What Are Important Skills and Values in the Modern Workplace?

In today's fast-paced and ever-changing work environment, having the right skills and values is crucial for success. Adaptability is key, as 71% of employees say they need to adapt to new situations and technologies frequently.

Emotional intelligence is also vital in the modern workplace. Being able to understand and manage one's own emotions, as well as those of colleagues, is essential for effective communication and teamwork. This skill helps employees navigate conflicts and build strong relationships with their colleagues.

Effective communication is another essential skill in the modern workplace. According to a recent study, 80% of employees say that clear communication is essential for their job satisfaction. By being able to clearly express themselves and listen actively, employees can avoid misunderstandings and work more efficiently.

In addition to these skills, having a growth mindset is also important. Employees who believe that their abilities can be developed through hard work and dedication are more likely to be successful and achieve their goals.

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21st Century Skills are categorized into three main areas: Learning skills, Literacy skills, and Life skills. The four C's, which are a subset of Learning skills, teach students about the mental processes required to adapt and improve in a modern work environment.

These skills are essential in today's fast-paced world, where change is the only consistency. Industries are constantly disrupted by new ideas and methodologies, and students need to learn how to adapt and react to these changes.

The 21st Century Skills Assessment is a tool used by many teachers to help students develop the adaptive qualities they need to keep up with a constantly evolving work environment. By teaching these skills, students will be better equipped to navigate the challenges of the modern workplace.

The 12 21st Century skills that contribute to a student's future career can be grouped into the following categories:

Enterprise and entrepreneurial skills are highly valued in today's fast-paced business world.

Spotting gaps in the market, suggesting ways to improve processes, or coming up with new ideas are all signs of an entrepreneurial approach.

You don't have to set up your own business to make use of your enterprise skills; many employers will be looking out for graduate recruits with these qualities.

To develop your entrepreneurial skills, consider taking a logical and analytical approach to solving problems and resolving issues.

This will help you to think creatively and come up with innovative solutions to complex challenges.

Showing that you can approach problems from different angles is also a key aspect of entrepreneurial skills.

By doing so, you'll be able to identify opportunities and make informed decisions based on real numbers rather than gut feelings.

In fact, the ability to collect, organize, and analyze data is a highly sought-after skill in many industries.

To stand out in the job market, aim to demonstrate a mastery of entrepreneurial skills, such as spotting gaps in the market and suggesting ways to improve processes.

This will make you a more attractive candidate to potential employers.

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Critical thinking is a crucial 21st century skill that helps professionals solve problems and make new discoveries. It's essential for improvement in business settings, eliminating obstacles and replacing them with fruitful endeavors.

To develop critical thinking, you need to be able to approach problems from different angles and take a logical and analytical approach to solving them. This involves using reasoning strategies to take your problem solving to the next level.

Some of the most important soft skills employers are interested in include self-motivation, creativity, problem-solving, and decision-making. These skills are essential for success in today's workforce, where teamwork and collaboration are key.

In fact, 21 key customer service skills are essential for delivering consistently good customer service, including problem-solving, empathy, and active listening. These skills can't necessarily be taught, but they're essential for hiring the right people for a support team.

Here are some of the top soft skills that employers are looking for:

Time management is crucial in today's fast-paced work environment. Employers want to know that you can prioritize and stay organized, whether working with a team or independently.

Being patient with customers is essential, but there's a limit to the time you can dedicate to each one. Your team needs to balance understanding customer needs with getting them what they want efficiently.

Recognizing when you can't help a customer is key to getting them to someone who can. This saves time and ensures the customer receives the assistance they need.

In an office or remote setting, time management is more important than ever. It's a skill that prospective employers look for in job candidates.

Being goal-oriented is also vital for customer service professionals. Having a clear understanding of business goals and customer happiness can help employees provide excellent service while staying focused on priorities.

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Project management is a highly sought-after skill in many industries, requiring both hard and soft skills as well as the ability to think strategically. It's a skill that shows hiring managers you can see a project from start to finish and handle all its moving parts.

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Project management involves overseeing multiple tasks and deadlines, which is why time management is crucial. Prospective employers want to know you can prioritize and stay organized, whether working with a team or independently.

Some key skills involved in project management include Agile methodologies, project lifecycle management, and project management software. These skills help you break down complex projects into manageable tasks and track progress.

Here are some specific project management skills that are valuable to employers:

Literacy is a crucial skill in today's digital age. It encompasses three key areas: information literacy, media literacy, and technology literacy.

