Getting back to work after being a parent means you may not have the required modern workplace essential skills. Some you may already have through previous experience. However, there are also others that are becoming more requested by employers when they advertise. Some you can learn with ongoing training, but most are easily learnable from online resources.
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Computer-Based Report Writing
There was a time when writing reports was only requested for specific jobs. Typically corporate settings and offices that deal with a lot of data would do this. And some medical jobs where it’s necessary to view information. These days, employers of all kinds love reports. Mostly because of the interlinked nature of modern offices and data acquisition. So learning to use Microsoft Word and other word processors can be a highlight on your resume that can get you the job.
Modern Workplace Essential Skills Include Search
In a time when information is used more and more, knowing how to use a search tool well could be a very useful skill. “Googling” has become a synonym for searching on the web, so it might not be a bad idea to put that word in the Skills & Knowledge section of your resume. You might not know everything you need to know about someone or something at work. And when you’re on your own, learning how to search correctly to find key information can be your best friend.
Strong Teamwork Skills
Even if you work alone a lot at your job, you still need to be able to work as a team. This is because you often work with people from other departments, people above you, or people below you. Effective teamwork includes having a common goal. But also being able to put aside personal biases, and being willing to accept responsibility as a team. Team-building exercises are often used by many companies to help people get along better at work and establish trust.
Good Problem-Solving Skills
Instead of using problems as an excuse for bad work, you can solve them to get things done. Every workplace wants people who can solve problems well. So, instead of just telling people what you think, you can impress them by doing something. With creative thinking, persistence, and teamwork, anything can be fixed. When you put a lot of people with different abilities, attitudes, and goals into an environment with a lot of roles, good things will always happen.
Skills for Working from Home
Working from home is a boon to parents with young children and is an expected part of modern work life. Following the COVID pandemic, around 50% of workers now do their job from home at least once per week. But it’s not as easy as you might think and requires some skills:
- Excellent time management, which can be tricky at home.
- Personal responsibility to treat at-home jobs like the workplace.
- Learning how to delegate tasks to other team members.
- Setting your own goals for the days and weeks ahead.
- Emotional intelligence, such as motivation, self-awareness, and social skills.
- Looking after yourself well so you can tackle the day ahead.
- Critical thinking to make decisions using your own initiative.
- Developing a time scale to balance work and family life.
- Learning to use communication tools for getting through to departments at work.
- Understanding how to use various collaboration and management apps.
- Learning the basics of cybersecurity to protect sensitive company and client data.
The best way to work from home is to treat it as you would your work office. With no boss around, you are surrounded by distractions. And you have to put more effort into things like setting up your PC. However, this is where you demonstrate just how good you can be.
Good Communication Skills
Communication in the modern workplace is more than just being able to interact with others. Active listening is also a part of it. Colleagues want to be acknowledged, cared about, and understood. Active listening is when you don’t judge and listen without planning to answer. To do that, you have to listen carefully and not just wait for your turn to talk. Skills in active listening and communication are important as a leader, manager, or supervisor at your place of work.
Working with Data
Data is everywhere in the modern workplace. Some bigger companies even collect real-time customer data, website traffic, and how well their employees are doing. As a result, a lot of the decisions made in the workplace today are based on data. Professionals who do well can gather, analyze, and understand all kinds of data. They can look for patterns and trends and explain what the collected data means in well-written reports for the layman and expert.
Using Software is Among Modern Workplace Essential Skills
Software pretty much runs the whole world these days. Almost every place of work is the same way, too. Software is used everywhere, from construction sites to corporate offices. Apps for managing projects, HR systems, and job-specific programs like Adobe Creative Suite for graphic designers are just a few examples. Most of the things you do at work every day will involve software. So, many companies require knowledge of a range of software suites.
Financial Responsibility
Without a written agreement, a paycheck is never a sure thing. And recent events have shown that layoffs can happen at any time. So, you should put together and keep an emergency fund. This is money you set aside in case something bad happens that can hurt your finances. Having an emergency fund can help you feel more financially secure and less stressed out if you lose your job. This will also keep you upbeat and help you get back to work as soon as possible.
Summary
The list of required modern workplace essential skills is as long as your arm. However, many are listed for specific roles. That being said, some are becoming more requested for pretty much any job. These include report generation, soft skills for remote work, and using software suites. Having just one of these skills that modern employers look for can put your resume at the top.
For more on this topic, check out our full Work Life Balance collection
