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Online soft skills training that connects
Create online soft skills training that has impact.
Online soft skills training plays an essential role in developing capabilities such as communication, leadership, empathy, and decision-making. While these skills can be challenging to teach in a digital environment, thoughtful learning design can build genuine behavioural capability.
Research suggests that conversational language and human-centred design can improve learner engagement and make online soft skills training more meaningful.
Our top tips
Use realistic scenarios
Soft skills are context dependent. Scenarios allow learners to practise difficult conversations, ethical decisions, or leadership challenges in a safe environment. Providing realistic scenarios means that online soft skills training is contextualised and relevant to the role and workplace.
Add reflection prompts
Reflection builds self-awareness and improves the transfer of learning into workplace action. Encourage learners to relate scenarios to their own experiences, consider how they would respond in similar situations, and identify practical ways to apply their learning in the workplace.
Include modelling
Online soft skills training benefits from short videos, worked examples, and demonstration dialogues that model effective communication, leadership, and interpersonal behaviours. Seeing these skills in action helps learners understand not only what to do, but how to apply those behaviours confidently in real workplace situations.
Build practice opportunities
Use the technology available to maximise engagement opportunities in online soft skills training. Branching scenarios, multiple choice questions, and role-based activities and challenges encourage application that goes beyond simply understanding.
Reinforce over time
Soft skills develop gradually. Use spaced repetition, performance supports (e.g. FAQs, procedures, intranet resources), reminders, or follow-up tasks to support long-term growth. This can tie in with the practice opportunities by giving learners a workplace task to complete between learning activities.
Keep feedback specific and constructive
Provide clear guidance on how learners’ choices impact relationships, outcomes, and team dynamics. Feedback should explain why an approach is effective, reinforce positive behaviours, and offer practical suggestions for improving future interactions.
Online soft skills training requires practice, reflection, and modelling. With intentional design, online learning can provide all three.
Brown, P. C., Roediger, H. L., & McDaniel, M. A. (2014). Make it stick. Harvard University Press.
Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2011). E-Learning and the science of instruction. Pfeiffer.
Hattie, J., & Clarke, S. (2019). Visible learning: Feedback. Routledge.
Mayer RE, Fiorella L, eds. Principles for Reducing Extraneous Processing in Multimedia Learning. In: The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning. Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology. Cambridge University Press; 2021:183-240.
