By Aditya Sharma,
The workplace is dynamic and demands enhanced skill sets to be incorporated in the employee psyche consistently. The never-ending curve in the quest to stay competitive motivates both employees and employers to develop and define skills that are relevant towards maintaining an edge. The new “mantra” is to “hire for attitude and train for skills”.
1. Relationship skills and social awareness form the foundation
The need to develop soft skills is integral to the hiring process. The recruiter looks to fill gaps in the hierarchy with people beaming with drive and ambition. Effective communication within and outside the workplace is the bedrock of creating synergy and transparency. Communication skills are a source of concern in the digital era as young adults are innately more comfortable using electronic means to communicate.
The need to be assertive but respectful is integral to creating a work ethos that places importance in being inclusive and diverse. The organizations that foster social awareness through global fluency also see rapid growth and success. The relationship building skill set is integral to building cordial relationships within the organization and with clients. The idea is to create an identity within the context of the greater organization, imbibe the social rules of the workplace and communicate effectively within the organizational structure.
The end result is a two-way trust between co-workers and management. The tendency to take ownership and being accountable builds the framework for cooperation and teamwork. The corporate structure demands synergy and symbiotic working relationships between colleagues.
Client relations see a growing trend towards coaction and collaboration. Relationship building exercises include the action of sharing valuable and relevant information with the client. Employees should share feedback even if there has been a negative aberration and seek to correct the same. Trust and reliability are built over a period of adhering to these principles.
- A proactive approach towards the job
Employers want employees to take initiative and develop leadership qualities. Leadership potential decrees that the employee should have the requisite skills to plan to organize and appropriately prioritize work commitments. Self-management means having the ability to maintain discipline and stay focused on projects and assignments even in adverse times.
Proactive employees take charge and show initiative without being asked. This demonstrates a high level of motivation and curiosity in the work process and augurs well for the organization. The managers can rely on such team members to take charge and deliver results. Productivity is enhanced and client delight is ensured.
The worker should also demonstrate the ability to self- evaluate performance by engaging in assessing actions and work towards the completion of a task according to general guidelines. An atmosphere of healthy give and take of suggestions and innovative strategies that help improve the quality of communication and performance should prevail in the workplace. This will energize and motivate the entire team.
- Creative and critical thinking skills increase employee performance
The need to think critically, analyze and assess an issue or work is paramount in any workplace that demands high levels of efficiency. The ability to think out of the box, generate solutions that are innovative and logical without getting bogged down by traditional ways to look at the problem is a skill that is inherent in the smart employee and needs to be honed to create impact.
Logical thinking skills are the natural precursors to decision making and assertive attitudes.
Employers love employees who find solutions. These problem solvers tend to be the future leaders and strategists in any organization.
- Demonstrating attributes of being a team player is desirable
The organization looks for gifted and exceptional employees but also needs these individuals to perform as a team. No work can be done alone and the attitude should be one of coaction and cooperation. Teams that perform well are highly motivated, have respect for all players and have a common goal – success.
The team player becomes the glue that holds diverse workers together and motivates them to give their best to achieve a common objective. Mutual respect fosters overall team efficiency and healthy competition. There is no substitute for hard work and commitment. The ethos of putting a team objective ahead of personal goals or ego ensures success in any initiative.
- Personal and professional integrity is the key
The most integral attribute that employers look for is employees with a high level of personal and professional integrity. These people form the foundation of the company and work towards the success of the organization. Reliability and trust are the hallmarks of the exceptional team worker and the employer will expect and also receive support at all levels from such people.
The perfect employee does not back away from a commitment, stands up for her organization and ensures that clients are happy to endorse and recommend the firm to others. This should be a demonstrated trait in the career graph of the candidate.
The search for the perfect employee is unending. The company also needs to create an atmosphere of trust and comfort that ensures that the employee is motivated to give his best. Regular training workshops and activities that foster these skills and attributes should be held. The organization that imbues diversity and inclusivity in its DNA will climb the ladder to success.
