At the top of the list of concerns for managers today: workplace etiquette.
Intelligent.com, a source known for their college information and rankings, recently examined workplace etiquette, and their findings were quite surprising.
They talked with 1,000 managers — including group managers, senior managers, and program managers — and found that a vast majority say that college grads need help with their workplace etiquette.
81% OF MANAGERS THINK GRADS SHOULD HAVE ETIQUETTE TRAINING
Of these managers, a third, 33%, say college grads “definitely” need workplace training, and nearly half of the rest, 48%, say college grads could “probably” use workplace etiquette training. Turns out that managers with a fully in-person workplace saw a greater need for etiquette training.
The most magnified issues that managers had with their most recent college grads were their inability to take constructive criticism, their behaviors and etiquette surrounding cell phone use, and their lack of conflict resolution skills.
Huy Nguyen, Intelligent.com’s Chief Education and Career Development Advisor, said this could be due to the newness of a work environment for grads, many of whom haven’t had much exposure to professional workplace settings. Another factor for this high statistic could be due to the effects of the pandemic.
WHY ETIQUETTE TRAINING IS CRUCIAL
“Due to the pandemic, many recent college graduates spent a significant portion of their college education in virtual environments,” Nguyen says. “This limited their exposure to the interpersonal dynamics of in-person workspaces where soft skills such as communication, conflict resolution, and time management are developed through direct experience.”
Why do employers find etiquette training necessary? Aside from helping to encourage professionalism and respect, “This formal training, along with support and mentorship from their managers, can foster better communication and build a more collaborative work environment that helps new hires understand professional behavioral norms and workplace culture,” says Nguyen.
Though it is third on the list of competencies that need improvement below constructive criticism and cell phone etiquette, most often managers cover conflict resolution in their trainings.
WHICH MAJORS ARE THE MOST SLEEP DEPRIVED?
When you picture the daily lives of an average college student, what comes to mind? We imagine someone who juggles class preparation, co-curricular activities, potentially a part-time job, and commutes by walking or by car. They might care for a family member at home or their pets, spend time with their friends, squeeze in time to read for classes, and make time to relax. It’s a busy, delicately balanced life.
When time is running thin, what often takes the cut is students’ sleep. Mattress retailer Onebed recently did a deep dive to get to the bottom of just who these sleep-deprived students are and what they are studying.
They broke it down by looking at weekly hours spent on class preparation, co-curricular activities, on-campus and off-campus work, community service, relaxation and socializing, caregiving, commuting, and assigned reading, using data from data was collected from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE).
