6 skills needed in every workplace

In order for workplaces to function successfully, employees operating within them should be supported in a range of skills, which will positively contribute to the day-to-day running of the business. While employees can always strive to develop these skills themselves on a personal level, it’s also important for companies to support the growth of their employees, and offer learning or training opportunities where possible in order to best develop certain skills.

Below are six skills that are important for every workplace.

1. Communication

Communication can make or break a business. Bad communication, both internally and with customers, can mean a variety of problems that can easily escalate. Good communication is essential for not only exceptional customer service as a business, but also for a positive and healthy workplace within which all employees feel as though they are heard.

Good communication can be taught, improved and encouraged, and it’s important for all employees to play their part in this to help each other. If something is unclear, employees should be encouraged to ask, or speak openly about issues. Every employee should have a clear role and task, and know who to speak to should a problem occur.

A good way to promote better communication is to create a healthy and happy workplace environment within which employees feel comfortable discussing things openly rather than worrying about speaking up.

2. Team Building

Good team-building skills will benefit a company in many ways. Team building can be used to encourage a new team of employees to get to know each other, or to encourage continual improvement and team bonding on a regular basis. Team-building exercises can also improve the flow of communication and productivity within a workplace environment.

Team-building exercises, or even team-building trips away, should always be fun and never feel overly arduous, as they should be exciting ways for team members to connect with one another.

3. First Aid

There should be at least one designated first aider for a workplace, but that doesn’t mean you only need to stick to one. It can be a good idea to offer training to any employee who wants to learn this fundamental skill, as there will never be a downside to implementing more first aid training.

First aid training courses can be arranged for employees any time, and can also be great team-building exercises if done in a group, too.

4. Technical Skills

Technical skills are fundamental in this day and age, as most businesses will utilize technology in one way or another. Having employees be comfortable and confident using a computer is a good place to start, as computers and the online world are usually essential pieces of equipment for any business.

If new technology or processes are introduced to the company as a whole, then it’s a good idea to implement proper technical training for new items so that employees can keep their skills topped up and know how to confidently use equipment within the workplace.

Technical expertise may also extend to marketing and navigating the online world, so a course on things like social media marketing if needed can also be helpful if all employees are going to use the internet on a regular basis.

5. Company Loyalty

In order to thrive and have everyone working productively, employees need to have loyalty to the business they’re working for. Having company loyalty and job satisfaction means that employees can always have a safe space to thrive and develop their skills. It also increases the likelihood of employees working harder to deliver a great service, compared to dissatisfied employees who are working for a company they might not feel any loyalty towards.

Employers can work to promote improved loyalty from employees by:

• Providing an enjoyable and healthy working environment
• Providing career development opportunities and supporting employees with their training needs
• Being flexible with working schedules, if possible
• Providing clear communication regarding job roles
• Regular employee appraisals in order to discuss feedback and goals

6. Problem-Solving

Having a team equipped with problem-solving skills is a boon, as it’s always great when team members can put heads together to come up with a good solution that suits everybody. Having a good workplace ethos means everyone can collaborate in a better way and achieve that sense of fulfilment as a team overall knowing problems are being worked on together.

Final Thoughts

Skills can always be taught within the workplace, but it’s also important to keep skills like this topped up, as part of an ongoing process. This sort of support and development will help workplaces to thrive.