The increased use of technology has not decreased the need for soft skills, which are critical for companies that provide interchangeable products and services. Employers are looking to recruit applicants with technical and soft skills, but research has revealed that new hire soft skills are not meeting employers' expectations. Employers expect soft skills to be retained through educational resources such as high school and college programs so that students are work-ready from their first day. This quantitative research study used a 14-question survey to investigate the perceptions of 200 supervisors working in the Delaware retail and food service industries on Generation Z soft skills abilities. The results revealed that the top five required soft skills for entry-level positions were teamwork, positive attitude, verbal communication, time management, and self-motivation. The most observed negative soft skills gaps were in time management, critical thinking, self-motivation, verbal communication, problem-solving, passion, and written communication. The training opportunities provided for new hires to improve soft skills were primarily internal training and recommendations of self-teaching by video. A recommendation for employers would be to add required soft skills training to new hire workshops and offer annual training for soft skills gaps that impact the work environment, productivity, or retention. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]