Skills Employers Want Workers to Possess in 2014

Every employee is unique. As a result, new hires bring their own skills to a job. It’s their employers’ responsibility to make sure they have the knowledge and qualities necessary to complete the work they’ve been hired to do.

In these cases, it helps for companies to create online courses that allow new employees to develop the skills they need. But what qualities truly matter in today’s competitive workforce? You probably have a few that you value, but what about other employers? Here are some of the skills companies would like their workers to possess in 2014:

Teamwork
If your company’s employees work in an office setting where collaboration is key, it’s likely you look for teamwork skills in potential hires. Based on the results of the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Job Outlook 2014 survey, you’re not alone.

Of the employers polled, the NACE found that the “ability to work in a team structure” received an importance rating of 4.55 on a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 was considered “extremely important.”

“We have a more diverse workforce than ever before and employers want to know that you will be able to fit right in with everybody, whether it’s veteran engineers, clients from around the world or another new hire,” David DeLong, author of “Graduate to a Great Job and Make Your College Degree Pay Off,” told Fox Business.

Problem solving
The ability to work with others is important, but so too is employees’ willingness to complete tasks on their own. The NACE survey found that the “ability to make decisions and solve problems” received a rating of 4.50.

While companies don’t want workers who do whatever they want on the job, it’s also nice to have employees who can complete tasks and solve unexpected problems without assistance from a supervisor.

Other soft skills
Ultimately, in today’s workforce, the more soft skills employees possess, the better off they’ll be. That’s because more and more employers seem to value qualities such as a positive attitude, flexibility and the ability to communicate well.

“Soft skills include attitudes and behaviors that correlate highly with career success,” Candice Olson, founder of The Fullbridge Program, a professional boot camp, told Fox Business. “They are what enable people with different skills sets and personality that make up an organization to work effectively together and without friction. They are essential.”

If you feel like the candidates you’re reviewing don’t possess soft skills or other key qualities, it may be time to consider how using customizable training software could help ensure these individuals start work on the right footing.