Amanda Clark

As a team leader, part of your job description is ensuring each employee has the necessary resources to do his or her job well. Sometimes, this might mean investment in continuing training, especially for field technicians. It’s critical that anyone who works in the onsite wastewater industry is kept in the loop about new products and methods and that any professional certifications they have are up to date.

But what about those skill sets that are less technical — soft skills? Is there value in training your employees in these aspects of their job?

Increasingly, the answer to that question is yes. Other companies in your field are likely to match you in terms of technical competence, which means soft skills can provide you with the competitive edge you need.

Here are just a few examples of how soft skills training can be a game-changer for your team.

Time management training

We all have the same number of hours in the day — but the really efficient teams are the ones that make every minute count. That’s something you have to learn — for example, using available information to determine which tasks are most urgent and important, something that doesn’t come naturally to everyone. By investing in time management training, you can ensure anytime your employees are on the clock, they are adding real value to the company.

Active listening and communication

Another valuable soft skill is communication, which is something that requires active and attentive listening. Again, not everyone is born with this skill, but it can benefit your company in a number of ways.

First, when employees know how to effectively communicate with each other, that increases cooperation, meaning everyone gets more done. Second, active listening means your technicians will truly understand what customers are looking for and provide them with the high level of service they desire.

Problem-solving

Even the most skilled technicians may occasionally encounter problems they’ve never witnessed before, so how do they arrive at the right solution? Training in problem-solving can be invaluable here, showing employees how to think through the problem, use all the resources at their disposal, innovate and ask for help when needed.

Customer service

We mentioned listening and communication, but even more broadly, there’s tremendous merit in training employees on how to talk with the clientele — how to be professional, polite and calm even if the customer is upset.

This helps ensure the customer has a good experience, and these days, that’s a big part of why people choose one company over another. Even more than price point, experience can be a deciding factor in which company homeowners and business owners choose for their septic service needs.

These are only a few examples to illustrate how soft skills can impact your team’s efficacy and your company’s bottom line just as much as technical skills do. It may well be worthwhile to invest in continuous soft skills training for your employees.

About the author: Amanda Clark is president and editor-in-chief of Grammar Chic, a full-service professional writing company. She is a published ghostwriter and editor, and she's currently under contract with literary agencies in Malibu, California and Dublin. Since founding Grammar Chic in 2008, Clark, along with her team of skilled professional writers, has offered expertise to clients in the creative, business and academic fields. The company accepts a wide range of projects; often engages in content and social media marketing; and drafts resumes, press releases, web content, marketing materials and ghostwritten creative pieces. Contact Clark at www.grammarchic.net.