Latest news with #DianeBartoli
Forbes
15-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Soft Skills: The Most Critical Skills To Teach In The Age Of AI
Diane Bartoli is Senior Vice President at EdAssist by Bright Horizons. As AI continues to reshape the workplace, one truth is becoming increasingly clear: the most valuable skills in the future of work won't be technical—they'll be AI can automate tasks, analyze data and even generate content, it can't replicate empathy, communication or the ability to read between the lines. These 'soft' skills, once considered nice-to-haves, have now become critical. However, most organizations aren't yet prepared to help their employees develop these skills. For chief human resources officers (CHROs) and benefits leaders, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is that soft skills can be difficult to teach. The opportunity is that with the right strategy, education benefits can be a powerful lever to build a more human, and more resilient, workforce. Why Soft Skills Matter More Than Ever As we all know, AI is rapidly taking over routine and technical tasks. That means the human edge will increasingly come from skills like empathy and emotional intelligence, which are essential for leadership and team collaboration. According to LinkedIn's 2025 Workplace Learning Report, soft skills are among the most in-demand skills globally. Yet only 36% of organizations have robust career development programs in place to address these needs. The Soft Skills Gap Is Real Younger workers, especially Gen Z, are entering the workforce with strong digital instincts and a natural enthusiasm for AI tools. However, according to McKinsey, they often lack the context to know when it's wrong or how to course-correct. Meanwhile, more experienced employees may be better at spotting AI errors but less confident in adopting new tools. This creates a unique moment for HR leaders to bridge the gap by embedding soft skill development into their education strategies. Here are a few actionable steps leaders can take to help build a more human-centered workforce: Too often, soft skills are mistakenly treated as optional or secondary. In an AI-driven workplace, they are the differentiators and thus need to be incorporated into your core learning architecture right alongside technical upskilling. For example, if you're rolling out AI training, pair it with modules on ethical decision-making, persuasive communication and cross-functional collaboration. Soft skills aren't built in a vacuum—they're forged in real-world interactions. Create structured opportunities for employees to practice and refine these skills on the job. This could include anything from cross-functional projects and peer coaching to leadership shadowing and real-time feedback loops. Additionally, it's important to empower managers to act as learning catalysts, not just performance evaluators. When learning is truly embedded in daily workflows, it becomes part of your culture, not just a box to be checked. Leadership, empathy and adaptability shouldn't only be reserved for the C-suite. Use your education benefits to scale soft skill development across your entire workforce from frontline teams to emerging leaders. This not only builds capability, but it also signals that your organization values growth at every level. Measuring soft skills may be difficult, but it's not impossible. Consider tracking metrics like internal mobility, employee engagement, customer satisfaction and team performance to assess the ROI of your programs. This can be achieved through using pulse surveys and 360 feedback to capture qualitative insights. Then, share those stories internally and externally. When you can show that empathy drives retention or that communication boosts innovation, you elevate the strategic value of your HR function. At a time when AI is redefining roles and reshaping industries, it's not just technical fluency that will set organizations apart—it's human fluency. The ability to lead with empathy, communicate with clarity and adapt with resilience will be the true competitive edge. By investing in soft skill development today, leaders aren't just preparing their people for the future, they're shaping a workforce that's agile, engaged and equipped to thrive in whatever comes next. That's not just a win for employees—it's a strategic imperative for the business. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Education Programs Key to Retaining and Attracting Talent for Companies
EdAssist by Bright Horizons' "Smartest Employer Spotlight" Highlights Programs Impacting Employees' Career Mobility NEWTON, Mass., May 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Frontline workers make up roughly 70% of the United States' workforce and are an integral part of our economy. Yet, they're often overlooked when it comes to meaningful investments in their learning and development. When you consider that 71% of hourly employees are interested in developing new skills, but nearly half of them worry they won't have their employers' support, it's not surprising to learn that according to McKinsey the number one reason frontline workers leave their job is career development. In its most recent "Smartest Employer Spotlight," EdAssist by Bright Horizons, a leading provider of workforce education solutions, is recognizing a select group of employers that have long been committed towards supporting their employees – especially those on the frontline – through robust education benefits. The companies recognized in this year's spotlight include: Comcast NBCUniversal, GlobalFoundries, Papa Johns, and T-Mobile. These employers offer comprehensive and effective education benefits, with a focus on making those education programs accessible and affordable for employees. These programs include free or no cost degrees, career pathways and/or student loan repayment, to further support their employees' education and career advancement. "We're currently at an inflection point, where companies will need to engage workers differently to attract and retain talent. Best-in-class organizations like those highlighted in our Smartest Employer Spotlight, who can create programming that engenders loyalty amongst their employees – particularly learning and development opportunities that allow workers to gain new skills and expertise required as business needs change – will be those that see the most future success," said Diane Bartoli, Senior Vice President of EdAssist by Bright Horizons. EdAssist partners with employers to create education assistance programs for employees that support both their career growth and financial well-being. The education programs offered by these "Smart" employers are critical to employee retention efforts, especially workforces that include a significant number of frontline workers. EdAssist's criteria to make the "Smart" list included: Availability of education benefits for both full- and part-time employees, including frontline workers Education options that include a variety of both degree and non-degree programs Access to success coaches to help employees navigate skills-based and degree-granting educational options and to guide employees along their journey to completion Demonstrated commitment to removing barriers to education by offering pre-paid tuition to alleviate employee out-of-pocket expenses and by reducing student loan debt to ensure equity across employees For more information on EdAssist by Bright Horizons' education assistance and student loan service options, visit About EdAssist by Bright Horizons EdAssist by Bright Horizons is a leading provider of workforce education and student loan solutions, reaching more than seven million adult learners through partnerships with more than 200 of the world's largest employers to deliver high-quality, affordable education programs designed to recruit, retain, and grow talent. In collaboration with over 200 post-secondary institutions in the U.S., EdAssist designs strategic education benefits programs that help build a talent pipeline for in-demand roles, fill skill gaps, and help companies develop the workforce necessary to innovate, grow, and compete in the global economy. About Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. Bright Horizons® is a leading global provider of high-quality early education and child care, back-up care, and workforce education services. For more than 35 years, we have partnered with employers to support workforces by providing services that help working families and employees thrive personally and professionally. Bright Horizons operates more than 1,000 early education and child care centers in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia and India, and serves more than 1,450 of the world's leading employers. Bright Horizons' early education and child care centers, back-up child and senior care, and workforce education programs help employees succeed at each life and career stage. For more information, go to View source version on Contacts Taylor GallagherSenior PR Sign in to access your portfolio
