AchieveGlobal asked trainers and managers in a variety of industries why many of their workers do not have a knowledge of basic workplace skills and behaviors.
Among basic skills and behaviors that are lacking are the ability to manage interpersonal relationships and differences; communicate to co-workers, supervisors and customers; and maintain self-esteem and a work ethic. Overall, workers do not know how the workplace operates or what their employers’ basic expectations are.
The company then developed the following questions to ask supervisors, managers and HR professionals in order to assess your employees’ skill levels and the impact of that deficiency on the workplace.
- What competencies and skills do you look for in hiring line and staff employees?
- What role do fundamental workplace skills play in your hiring profile?
- Do you have to make compromises in selecting job candidates or in expectations of job performance?
- Do these compromises affect the length of time for the employee to become productive?
- What impact does employee “ramp-up time” have on the performance of your organization or service?
- How many line or staff employees do you hire in a year?
- How is your retention of such employees? Are you hiring repeatedly for the same position?
- What are the main causes of turnover in your organization?
- What are the effects of turnover on productivity and on team morale?
- What are the effects of turnover on your customers?
- How much and what kind of training do new line and staff support employees go through?
- How are your line and staff support employees’ listening skills? Ability to ask questions and clarify?
- How do your line and staff support employees accept and learn new tasks?
- How do your support employees handle problems with peers? With supervisors and managers?
- How are your organization’s absenteeism rates?
- Can your employees articulate problems and work with others in a constructive manner to solve them?
- What role will your line and staff employees play in your organization’s growth?
What are some of the barriers you face to promoting from within?
SOURCE: AchieveGlobal, Tampa, FL.