Information literacy involves understanding facts, figures, statistics, and data. Being able to critically evaluate and interpret information is essential in today's information-overloaded world.

Media literacy is about understanding the methods and outlets in which information is published. This includes recognizing biases, propaganda, and misinformation.

Technology literacy, on the other hand, involves understanding the machines that make the Information Age possible. This includes being proficient in using digital tools and platforms.

Here are the three 21st Century literacy skills in a concise list:

Information literacy is a vital skill that helps students understand facts, especially data points, that they'll encounter online. It's a foundational skill that's crucial in today's digital age.

Information literacy teaches students how to separate fact from fiction, which is more important than ever in an age of chronic misinformation. This skill helps students identify honesty online, preventing them from falling prey to myths, misconceptions, and outright lies.

To navigate the online world effectively, students need to develop strong information literacy skills. This includes understanding facts, figures, statistics, and data, as well as recognizing the sources of information and evaluating their credibility.

Here are the three 21st Century literacy skills that are essential for learners to navigate the world:

Technology literacy is key to understanding the machines that power our world.

Computers, cloud programming, and mobile devices are becoming increasingly important, and we need more people who understand how they work.

This understanding removes the intimidating feeling that technology can have, and it's especially important for students who will be shaping the future.

Technology literacy gives students the basic information they need to understand what gadgets do and why, taking away the mystique of technology.

As a result, students can adapt to the world more effectively and play an important role in its evolution.

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Writing and editing is a skill that's often overlooked, but it's one of the most important skills you can have because it demonstrates your ability to communicate effectively.

Good writing means getting as close to reality as words will allow, and it's essential for conveying nuance in writing.

The ability to write clearly, concisely, and correctly is valued in any industry, and it's a skill that's often overlooked.

Good writers use complete sentences and proper grammar, which subtly gestures toward the security and trustworthiness of a company.

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Writing skills are also important for crafting coherent internal documentation, which can help a team work more efficiently.

Good writing can make the difference between sounding kind or sounding like a jerk, and it's a skill that's essential for building trust with customers.

The ability to write and edit clearly is a sign of a person who thinks and communicates clearly, and it's a skill that's worth developing.

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Being able to read customers is a crucial aspect of literacy in customer support. It's not just about being able to communicate effectively, but also about understanding the customer's current emotional state.

This involves watching and listening for subtle clues about a customer's mood, patience level, and personality. For example, Emily Triplett Lentz suggests that you wouldn't use a smiley face in a support email to someone who signs off with their PhD, as it may not be taken seriously.

It's essential to be aware of these subtle cues to keep customer interactions positive. By doing so, you can tailor your communication style to suit the customer's needs and preferences.

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Soft skills are the skills that enable you to fit in at a workplace. They include your personality, attitude, flexibility, motivation, and manners.

These skills are essential because they are often the reason employers decide whether to keep or promote an employee. Soft skills are different from hard skills, which are directly relevant to the job for which you are applying.

Some examples of soft skills include self-motivation, creativity, problem-solving, decision-making, and attention to detail. These skills can be demonstrated through examples in the Work History portion of your resume.

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Creativity is a vital soft skill that empowers individuals to see concepts in a different light, leading to innovation and progress. It's the realization that change may be necessary to solve problems with innovative solutions.

In any field, innovation is key to adaptability and overall success. This is because creativity allows individuals to think outside the box and come up with unique solutions to complex problems.

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Learning creativity as a skill requires understanding that "the way things have always been done" may not inspire progress or growth. This mindset shift is crucial for innovation and problem-solving.

To exhibit creativity, individuals need to be able to think on their feet and come up with clever solutions. This can be seen in customer service representatives who go the extra mile to provide memorable experiences.

Some key characteristics of creative individuals include being able to find fun and clever ways to solve problems, and having a natural zeal to provide exceptional service. These traits are hard to teach, but are essential for standing out in a competitive market.

Here are some examples of creative skills that can be valuable in the workplace:

Flexibility is a crucial soft skill that can make all the difference in a professional setting. It's about being adaptable and able to pivot when necessary.

Employers look for flexibility in their employees because it enables them to cope with change and uncertainty. As Example 3 states, "Flexibility is the expression of someone's ability to adapt to changing circumstances." This is a challenging quality to learn, but it's essential for long-term success in a career.

