With greater emphasis on improving human interaction at work, HR leaders will need to upgrade their soft skills –otherwise known as 'human' skills – to adapt to changing times.

The demand for human skills that even the smartest machines cannot easily replicate has grown. As such, having the ability to develop these skills is essential to succeess in this field.

If you're looking to gain a competitive edge in today's talent market, you'll get a head start by developing these essential skills:

Leadership

Being an HR leader means more than ordering people around. The best leaders possess good judgment and decisiveness, especially when tough decisions need to be made. They listen well to feedback from their people and are ready to take action.

Read more: Digital skills every HR pro should master

Employee engagement

As an extension of their leadership skills, managers should be able to motivate and engage with their employees. Some staff members may need more support than others but are unable to express their needs. Managers should thus be able to listen and anticipate such circumstances with help from people analytics tools. Engagement means understanding employees fully and meeting them halfway.

Flexibility and adaptability

Unexpected circumstances can happen, and they can shake up an HR professional’s daily agenda. Being able to respond quickly and decide when to stay on track or change course can spell the difference between good and bad HR management.

Read more: Power skills to put on your resume no matter your industry

Communication

HR professionals should be able to foster good relations with internal and external stakeholders by conveying the company's employer brand message and values clearly. The point of good communication isn't simply to offer information but to ensure that communication lines remain open and establish positive, long-lasting relations with employees.

Conflict management

Conflict is a natural part of life at work, but knowing how and when to step in and understand different viewpoints in a given situation can help to address problems early on and prevent them from going out of control. HR leaders need to demostrate the ability to stay grounded in the face of conflict, never crumbling under pressure.