Tech firms to prioritise soft skills in 2025 hiring drive

Startups.co.uk's 2025 Workforce Report has found that 74% of technology firms intend to prioritise soft skills over hard skills when hiring this year, signalling a rising preference for emotional and communicative strengths in the sector.

The report highlights that industries traditionally focused on technical abilities are increasingly putting emphasis on soft skills such as emotional intelligence and communication. Within the Technology & Software sector, 74% of business leaders expect to favour candidates who demonstrate these interpersonal attributes.

Finance & Fintech firms also rank highly in their inclination towards soft skill-based hiring, with 66% indicating a preference for soft skills. This shift suggests a changing approach even in sectors previously known for their reliance on methodical and technical expertise.

The survey covered multiple industries beyond technology and finance. According to the report, 62% of employers in Hospitality & Tourism and 61% in both Manufacturing & Engineering as well as Consulting & Services also noted a preference for soft skills. E-commerce & Retail matched this figure, while 60% of Healthcare & Life Sciences employers said they would prioritise these attributes when selecting new hires.

Across all surveyed industries, 64% of UK-based business owners, presidents, and executives from companies less than five years old said soft skills would outpace hard skills in importance for new appointments in 2025. The findings indicate a cross-sector demand for candidates adept at navigating interpersonal dynamics in the workplace.

Business longevity was identified as an influencing factor in the prioritisation of soft skills. Firms four years old showed a 65% likelihood of favouring soft skills over hard skills, while those at three years old had a 67% likelihood. Two-year-old companies were 69% likely to prioritise soft skills. By contrast, businesses established only one year ago stood at 48%, the lowest across all surveyed age groups.

Reflecting on the findings, Zohra Huda, Editor of Startups.co.uk, said: "We'd expect 'softer' sectors such as creative and healthcare to hire for soft skills, but our Workforce Report revealed a surprising shift in 'harder' industries' hiring styles.

"That the demand for candidates with emotional and communicative skills within tech and finance is so high speaks to scaling startups scaling up their company culture too."

The Startups.co.uk data was collected from a sample of 531 respondents between 1 and 8 October 2024. All respondents were based in the UK and held senior roles—owners, presidents, or executives—at companies founded within the past five years.

As companies look to the coming year, the report indicates a distinct move towards attributes that support collaboration, adaptability and positive workplace culture, particularly as firms grow and mature within the competitive startup landscape.