Important Skills Your Employees Should Have

As technology and industry trends rapidly change, many organizations neglect to recognize the importance of polishing the communication and interpersonal skills of their team. We tend to believe that strong technical skills = professional success, but is this the only factor that matters? Maybe not. Research conducted with Fortune 500 CEOs by the Stanford Research Institute International and Carnegie melon Foundation, found that 75% of long-term job success depends on people skills, while only 25% on technical knowledge.[i] Additionally, LinkedIn carried out a study across 100 metropolitan cities in the US which uncovered 1.4 professionals lacking strong communication skills.[ii]

Emphasizing soft skills in the workplace can not only create a more positive culture within your organization, it can also benefit your business, clients, and partnerships as well. A few of the most notable benefits of pressing the importance of soft skills among your teams are:[iii]

• Increased workplace productivity
• Reduced risks due to lack self-awareness
• Improved customer service and relationship with clients
• Increased sales
• Stronger team bonds
• More self-confidence among employees
• Improved employee retention

It is easier to identify the technical and role-specific skills a candidate needs to be successful in a role, but how can you assess soft skills?

HR Daily Advisor published a 2020 article on the skills they believe all employees should have aside from their job-specific skills. We decided to take a closer look:[iv]

1. Teachability: Regardless of industry, in order to grow with the rapidly changing market, all employees must be teachable.
2. Time Management: An employee could have all the tools and skills to successfully do their job, but without effective time management skills they will ultimately fail.
3. Hard Work: The saying ‘Hard Work Beats Talent, When Talent Doesn’t Work Hard, comes to mind here. An employee with all the skills and knowledge must also possess and strong work ethic.
4. Critical Thinking Skills: In many roles, employees are required to make efficient, but smart decisions. Having a strong foundation of critical thinking skills will help team members better navigate the day-to-day challenges they face.
5. Interpersonal Communication Skills: The ability to effectively communicate is arguably one of the most important skills any employee could possess. This can improve relationships and effectiveness among internal employees, remote employees, clients, and partners.

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[i] The Hard Truth about Soft Skills
[ii] The Benefits of Soft Skills Training for your Workforce
[iii] 7 Benefits That Highlight The Importance Of Soft Skills In The Workplace
[iv] What Universal Skills Should All Employees Have?