As employers, we are aware that we are living through a candidate-driven market that is making hiring qualified employees a challenge for local businesses. While economic confidence increases in times of low unemployment, it’s personal confidence that is missing among many North Country and Champlain Valley employees. Economic difficulties and life challenges tend to wear away at self-confidence and it is not a “soft-skill” that is regularly taught in schools.

Why is self-confidence important to your employees and to your business? Because confidence is central to most other soft skills and professional development. If your employees do not have confidence in their abilities and skills, they cannot possibly hope to develop.

Self-confidence …

  • is important to understand that making mistakes and failing are learning processes.
  • helps employees to make decisions.
  • helps employees to experience less fear about their roles.
  • leads to self-assuredness. In turn, this helps them control and use their emotions effectively.
  • helps your employees to work under pressure and to adapt.

Although this isn’t a complete list, it is a selection of some of the benefits of employee confidence. All other soft skills are hindered without the confidence to put them into action. Furthermore, those who truly get on in the workplace try new things and accept new responsibilities with glee. Confident employees explore their own personal development. Clearly, they are more of an asset to your business than somebody who lacks confidence.

Our new education initiative, Ready4Real, seeks to address self-confidence in many ways. Students cover a range of work readiness information taught by a team of specialists, from understanding what makes them tick as individuals to the meaning of teamwork and collaboration, working all the way up to resume creation, interview preparation, financial literacy, all designed to build confidence in each person.

This program is about guiding students toward their best selves and giving them the resources to do that, whether they’re entering the workforce now, or continuing their education. Interested in learning more about READY4REAL and how you can bring it to your facility?

Visit the READY4REAL website, e-mail Michele Armani at marmani@etsjobs.com or click the icon in the lower right to chat with us now!