Empathy and active listening
Last checked 30 September 2026
Understanding what someone actually needs, including what they have not said.
Measure this skill
Empathy and active listening feeds Human-edge skills in your AI readiness profile.
Take the free AI readiness testWhy it's rising
Automation strips out transactional contact and leaves the hard human conversations behind.
How ApplyAI measures this
Measured through your Connection result, part of Human-Edge Skills.
Every score is reported with a confidence band derived from its standard error of measurement, never as a single point estimate, and never as a comparison against another person.
Courses that build this skill
Free teams and careers courses, rated
- Effective communication in the workplaceThe Open University4.0
- Empathetic LeadershipSalesforce Trailhead3.9
- Working in teamsThe Open University4.4
Where does your empathy and active listening actually sit?
Free, about nine minutes, no card. You'll get your AI Adaptation Profile plus Adaptability, Human-Edge Skills and AI Fluency sub-scores, each with its confidence band.
Measure my profileRelated skills
Roles where this matters most
Questions
Understanding what someone actually needs, including what they have not said.
Empathy and active listening is number 9 on the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs 2025 core skills list. Automation strips out transactional contact and leaves the hard human conversations behind.
Start with Effective communication in the workplace from The Open University (free, about 24 hours, rated 4.0 out of 5). It is the top free course ApplyAI links to empathy and active listening.
Yes. Measured through your Connection result, part of Human-Edge Skills.