Every organization is said to have a distinct culture which is determined by its people, behavioural patterns, policies, HR practices, business strategies and mainly, its value system. The article attempts to investigate whether an organization can also be attributed with a soft skills quotient and checks out the parameters on which the quotient can be measured. It also discusses whether an organization can try and retain a culture which it values, through strategic recruitment and selection. If culture can be filtered, then it may also be possible to filter the soft skills quotient.

There are two different schools of thought regarding soft skills. The first which believes that soft skills form the outer layer that constitutes a person and manifests itself through communication skills, appearance, behavior and the way one generally gets along with people. The second considers that soft skills inherent in a person; and test his abilities to deal with conflict and stress, his feelings on different issues, and the value system that he stands for. The two ideas are often debated upon.

Just as there are individuals who are high or low on soft skills, and their soft skills quotient is measured on the basis of their abilities in their personal and professional lives, their behavior, communication style, personality, emotional intelligence, etc., one wonders if the same could be extended to an organization—can the soft skills quotient for an organization be measured? Can organizational culture be determined through its value systems and practices?

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