Workers flock to courses to improve basic interpersonal skills, assertiveness and likability

Discover the top 20 courses Australian workers are using to get ahead in the office. We list them here.

Lauren Ahwan

3 min read

August 10, 2022 - 4:49PM

News Corp Australia Network

Workers are going back to basics when it comes to training, undertaking courses in how to communicate confidently and be liked by others as they seek to brush up on the interpersonal skills required for the office.

An exclusive analysis has revealed soft skills, including time management, strategic thinking and emotional intelligence, make up half of the top 20 LinkedIn Learning courses sought by Aussie workers this year.

Other popular courses include speaking confidently and effectively, how to be both assertive and likeable, unconscious bias and expert tips for answering common interview questions.

“This shows that Aussies are looking at ways to gain confidence again in face-to-face environments after a period of staring at a screen or communicating via messaging apps,’’ says LinkedIn APAC talent and learning senior director Adam Gregory.

“These foundational skills can help Aussies grow in all environments.”

APPETITE FOR LEARNING

Globally, 7.3 million learners have watched the most popular LinkedIn Learning courses this year, nearly double the audience from last year, which Gregory says demonstrates a “huge appetite’’ for learning.

Excel essential training is the most popular LinkedIn course, indicative of the software program’s widespread use across all industries, Gregory says.

He says the popularity of courses in communication and other interpersonal skills demonstrates both a lack of workplace training in these areas and a change in the way we communicate with others.

“With many of us working from home, the way we have communicated has changed,’’ Gregory says.

Communication across multiple mediums has become paramount with many people working from home.

“We’re using more platforms than ever, with video calls now very much the norm, meaning confidence in communication across multiple mediums is paramount.

“Being both assertive and likeable are strong leadership qualities … so it’s no surprise many workers are looking to (undertake training) to strike the right balance.

“It’s also great to see that a new entry on the (popular courses) list is tackling unconscious bias, which likely reflects Australian talent’s desire to know more about Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to better engage with their multicultural communities.’’

SKILLS FOR HYBRID WORKERS

Food group Bega Cheese recently rolled out the full suite of LinkedIn Learning courses to its staff, many of whom are now working hybridly, and human resources executive general manager David McKinnon is thrilled most are focused on developing soft skills, such as communication, rather than technical skills.

“The world of work has changed over the last two-and-a-half years (since the start of the pandemic),’’ McKinnon says.

Bega Cheese human resources executive general manager David McKinnon is thrilled most of the food group's employees are focused on developing soft skills, such as communication, rather than technical skills.

“When I’m at home, I need skills for communicating over a screen, but when I’m in the workplace, I need to use a different kind of communication skills.

“When it comes to soft skills, people have realised they have become much more important.’’

BE SPECIFIC

Dany Holbrook, senior people scientist at employee experience platform Culture Amp, says workers need to identify the specific interpersonal skills they need if they are to get the maximum benefit from training.

Culture Amp recently launched Develop, a toolkit for personalised and measurable learning and development, based on its own research that found workers are 46 per cent more engaged when they are developing skills relevant to their interests.

Ensure you learn communication skills relevant to your role or career.

“It’s very common to say I want to learn communication skills but we’re not really linking it to what is relevant to our role or our career,’’ Holbrook says.

“Get really specific. If you sit back and reflect on what it is you want to achieve in your job, maybe it’s about working better with a colleague so it’s better to do a course on difficult conversations or on influencing others.

“By narrowing down from a broad topic like communication to something really specific, the learning is going to be more meaningful and relevant.’’

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