With the employment landscape constantly evolving, job seekers are navigating a competitive market where standing out is more challenging than ever. As organizations strive to thrive in a dynamic business environment, they too face the need for a competitive edge to increase revenue and stay ahead.
Skills in Demand
Skills such as critical thinking, complex problem solving and decision making continue to be in high demand, as evidenced by the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023. However, it is not only job seekers who benefit from honing these skills; they are equally crucial for success once employed.
Employee Empowerment
Companies are recognizing the value of incorporating these skills into their employees’ development programs. Enhancing issue resolution and critical thinking capabilities empowers employees to address complex challenges and make impactful decisions. This, in turn, heightens employee engagement, a factor with proven positive effects on a company’s bottom line. The evidence is compelling.
Engagement & Financial Performance
Recent studies establish a direct link between employee engagement and financial performance. According to a recent study by Microsoft, high employee engagement correlates with stronger financial performance.
Companies with highly engaged employees focus on two things: they create clarity via intentional employee communications and goal setting, and they use data to build a powerful “feedback flywheel” to continuously improve over time.
Microsoft: Work Trend Index Special Report, ‘The New Performance Equation in the Age of AI’
Motivation
The bottom line is this: effectively developing your employees’ critical thinking skills will have a significant impact on a key driver of engagement: intrinsic motivation. When employees feel ownership in how work is accomplished and believe that their thinking is making a difference, they are much more likely to engage beyond the call of duty.
So, the benefit of investing in your employees’ ability to think critically not only benefits them, but is a smart investment in your company’s future.
This article is based on an older blog, dating from 2013, which can be found here:
Forbes – critical thinking skills propel organizations forward
