Objective 6: Desirable skills, attitudes and attributes of office personnel
Skills
Skills are the abilities required to do something well and expertly with your body or with
tools/equipment as a result of training, practice or experience.
Desirable, basic skills required from an employee are:
● Literacy: The ability to read properly and understand what is read, to explain what is
read and to compose business documents.
● Numeracy: The ability to add, subtract, multiply, divide and solve problems involving
numbers (with or without a calculator).
● Computer literacy and proficiency in using productivity tools: The ability to use a
computer competently, to work productively by selecting and knowing appropriate
software packages and search engines, saving and retrieving documents efficiently and
backing up your work.
● Effective communication: The ability to write, speak and listen effectively and clearly
using appropriate language.
● Time management: The ability to manage time effectively, not wasting time but planning
and prioritizing your work/important jobs.
●
Analytical, problem-solving: The ability to recognize a situation, examine it analytically,
arrive at a workable solution and make recommendations that can be applied to similar
situations in the future. The use of tact, initiative and ability to make decisions on behalf
of the organization.
Attitudes
Attitude is how a person thinks and behaves, which is shown in the way they respond to a
situation.
● Team-spirit, group dynamics
Today most people work in teams. A team is a group of people who:
⮚ have the same aim
⮚ work together cooperatively to achieve that aim
⮚ help and support each other-especially if there is a problem.
A team can be very beneficial because individuals all have different strengths and
weaknesses, so between you there are many strengths that any one single person
could have.
Group dynamics refers to the personalities in the group and how these people fit
together. This can influence the way the group performs and how it thinks and responds
to situations.
● Tolerance and appreciation of diversity
At work you will meet a variety of people of different ages, genders, nationalities and
ethnic groups. Their religions and beliefs may not be the same as yours. Some may be
able-bodied but others may not be. They will also have different personalities and
backgrounds.
Tolerance means accepting other people, even if they are completely different from you.
Meeting other people enables you to broaden your own knowledge and it can be both
educational and fascinating. In this situation you appreciate diversity, because it adds to
your own experiences and helps you to become wiser as a result.
● Safety Conscious
Being safety conscious means that you know that taking risks can cause problems, not
just for you but also for others. So you work carefully, report hazards that you notice and
obey all safety instructions without being told.
● Environmentally Aware
Being environmentally aware means that you think about the consequences of your
actions on the planet, so you minimize waste.
● Socially Responsible
Being socially responsible means that you try to help other people, especially those less
fortunate than yourself. This can include charitable giving, assisting the elderly,
becoming involved in the community. Many workplaces pride themselves on being
socially responsible and encourage their staff to do the same.
Attributes
The qualities or characteristics of a person
● Regularity/punctuality: never being late for work and only being absent for a genuine
reason, so people can rely on you to be in the right place at the right time.
● Positive work ethic: being cheerful and enjoying work. You do not clock watch and do
not need supervision all the time. You are reliable, loyal and always do your best.
● Integrity, honesty, confidentiality: this means you have high standards of fairness and
keep your promises. Honesty does not only mean not stealing but also implies honesty
in dealing with others, and owning up if you have made a mistake.
● Willingness: you respond positively to a request or a challenge. You do not deliberately
act slowly or moan. It will be appreciated by all with whom you come into contact
because it shows you are ready to help others.
● Deportment: you dress appropriately, take care of your personal freshness, your hair is
always clean and tidy. You always respect other people. How you look, your clothes, your
voice, even facial expressions and body language, all send messages about you to others.
● Self-esteem, confidence: you believe in your own worth and are honest about your
abilities. You work to high standards and respond positively to new challenges.