Make the Investment in Soft Skills Training For Your Employees

For the most part, technical skill competence will be matched by competitors, so being exemplary in the soft skills department can give you an edge

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As a team leader, part of your job description is ensuring that each employee has the necessary resources to do their job well.

This might mean investment in continuing training, especially for field technicians. It’s critical that those employees be kept in the loop about new products and methods, and that any professional certifications they have are up to date.

But what about those skillsets that are less technical — soft skills? Is there value in training your employees in these aspects of the job?

Increasingly, the answer is yes. Other companies are likely to match you in terms of technical competence, which means that soft skills can provide you the competitive edge you need.

Here are a few examples of how soft skills training can be a game-changer for your team.

Time Management Training

We all have the same number of hours in the day, but the really efficient teams are the ones that make every minute count. That’s something you have to learn. For example, using available information to determine which tasks are most urgent and important, something that doesn’t come naturally to everyone. By investing in time management training, you can ensure that any time your employees are on the clock, they are adding real value to the company.

Active Listening and Communication

Another valuable soft skill is communication, something that requires active and attentive listening. Again, not everyone is born with this skill but it can benefit your company in a number of ways.

First, when employees know how to effectively communicate with each other, that increases cooperation — meaning everyone gets more done. Second, active listening means your technicians will truly understand what customers are looking for, and provide them with the high level of service they desire.

Problem Solving

Even the most skilled technicians occasionally encounter problems that they’ve never witnessed before. So how do they arrive at the right solution? Training in problem solving can be invaluable here, showing employees how to think through the problem, use all the resources at their disposal, innovate, and ask for help when needed.

Customer Service

I’ve already mentioned listening and communication but even more broadly, there’s tremendous merit in training employees on how to talk with clients — how to be professional, polite, and calm even if the customer is upset. This helps ensure that the customer has a good experience. These days, that’s a big part of why people choose one company over another. Even more than price point, experience can be a deciding factor. 

These are only a few examples to illustrate how soft skills can impact your team’s efficacy and your company’s bottom line — just as much as technical skills do. It may well be worthwhile to invest in continuous soft skills training for your employees.

About the Author

Amanda E. Clark is the president and editor-in-chief of Grammar Chic, a full-service professional writing company. She is a published ghostwriter and editor, and she's currently under contract with literary agencies in Malibu, California and Dublin. Since founding Grammar Chic in 2008, Clark, along with her team of skilled professional writers, has offered expertise to clients in the creative, business and academic fields. The company accepts a wide range of projects; often engages in content and social media marketing; and drafts resumes, press releases, web content, marketing materials and ghostwritten creative pieces. Contact Clark at www.grammarchic.net.



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