As more job activities become automated, soft skills – which have yet to be replicated by machines – have become more important. In 2017, Deloitte reported that “soft skill-intensive occupations will account for two-thirds of all jobs by 2030” and "the number of jobs in soft-skill intensive occupations is expected to grow at 2.5 times the rate of jobs in other occupations."

The importance of empathy and social-emotional skills cannot be overstated. Emotionally intelligent teams have a competitive advantage, and empathy is one of the most important skills to hire for.