The best power skills all employees need in 2023
What is the story with soft skills and power skills? Are they different? Well, they are in fact the same thing. They are just referred to these days as power skills instead of soft skills because they are in fact valuable skills that recruiters are definitely looking for. After all, you want the most skilled people to push your business.
With that said, let’s have a look at some of the power skills you need to have in your basket if you want to remain competitive in the job-seekers market.
1. Ability to think critically
Being able to understand how things link together and how they affect each other brings value to the company that employs people with this skill. Being able to think in a rational and organised way helps with many aspects in the workplace such as problem-solving, making your argument valid, pushing one to improve, and always finding simpler and more effective methods for doing things better. Having this skill means we repair or replace the way we think about certain things for the better.
2. Great problem-solving skills
Linking into the skill of critical thinking is being able to solve problems in a skilful manner. Having this skill means you are great at solving problems and this often means that you can find solutions in ways and places that no one else has thought about. Problem solvers have a mindset that is creative, and curious and allows them to see things from outside the box. People with this skill are also often tough and resilient and are not afraid to tackle an issue and see it through until the end. They pick up bits of information and learn valuable lessons along the way. These lessons are almost always used somewhere else to solve a completely different challenge. Put it any way you like, you need some employees with this skill if you want to stand out from all the other businesses that you compete with.
3. Desire to develop yourself constantly
People with this skill or rather mindset are those that are never happy with the status quo. They want to be better every day. People with this value and mindset are hugely beneficial to your company because they will constantly strive to learn new skills and be better. They will bring those skills to your company for the benefit of your business, and that is a win for any business. Something else happens when you employ people that are constantly trying to better themselves, they will rub off on other members of the team. People do not want to be left behind so if you have some employees who are taking courses and showing off their new skills, others will follow. Those that have learned the skills will also likely share them with others in the workplace which helps your skills basket fill up. Keep in mind that at this point, you as the employer have not had to do anything. This happens when you employ people with this drive. You would be very wise to foster this type of environment and assist with courses or cross-training to assist your employees in their development. Facilitate learning and support wherever possible. If you want to develop this power skill you can start by focusing on being a little better at things every day.
4. Being consistently productive
Being productive is an essential skill in the modern workplace. Being a productive employee does not mean working hours overtime or working yourself to the bone. It is more about how you go about structuring your workday. The most productive people are those who do not allow stress and outside influences to distract or slow them down. They are almost always very organised and are assertive enough to say no to anything that might slow them down or waste their time. For many people, working from home productivity is one of those skills that is increasingly in demand. To start developing this skill you could initially use a simple to-do list and then gradually add more lines to the list. Remember that you should never choose productivity over quality. People who already have this skill are able to consistently produce high-quality work at large volumes and they are not really bothered or distracted by any stresses of such a high workload. They just get on with it.
5. Leadership skills development
This is one of those skills that should be available to every single employee in your business. What many people do not understand is that it is not only those in managerial positions that need leadership skills. Many employees use these skills in the background and sometimes in the foreground every day even though they are not in managerial positions. Possessing these skills can help employees influence others in a positive way. Studies have shown that when a company offers development of this skill to the entire team, the team generally outperforms companies where this is not offered. It is said that teams with these skills are up to four times more productive. Identify those with the correct attitude and who you can see taking up a leadership role in your company in the future and offer opportunities to develop these skills. It helps to mentor the employee as well, as you have the opportunity to mould that employee into a great leader. Your job is to identify those employees and facilitate the development of leadership skills. But do not forget about the rest of the team, they will benefit too and as a result, so will your business.
6. Skilful communication through business writing
This skill is incredibly important to keep on top of the competition. Being an effective writer for the workplace means that you are able to keep your writing clean, concise, and to the point. You do not write lazy messages and emails and you focus on attention to detail. You need to be able to confidently express yourself as an individual and at the same time stand out from the crowd. People with this skill know it is all about the words they choose when trying to get a message across to a specific person. They do not use buzzwords or fill emails with useless fluff. They save time and money by getting to the point as quickly as they can. Once you have this skill down, you will see how quickly you establish credibility as an individual employee and as a result people will trust your words and value your input.
7. Excellent presentation skills
Employees with this skill set are able to keep their audience engaged and focused through their excellent presentation skills. Microsoft PowerPoint is one such program that can definitely help you get your message across to your audience without losing them or boring them along the way. People’s attention spans are limited, and the skilled presenter knows this and knows how to get around it and keep everyone interested. Some of the skills in this set include confidence, presentation skills, and creating the presentation using careful consideration and design elements. Now, you do not have to be a designer in order to create a powerful presentation. PowerPoint already has a variety of different slide designs to get you that slick and polished look you need. Another skill in this set is being able to choose which images to include that will have the most effectiveness and complement the narrative now overpower it. Employees that possess this skill also know how important it is to practise their presentation over and over until they feel completely comfortable with it. It is obvious that those who are great at giving presentations never read their screen. They know the content and show this with how they talk and the confidence they carry.
8. Wellness
People that value their mental health, sleep, and fitness are often seen as more attractive to talent scouts. This skill encompasses all aspects of life including the workweek and associated stress levels. They can deal with the challenges that life throws at them much better than others who ignore this vital part of life. Put it this way, the healthier and more resilient your employees are, the better they will perform, and not only that, but they will also be happier in general, and this will often rub off on other employees who wish to embrace this type of simple lifestyle.
9. Efficient at managing time
This is one of those skills that generally never falls out of fashion. Employees who have these skills are incredibly productive, but they also have far less stress. They know what needs to be done and have the confidence to manage all the work into time blocks to productively tackle the workload. Once you can do this well you will experience high job satisfaction as well as clear up some time and space for you to develop other areas of your life (work and personal).
So, there they are. These are the most in-demand skills for 2023. If you can start by trying to be better at things every day, you will begin developing these skills in no time. Ask if you need help. People cannot help you if you do not ask because they simply are unlikely to know you need help. Here is to a developed 2023.
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