The importance of developing soft skills has been a career imperative for decades.
seen anything that interferes with their productivity or ability to complete a task. He too finds that they’re more concerned about a balance between life and work than earlier generations, and so they might believe that doing some work from home, which became common during the pandemic, is a way to achieve that balance, depending on the kind of work they’re doing. Thus, they often approach work differently, and, he says, “It remains to be seen how much the old world and new world are going to interface and how much the pandemic has dictated that change.” The lack of soft skills, which includes time-management, organizational skills and teamwork, as well as communication, are also
Perspectives Jeff Phelps, CEO of Nelson Connects, which has offices in San Rafael, Napa, Petaluma and Santa Rosa, reports that concerns about Gen Z employees locally reflect national trends. Different ideas of what constitutes an acceptable work ethic—relating to punctuality and attendance in particular—appear to be at the heart of the dissatisfaction, he says. Phelps observes that young people new to the working world often place a high value on work-life balance, and employers can perceive that as a lack of commitment to traditional workplace values—especially if they express a desire for flexible hours or working remotely rather than in person at the office. In addition, he says, “There is also a gap in practical experience where younger employees may struggle to apply their theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios, especially in technical fields.” Robert Eyler, PhD, chief economist at the Marin Economic Forum as well as an economics professor at Sonoma State University, isn’t surprised at the negative reports. “Those traits do not shock me,” he says, explaining that the behavior of the newest generation of workers has been the source of discussion for some time. Their attachment to their phones and, for some, visions of a future as YouTube stars or influencers on Instagram can make other jobs seem mundane. Nevertheless, he says, “I have not heard of employers letting younger people go in the North Bay or complaining beyond the norm.” He attributes some habits of younger workers to the disruption that the COVID-19 pandemic caused and how it affected the way they interact with others. “The first thing they think to do is use a phone,” he says, and he points out that while they have a different way of communicating, he hasn’t
a topic of discussion, but that’s not new. “We’ve been talking about soft skills for decades,” he says, and SSU faculty members have considered offering a one-unit class that everyone must go through, which would include letter-writing, interviews, emails and good business skills. Among the drawbacks, however, are faculty
Jeff Phelps, of Nelson Connects
36 NorthBaybiz
November 2024
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