Jeremy Kaplan
There are all sorts of skills that it benefits employees to have, and if you’re an employer, you should make sure that your whole team knows all about them. If you’re an IT company, for instance, you’ll wish to look into personal and business IT training options that are offered either online or in person. Regardless of the nature of your company, though, there are certain “soft skills,” as they are sometimes known, that are vital for every member of your staff to have.
Empathy
Empathy means that no bullying or objectionable behavior should take place either in the workplace or outside of it. An empathetic employee treats those around them with respect, because they recognize that everyone has feelings. Empathy amounts to basic recognition of the humanity of other people.
Problem-Solving
You want problem solvers on your staff. That means that when a challenging situation arises, you’ll be able to get a plethora of suggestions as to how it may be resolved. Problem solvers are innovative, creative, and they have no problems coming forward and voicing their opinions. You should foster an atmosphere where this sort of behavior is encouraged.
Productivity
Productive employees welcome challenges, and they recognize deadlines. They know that when something has been assigned to them that is part of their purview, they need to stick with that task until they’re done with it. Productive employees are those who won’t be distracted. A dogged determination is a quality that is intrinsic to some, but it can be taught to others.
Teamwork
The best employees know how to work both independently and as part of a team. If you have people on your staff who work better alone, there is nothing wrong with that, but you should also strive to make them more comfortable working as part of a group. It is that versatility that will make them the most valuable to you.
Empowerment
Empowerment in an office setting refers to the ability of your employees to feel confident in their skill sets. If they have a question or a problem, they should not hesitate to come to you with it, but still, they should be able to work autonomously. If they are uncertain of what they should be doing, work with them individually until they’re more sure of themselves.
Leadership
You’ll also want to groom leaders for your higher positions, and while not everyone will be able to rise to the upper levels of management, you should attempt to nurture the seed of leadership where you find it. Recognize a person’s abilities and take advantage of them for the benefit of the company.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is related to problem-solving, but there is more of an emphasis on a systematic method of approaching any issue that arises. Critical thinking can take the form of a system of questions that you can teach each employee to ask themselves when they’re attempting to tackle a challenge.
It might sound trite, but the best businesses are the ones that are run like family units. The strengths of each member are recognized, and they contribute their skills to the greater whole. As employees, the members of your team owe it you to bring the full strength of their capabilities to the job every day. What you owe them is courtesy, respect, and the creation of an environment where they are most able to reach their full potential.
