10 Core Competencies that an Employee Needs

Viren Kapadia April 21, 2021
10 Core Competencies that an Employee Needs

It is easy to be an employee but to become a SUCCESSFUL employee, one needs some core competencies. A competency is nothing but a set of skills, behavior, attitude, and knowledge that makes an employee the most productive and accomplished. Seeking success should not be the only goal of an employee; he/she should seek those competencies that help him/her in climbing up the ladder. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, we can say that to enhance the track record, employee competency is a MUST.

Ever wondered why every organization focuses on the training and development of employees? Well, one of the major goals of employee training and development is to inculcate core competencies in them that help them in giving good solutions to tough problems and sticking to their tasks even when everything seems hopeless. Only with the help of these competencies, employees get that determination of being prepared for anything and everything. Even during the eLearning program for employees and their compliance training, it’s their core competencies that determine which employee can contribute to the organization’s success and who all need to work on themselves.

Now, you must be wondering what exactly these core competencies are! Don’t worry, this blog has you covered! Let’s walk you through the top 10 core competencies that every employee should have:

  1. Teamwork
  2. When we talk about the core competencies of employees, teamwork always comes at the top. A company can work the best when its team works together! An employee having the ability to work in a team can easily work towards the success of his organization along with his individual growth. This competency includes the ability to communicate your thoughts and ideas as well as respect the views of others. An employee having excellent problem-solving abilities can easily work in a team and motivate others. Teamwork requires the ability to trust and empathize with others and it is possible only when one understands the importance of overcoming the need for invulnerability.

  3. Decision Making
  4. Decision-making is one of the most important competencies an employee should have. There will be a lot of situations in an organization when an employee will have to make quick decisions in the shortest amount of time and only those who can ace such situations have decision-making competency in them. An employee can develop this skill only when he knows how to put a full stop to the fear of “what might happen”. Also, an employee needs to understand that his task does not end with just gathering the information and making a decision he/she should analyze what would be the possible outcomes of that decision.

  5. Accountability
  6. When we talk about the core competencies for employees, we just can’t forget ACCOUNTABILITY. Accountability is something that can make a real difference to an organization. Employees who take the responsibility for their actions and behaviors are said to be accountable individuals and organizations love to hire such employees. If an employee has the accountability competency in himself, he will become one of the most trusted employees and everyone will start counting on him.

  7. Responsibility
  8. A responsible employee can be the best leader and inspiration for many. Responsibility is one of the core employee competencies as most of the time recruiters hire employees based on the past responsibilities they handled. Those who are not responsible are believed to be less invested in their work and it can impact their performance and growth in the organization. Responsibility also involves the ability to accept when you have done something wrong rather than placing the blame on someone else.

  9. Communication
  10. Not just the employees every person should have effective communication skills as it is one of the crucial factors in success, whether in an organization or life. When employees do not have competencies like effective communication, they end up wasting time and energy on things that don’t even matter. Effective communication also helps an employee to be an active team player who puts forth his thoughts and ideas as well as listens to others attentively. Those who know how to communicate effectively, hardly face any problems as they can express themselves and seek help whenever needed.

  11. Ethics
  12. Aligning with the organization’s ethics is one of the most important employee competencies. The first thing an employer would want to see in his employee is his ability to align with the company’s ethics and the way he maintains the work culture. Ethics and integrity make an employee do the right thing even if nobody is watching him. Ethics are important as their absence leads to a lack of confidence, energy as well as the ability to perform with high spirits.

  13. Leadership
  14. Leadership quality is one of the major contributors to your progress in an organization. When your recruiter hires you, he searches for that quality in you that will help others to grow along with your growth. A good leader is someone who can rally everyone in the organization to a common purpose. Employees with leadership competencies have the ability to translate their vision into reality; doesn’t that make this employee competency one of the precious ones?

  15. Problem Solving
  16. Not everyone can wear a big smile on their face even in the presence of a bundle of problems! The reason why problem-solving is believed to be one of the core competencies that an employee should have is that it lets him hold onto his calm and keep moving towards progress. Those who can solve problems remain excited to embrace the new opportunities rather than fearing them and letting them slip from their hands.

  17. Result Oriented
  18. Result orientation is something that never lets you lose your focus from the plan and action, no matter what! Result-oriented employees always remain motivated and they also keep motivating everyone around them. They know how to create a step-by-step plan to achieve something rather than doing anything without thinking about the results.

  19. Organizational Skills
  20. An unorganized employee is the least wanted in a company! It is highly believed that if you spend even a minute organizing, you save one whole hour for your work. Time is the most precious thing and one who understands how to manage it never goes short of time. An employee having good organizational skills spares a few minutes from his day and spends them setting their task and priority list. Prioritizing and organizing save you for a better tomorrow!