Top 10 Most Popular "Soft Skills" Courses in 2021

Masterplan Team

Screens of the most popular soft skill courses 2021
VIDEO With english subtitles

Rhetoric, stress management or negotiating skills: which "soft skills" are most in demand in German companies? Take a look at the Top 10 ranking and find out which three valuable tips on the topics soft skills and hybrid work expert Prof. Dr. Johanna Bath revealed in an interview with Masterplan.com.

The learning platform Masterplan has analyzed the usage data of around 200,000 employees in over 250 German companies and created a ranking of the most frequently accessed e-learning courses about soft skills. The evaluation is based on a cross-section of German industry: the learning platform's customers include corporations such as VW and Otto Group, medium-sized companies such as the awning manufacturer Markilux, and up-and-coming start-ups such as Treatwell.

The Top 10 Soft Skills Courses – an Overview

1. Rhetoric (7,9 %), Michael Rossié

Rhetoric is the art of speaking. It sets the mood and creates opinions. It touches, arouses, and convinces with strong arguments. In this course, rhetoric trainer Michael Rossié will show you how you can convince others in your professional life with the power of words.

2. Conflict Resolution (6,8 %), Karin Kuschik, cochange

Conflicts are uncomfortable and they have to be learned to deal with them. In this course, you will learn from Karin how you can deal with conflicts - from speaking effectively, giving feedback to confidently dealing with personal attacks.

3. Body Language Matters (6,7 %), Monika Matschnig

The first impression is decisive. But can this impression be revised? And what does the sympathy of your person have to do with your competence? Body language experts Monika Matschnig, Hartwig Eckert, and Nadia Kevan have the answers.

4. Remote Work: Communication (5,7 %), Kate Scisel

All of a sudden, many companies are confronted with remote work. This could quickly lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings. Kate gives valuable tips for structuring your company's internal communication while working from home.

5. Everyday Time Management (4,61 %), Cordula Nussbaum

Time management is the art of organizing yourself and your time. Cordula Nussbaum shows what all belongs to time management and how we can use different methods - based on four different types of thinking - to have more time for what is really important.

6. Stress Management (4,6 %), Ulrich Oldehaver, MindVisory GmbH

Has stress become a lifestyle? It is omnipresent and damaging to health. Stress expert Ulrich Oldehaver shows you how to get a grip on it. With stress management and a few simple tricks, you can find peace and relaxation in your professional life.

7. Agile Project Management (3,2 %), Masterplan Editors

Interdisciplinary Teams, Sprints, and Kanban – these terms are part of agile project management. But what sets them apart and how can you implement them in your team? Find out in our course on the basics of agile project management!

8. Learning for Life (3,14 %), Dr. Thomas Tillmann, abc tillmann – consulting in education

Ask Me Anything with Thomas Tillmann. In conversation with two students, a former teacher and a manager, the learning expert talks about learning. But watch out - time is limited! Each question can only be discussed for 90 seconds.

9. Mindfulness at Work (3,1 %), Rasmus Hougaard, Big Think

How can practicing mindfulness benefit not only yourself, but also your business? Mindfulness expert Rasmus Hougaard teaches us how to regain control of our action-addicted brains, which leads to better decisions, relationships, and outcomes for everyone.

10. Negotiation Strategies (2,7 %), Matthias Schranner, ZEIT Akadamie

While the last course focused on setting a goal in a negotiation, now we'll focus on different methods of negotiating. In this course, you'll learn about the five most important negotiation strategies, including their strengths, weaknesses, and when best to use them.

*Percentage of active Masterplan.com user who completed the course between January 01, 2021 and November 30, 2021.

How Important will Soft Skills Remain after the Pandemic?

"Soft skills such as time management or rhetoric continue to increase in importance, because they are particularly important in virtual or flexible working. This trend will continue in the coming years, with or without Corona", says Prof. Dr. Johanna Bath, speaker and author on the topic of hybrid collaboration, when asked by Masterplan.com. According to the expert, companies should therefore work on three aspects now:

1. How Can I Set Time aside for "Deep Work"?

A state of peak concentration is essential for creating quality work in a quick manner. And that is basically what deep work is about. Everyone of us needs to set time aside for continuous work on complex or longer-term projects. But how can I tell when it would be better to work in a team or work on my own to gain better results?

2. How Can Companies Reduce Asynchronous Communication such as E-Mails and Chats?

Asynchronous communication has increased dramatically, states the expert. This can make concentrated work very challenging. As an employee, how can I deal with this as efficiently as possible and make the best of it?

3. How Can I Make Virtual Meetings or Virtual Onboarding More Effective?

Many companies have created the technical conditions for online communication. But that doesn't mean that this form of collaboration automatically works well. Therefore it is more important than ever to elaborate a virtual call, meeting, feedback or an onboarding beforehand to use time and resources in the most effective way.

Infographic on most popular "Soft Skills" courses on Masterplan 2021

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Masterplan Team

Our team consists of learning experts who will always provide you with the latest trends, fresh perspectives and helpful inspiration for successful learning in your company.
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