on your own.
5. We have an open office layout at our headquarters in Mountain View, which allows people to freely collaborate with one another. Without physical barriers, it’s easy to connect with colleagues.
6. Listening - Try letting someone else talk for 5 minutes without interjecting. It sounds easy, but you’ll find that it is difficult not to speak.
7. It can be tempting to push your own ideas, particularly when you have strong opinions about a project. But you never know when someone else’s feedback will trigger a brilliant idea or a better approach to a problem.
8. Everybody has something to learn. Seek first to understand and then be understood. This is key to collaboration and finding solutions.
9. Flexibility, in thinking and action, is the key to innovation and positive working relationships.
11. Managers here at Egnyte are encouraged to foster trust and respect among their teams by truly caring about employees’ concerns and opinions.
12. Leadership - Leadership is apparent in employees who embody all of our values and who use them to influence others, to inspire their teammates and to lead innovation.
13. Leaders tackle difficult problems with positivity and integrity, supporting the rest of their team as they work towards a solution.
14. They empower those around them to live up to their full potential and do great things.
15. A leader in the workplace isn’t afraid to suggest changes to the current process, particularly when they notice inefficiencies. They seize opportunities to improve workflow and processes, and know how to delegate when necessary.
16. The Egnyte org structure is mostly flat. Department heads set context and goals and get out the way. Individuals and teams are encouraged to dig deeper and expand knowledge.

Who would you rather work with: the accountant who can crunch the numbers but has a sour attitude every time an audit comes around, or the person who is a numbers whiz but also encouraging and upbeat? Great employees don’t just get the job done, they are enjoyable to be around. Soft skills are increasingly sought after - employers want to hire people who know how to work well with others and maintain a positive attitude. Although technical skills are important, we cannot forget that soft skills bring people together to achieve great things. Collective soft skills are truly where company culture is born and sustained. It is often what sets great companies apart from the average.At Egnyte, we give our employees the opportunity to showcase their skills and talent, whether that’s hardcore coding or amazing collaboration skills. Check out our Careers Page to apply today!