ASSESSMENT AND DIRECTIONS OF SOFT SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN MODERN BUSINESS

Introduction. In today's business environment, there is a growing awareness of the importance of soft skills for success and competitiveness. However, despite their importance, there are several challenges associated with their implementation. First, there is a challenge in clearly defining and categorizing soft skills, as their diversity and interconnectedness are difficult to capture in an unambiguous system. Second, there is a challenge in effectively assessing these skills, as many methods require subjective interpretation and have limited objectivity. In addition, it is not always clear which soft skills are most important for different categories of employees and how to improve them in training programs and practical training. Such problems create obstacles to the development of soft skills and their effective implementation in the work environment. Purpose. The purpose of the study is to analyze current approaches to the assessment and development of soft skills in the modern business environment. Materials and methods. The study is based on the research of works by domestic and foreign experts in this field, who consider various aspects of the assessment and development of soft skills in the modern business environment. In the course of the study, the following scientific methods were used: theoretical generalization and grouping to characterize the components of the process of assessing and developing soft skills in business and determine their role; formalization, analysis and synthesis to develop methods and approaches to assessing and developing soft skills; logical generalization of the results to formulate conclusions and directions for further research in this area. Results. The key aspects of soft skills in the modern business environment are considered. The essence of soft skills is revealed as a set of personal qualities and skills that determine success at work and in personal life. The classification of soft skills provides insight into different groups of these skills, such as cognitive, social and communication, and emotional intelligence. A variety of methods are recommended for assessing soft skills, including testing, self-assessment, training, and role-playing. The required soft skills for different categories of employees vary depending on the nature of the work and position. Methods of developing soft skills include self-study, seeking feedback, learning from the experience of others, special tasks, case studies, and on-the-job development. The article provides a comprehensive overview of soft skills and their importance for a successful career and personal development. Discussion. Further research could focus on the relationship between the development of soft skills and the achievement of professional goals in different industries and among different categories of employees.