“The human being is a social animal by nature”, as Aristotle said more than 2,500 years ago. We need each other in society to survive. Man in isolation cannot develop as a person, hence our tendency to group together rather than isolate ourselves.
In order to communicate and live together, we need a series of skills that we should develop throughout our lives. In the labor area, training is the basis for knowing how to perform in a profession, but it is the skills that make the difference and add value to a company’s workforce.
On-the-job skills are those that do not have to do with technical knowledge but with your character. In addition to these skills at work, they also have social skills that enrich teams, make the environment more pleasant and ensure that everything runs smoothly.
SKILLS AT WORK
At the labor level, there are certain skills that are highly valued and that reinforce the quality of the personnel. Almost all companies, regardless of the sector, value the social skills of employees because they are necessary for teamwork and productivity. These are required in all positions throughout the corporation’s structure.
Some of the most valued on-the-job skills are:
Communication
Communicating clearly and effectively with others in your workplace is very important, both orally and in writing. It is used all the time and, without proper communication, confusion can occur with serious repercussions. Being able to transmit information in the tasks to be performed, to make proposals of new ideas in a clear way, to be able to speak without embarrassment and to express oneself adequately, is basic in any job.
Listening skills
Listening is a skill that is directly related to communication and they need each other to be a good communicator. It is as important to express oneself correctly as it is to know how to listen to colleagues. This skill helps coexistence between teams, between teams from other departments and with customers, as they feel valued and respected.
Adaptability/flexibility
In all jobs there are changes and the ability to adapt to constantly changing work environments is an added value in an employee. This ability to adapt is necessary whether you are starting a new job or have been in it for a long time, because unforeseen events occur and being able to provide solutions and be decisive is very valuable.
Conflict management
One of the most important skills at work is the ability to handle problems. We spend much of our time working and, naturally, conflicts can happen. It is necessary to know how to be relaxed and calmly confront the situation, dealing with it in a fair and coherent manner with all parties involved. Knowing how to manage conflicts means knowing how to explain the cause of the problem and trying to eliminate differences in order to reach common ground in a constructive way and without complicating the situation further.
Empathy
Putting yourself in other people’s shoes and trying to understand their position is a skill that helps the well-being of a company’s teams. Actively listening, understanding and relating to the thoughts and experiences of others is key in all situations, but especially in the most difficult ones.
Creativity
Everyday situations arise that need to be solved and there are many ways to solve them, as many as there are different ways of thinking. The most valued employees are those who contribute new ideas and seek solutions, who observe and are open to seeing situations from a creative point of view, exploring new possibilities.
Organization
Another skill at work is organization. Each person has his or her functions in a company and should be able to manage them. It involves analyzing information and tasks, planning, setting priorities, setting realistic objectives, and finally, taking action and carrying them out. With organized templates, companies are more efficient and that is why it is such a prized skill.
Positive attitude
The individual attitude of the people who make up a team is important to achieve a good general atmosphere. To make the workplace a more productive and humane place, it is necessary to staff it with people with a good attitude, willing to develop good behavior with others, a good relationship and kindness. It is not necessary to create friendships, but it is necessary to create a relationship of good companions.
Teamwork
Having a proactive and open character and the ability to collaborate with others are attitudes that demonstrate that someone is capable of working with more colleagues. It is a basic necessity in all companies and even in the most independent work, collaboration is needed for everything to work.