The Influence of Soft Skills on Job Performance and Career Success of Thai Service Employees in the Context of Sustainable Development

Abstract

              This study investigates the influence of soft skills on job performance and career success among service employees by developing and testing a structural equation model (SEM) comprising three latent constructs: soft skills, job performance, and career success. The measurement model demonstrated acceptable factor loadings, supporting the construct validity of all latent variables. The structural model showed a good fit with the empirical data (CFI = 0.945, TLI = 0.933, SRMR = 0.027). The results indicate that interpersonal soft skills significantly influence job performance (β = 1.145, p < .001), and job performance strongly predicts career success (β = 0.623, p < .001). Job performance also mediates the relationship between interpersonal soft skills and career success (β = 0.713, p < .001), while intrapersonal soft skills exert a direct effect on career success (β = 0.404, p = .009). The model explains 52.2 percent of the variance in career success, highlighting the central role of soft skills in shaping both work effectiveness and long-term career outcomes in the service sector. These findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge by clarifying the causal mechanisms through which soft skills enhance performance and career advancement, and by emphasizing their importance for workforce development in alignment with sustainable development priorities.