Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Working Wednesday: Soft Skills

In just about every business cluster, employers talk about the lack of "soft skills" from their employees.
Soft skills are defined as showing up on time; showing up on time daily; near perfect attendance rate; high responsibility; completing work; completing work on time; dressed appropriately; common courtesy and manners, etc.

Some employers have paid for etiquette lessons for certain levels of their organizations. Some employers pay bonuses for showing up for so many days consecutively. Or likewise, if someone misses so many days, it is an automatic dismissal.

There is another problem some businesses are facing... parents. Parents are showing up with their grown children and filling out the applications; wanting to be part of the interview process; or calling the employer to find out why their son/daughter did not get the job. They call if their grown child is having a problem and they want to resolve it with the boss.

I know a group of people that have excellent soft skills. They have experience in getting up on time every day. Their attendance rate is excellent for long periods of time without immediate rewards. They know how to greet people properly. They stand on their own 2 feet, not needing a parent to fix the situation.

I am speaking of the Ohio Army and Air National Guard members. They leave their loved ones to protect all of us. One of the ways we can say thanks is to see that they are employed and can support themselves and their families. Does your community have a Memorial Day parade? Thank a vet you
can stand on the street and cheer as groups go by.

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