Communication skills and the work place
REGENTS REPORT South Dakota Higher Education: Good Investment. Great Future. NO. 53, 10/04/96
What Employers Want Surveys of employers show that when making hiring decisions businesses routinely stress skills that are emphasized in the general education curriculum. This helps to explain the results of an employer survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. ( Journal of Career Planning & Employment, Winter 1996)
Most Desired Skills Identified by Employers (on a scale of 1 to 5; 5=”extremely important”). Oral Communication Skills 4.7 Interpersonal Skills 4.6 Teamwork Skills 4.5 Analytical Skills 4.4 Flexibility 4.3 Written Communication Skills 4.2 Leadership 4.2 Proficiency in Field of Study 4.2 Computer Skills 4.1
Most Desired Skills Identified by Employers (on a scale of 1 to 5; 5=”extremely important”). Oral Communication Skills 4.7 Interpersonal Skills 4.6 Teamwork Skills 4.5 Analytical Skills 4.4 Flexibility 4.3 Written Communication Skills 4.2 Leadership 4.2 Proficiency in Field of Study 4.2 Computer Skills 4.1
Skills and Qualities Which Employers Consider Important Verbal communication ……….83% Responsibility …. ….….79 Initiative ….….74 Interpersonal skills ………74 Self-discipline ……….65 Problem solving skills ……..64 Decision making ………63 Self-confidence …………….59 Written communication skills …………..64 High energy ……….53 Leadership …………52 Working under pressure …………………..42 Organizational skills …….42 Meeting the public …….37 Selling/ promoting skills …..31 Appearance …… Math skills ……… Research skills ……...14 Source: Report on the Liberal Arts Employer Survey: Opportunities for the Liberal Arts Graduate. Liberal Arts Group, Midwest College Placement Association, 1980.
Skills and Qualities Which Employers Consider Important Verbal communication ……….83% Responsibility …. ….….79 Initiative ….….74 Interpersonal skills ………74 Self-discipline ……….65 Problem solving skills ……..64 Decision making ………63 Self-confidence …………….59 Written communication skills …………..64 High energy ……….53 Leadership …………52 Working under pressure …………………..42 Organizational skills …….42 Meeting the public …….37 Selling/ promoting skills …..31 Appearance …… Math skills ……… Research skills ……...14 Source: Report on the Liberal Arts Employer Survey: Opportunities for the Liberal Arts Graduate. Liberal Arts Group, Midwest College Placement Association, 1980.
Table IV Items Important to Success in Middle or Top Business Positions Percentage of respondents listing item among top Item five Verbal communication skills % Ability to identify and formulate problems Willingness to assume responsibility Interpersonal skills Reasoning ability Creativity ………. 27 Writing skills …………. 24 Ability to function independently Political skills …………. 19 Ability to speak effectively to large groups..… 18 Listening skills ……………. 15
Table IV Items Important to Success in Middle or Top Business Positions Percentage of respondents listing item among top Item five Verbal communication skills % Ability to identify and formulate problems Willingness to assume responsibility Interpersonal skills Reasoning ability Creativity ………. 27 Writing skills …………. 24 Ability to function independently Political skills …………. 19 Ability to speak effectively to large groups..… 18 Listening skills ……………. 15
Deficiencies in Business Employees Percentage of respondents listing item among top Item five Writing skills % Verbal communication skills Ability to identify and formulate problems Willingness to listen to the opinion of others Ability to function independently or with minimum supervision A developed sense of ethics and morality Interpersonal skills Willingness to assume responsibility Ability to adapt to change …….. 15
Deficiencies in Business Employees Percentage of respondents listing item among top Item five Writing skills % Verbal communication skills Ability to identify and formulate problems Willingness to listen to the opinion of others Ability to function independently or with minimum supervision A developed sense of ethics and morality Interpersonal skills Willingness to assume responsibility Ability to adapt to change …….. 15
In the eyes of business executives looking for skilled workers, American schools and colleges rate a "Gentleman's C" or worse, a Conference Board survey showed. About 41% of executives responding think the educational institutions do an "inadequate or poor" job of preparing students for work, and 47% think they do only an "adequate or fair" job at this task. Only 12% rate schools and colleges "good or excellent" in performing this function. The Conference Board, a private, non-profit business research group, also estimated that the nation's 7500 largest companies spend more than $2 billion a year on employee education of various sorts. Of their 32 million employees in a recent year, 3.7 million took in-house courses during working hours, 1.3 million participated in company tuition-aid programs, and 700,000 enrolled in company-run courses after work, the survey showed.