Flexibility requires humility and a willingness to learn from others. As Example 3 notes, "Your way isn't always the best way", and being able to admit when you're wrong is a key part of being flexible.

There are many ways flexibility can manifest itself in the workplace. For example, being open to working different hours, being willing to travel, or having the ability to work remotely are all signs of flexibility (Example 4). Employers want to know that their employees can adapt to the evolution of the company's vision and goals, and be able to work well in a fast-paced environment (Example 5).

Here are some key aspects of flexibility in the workplace:

By demonstrating flexibility, you can show employers that you're a valuable asset to their team and can handle the challenges that come with working in a dynamic environment.

Integrity is one of the most important value alignment skills that you can have. It's the ability to be honest and ethical in all aspects of your work, which is exactly what employers want to see in their employees.

Employers want to know that they can trust their employees and that they will uphold the company’s values. This is a crucial aspect of building strong relationships and achieving success in the workplace.

Having integrity means being transparent and truthful in your actions and decisions. It's about doing the right thing even when no one is watching, and being accountable for your mistakes.

Employers value employees who demonstrate integrity because it shows they can be relied upon to make sound judgments and act with responsibility. This, in turn, helps to build trust and credibility within the organization.

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Hard skills are the types of skills that can be quantified on some level and demonstrate mastery in specific areas related to the job description.

Hard skills are essential to include on your resume because they show a person's expertise and ability to complete tasks related to that particular skill. For example, having experience with network structure and security can be a valuable asset in the job market.

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Some examples of hard skills to include on your resume are network structure and security, cloud computing, mobile and web development, and campaign management. These skills are in high demand and can give you a competitive edge in the job search.

Here are some examples of hard skills across different industries:

Data analysis is another highly sought-after hard skill, especially in industries like marketing and finance.

Customer service is all about creating a positive experience for your customers, and it's built on four key principles: personalized, competent, convenient, and proactive. These principles have the biggest influence on the customer experience.

To deliver great customer service, you need to hire the right people, and that means looking for qualities like a genuine desire to help customers, problem-solving skills, and a warm and approachable attitude. These qualities can't be taught, and they're essential for building strong relationships with your customers.

Here are the 21 customer service skills that every support professional should develop, and every leader should look for when hiring new team members:

By focusing on these principles and skills, you can create a customer service strategy that delivers a positive, hassle-free experience for everyone who deals with your company.

Personalized interactions are key to good customer service, as they show customers that your company cares about them and their problems. This can be achieved by hiring people who genuinely want to help customers succeed.

Competency is also crucial, as consumers have identified it as the element that plays the biggest role in a good customer experience. A customer support professional must have a strong knowledge of the company and its products, as well as the power to fix the customer's problems.

Convenience is another important aspect, as customers want to be able to get in touch with a customer service representative through their preferred channel. This can be achieved by offering support through various channels, such as phone, email, or live chat.

Proactive communication is also essential, as customers appreciate it when companies keep them informed about any issues or problems. This can be done by sending regular updates or notifications to customers.

Here are the 4 key principles of good customer service:

These principles are not just nice to have, but are essential for creating a positive, hassle-free customer experience. By building your customer service strategy around these principles, you'll be well on your way to delighting more customers.

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Customer service is essential for businesses across various industries. Each industry has its unique customer service needs.

In the B2B sector, customer service is crucial for building long-term relationships with clients. B2B customers expect personalized support and timely issue resolution.

For B2C companies, customer service is often the deciding factor in repeat business. Satisfied customers become loyal advocates for the brand.

SaaS support requires a high level of technical expertise to resolve complex software issues. This type of customer service demands patience and persistence.

In the healthcare industry, customer service is about providing compassionate and empathetic support to patients and their families. This involves understanding the emotional and medical needs of customers.

Startups often have limited resources, making customer service a challenge. However, providing exceptional service can help build a loyal customer base and drive growth.

In the education sector, customer service is about supporting students, teachers, and administrators. This involves being responsive to queries and resolving issues efficiently.

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Financial services customer service requires a high level of security and confidentiality. This type of customer service demands a deep understanding of financial regulations and procedures.

Small businesses often have limited budgets, making customer service a DIY effort. However, investing in customer service can lead to increased customer retention and loyalty.

Nonprofit organizations rely on customer service to build trust and credibility with donors and supporters. This involves being transparent and responsive to queries.

Ecommerce customer service is often the only point of contact between customers and the company. This makes it essential to provide prompt and effective support to build trust and loyalty.

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