Objective: The primary objective of this study is to design a comprehensive model of employees’ soft skills with a focus on developing digital human capital at Farhangian University of Mazandaran. The study seeks to identify the soft skills required for employees to cope with digital transformations and to determine how these skills can be strengthened to enhance human capital.
Method: This research is qualitative in nature and applied in purpose, with data collected through an exploratory approach. Following a review of the theoretical background, the primary data were gathered via semi structured interviews with 15 experts in higher education management, human resource management, and information technology, selected through purposive snowball sampling. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis to extract the main themes and patterns.
Results: The analysis revealed that employees’ soft skills in the digital domain comprise five main dimensions: communicative, functional, organizational, technology related, and digital research and development. These dimensions encompass sixteen subcomponents, including skills such as effective communication, digital decision making, technology evaluation, and participation in innovative projects, indicating that digital soft skills are multilayered and extend beyond individual capabilities.
Conclusions: The proposed model can provide a practical framework for strengthening digital soft skills and developing digital human capital at Farhangian University. Employing this model helps policymakers design more effective training programs and implement capability-building initiatives aligned with real, digitally oriented needs, ultimately improving performance and organizational readiness in the face of technological change.