Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Whose skill is it anyway? Soft skills and polarization

Grugulis, I.; Vincent, S.

Authors

I. Grugulis

S. Vincent



Abstract

The skills that employers require are changing, with soft skills replacing technical ones. This article draws on two detailed case studies of outsourced public sector work, where these changes were particularly marked. Here, the new skills polarized the workforces. Highly skilled IT professionals were advantaged as soft skills gave them an additional dimension to their work, while benefit caseworkers with intermediate skills were disadvantaged since soft skills were presented as an alternative to technical competences. Women caseworkers suffered a double penalty, as not only were their technical skills devalued but many were confined to traditionally ‘feminine’ and unskilled work at the reception desk. Soft skills certainly aided the acknowledgement of women’s skills but they did nothing to increase their value.

Citation

Grugulis, I., & Vincent, S. (2009). Whose skill is it anyway? Soft skills and polarization. Work, Employment and Society, 23(4), 597-615. https://doi.org/10.1177/0950017009344862

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Dec 1, 2009
Deposit Date Jan 7, 2011
Journal Work, Employment and Society
Print ISSN 0950-0170
Electronic ISSN 1469-8722
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 23
Issue 4
Pages 597-615
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/0950017009344862
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1513378

You might also like



Downloadable Citations