ALT-1 Skills Qualified Employees need in the 21st Century
The workplace and business changed considerably in the twentieth century. The Digital Economy and Globalization mean that employees in the twenty first century must have certain skills.
In any job today, you need to be able to use a computer comfortably. Even warehouse persons need to be able to use spreadsheets. Internet skills and typing are a must have in the computer age, you should be at ease using a word processing programme such as Microsoft Word and be able to use the internet competently. Knowledge of spreadsheets and databases are also an advantage.
Once upon a time, people began work when they left school and stayed with the same company until retirement age. This is now very unusual and a worker may have many jobs during his working life. Therefore, workers need to have skills, capabilities and knowledge that applicable and transferable to many companies.
In the twenty-first century, globalization means that companies, rather than confining their business to their home country, now do business all over the World and this means that employees need greater skills.
An employee, who can speak one or more languages fluently (besides English) is a huge asset to his company. The current rising economic powers are India and China, and Mandarin Chinese or perhaps Gujarati would be valuable languages to know.
Chauvinism of any kind will get you precisely nowhere in today’s very different business and employment world. The days when employers treated women in a discriminatory manner are fast disappearing; behaviour that women endured for years is now illegal in most countries.
Awareness and knowledge about other countries’ cultures and business practices are necessary in a global economy. Knowing that in China it is an insult to your host to clear your plate or that to give a clock as a gift is unlucky, will save you and your company embarrassment and business. Western business people have had to learn the hard way to treat others with the respect and dignity that they deserve.
Twenty-first century employees also need some twentieth century skills and abilities. Good manners, dress codes, excellent customer service skills, a good education, excellent business morals and ethics are still part of the successful employee’s necessary skills and capabilities. Although the computer age and the global economy mean that the workplace and business has changed in many ways and employees need a few more skills and abilities, they still also need the basic skills that good employees have always had and that will not change any time soon.
