Essential Workplace Skills Training for MSU Employees

1. Brushing Up Your Skill Set

2. All Employees • This job is important • Represent MSU • Partner with faculty, staff, and students • Provide service to everyone we encounter • Gain skills & experience to transfer to future

3. Employees • Topics discussed • General Work Practices • Professionalism • Qualities of Professionals • Job Details • Office Resources • Communication Strategies • Appearance

4. General Work Practice • For all jobs • Be on time for work • Keep your area neat • Show interest and energy • Show responsibility and initiative • Communicate • Show respect

5. Professionalism • Best Practices • Learn skills of the profession • Develop “soft skills” • Adopting job attitudes and behaviors • Learn professional practices

6. Qualities of Professional Workers • Important qualities • Take responsibility for results of efforts & actions • Seek self-improvement • Tact • Self-awareness • Listening • Respect confidence of others • Loyal to fellow workers • Work ethic • Rumors / discernment

7. Qualities of Professional Workers • Address issues through proper channels • Sensitive to problems of co-workers • Meet their professional obligations • Do not advance themselves at the expense of others • Use respectful terms • Proud of their profession

8. Job Details: First Impressions • One chance to make a first impression • Impression of you • Reflection of your office • Greet visitors with a smile and interest to assist • Give hands-on assistance, don’t point • Offer water • What happens in the office • Gossip • Venting

9. Job Details: Telephone Etiquette • Follow the guidelines of your office/department • State the department/office name • State your name • All incoming calls should be answered • Promptly • Personally, not voicemail • Professionally • Frequent callers

10. Telephone Etiquette • Handling multiple calls • Answer calls promptly • Excuse yourself from first caller • Place caller on hold to answer second call • Return to first caller as soon as possible; say “Thank you for holding or for your patience.”

11. Telephone Etiquette • Handling calls and visitors • Acknowledge the visitor • Excuse yourself to answer the telephone • If visitor approaches while you are on the telephone, excuse yourself from the caller to acknowledge the visitor. Ask visitor to wait a moment while you finish the call.

12. Telephone Etiquette • Call screening techniques allow you to better serve customers and co-workers • Call screening is required or requested • “May I tell her who is calling?” • “May I tell her what your call is in reference to?” • Individual called is busy or away from their office • Connect the caller to individual’s voice mail • Offer to take a detailed message

13. Telephone Etiquette • Transferring calls • Listen carefully to understand the caller’s needs • Complete the transfer quickly and correctly • Transferring procedures • Inform the caller that you are transferring the call • Give the caller the name & extension being transferred to • Tell the person to whom you are transferring the call any information the caller has given

14. Telephone Etiquette • Handling difficult calls • Be polite & listen carefully • Don’t interrupt • Take detailed notes • Wait for pause to ask questions • Acknowledge problem & apologize for inconvenience • Try to find solution or refer to appropriate person • Take caller’s name & number for follow-up

15. Office Resources • Office resources include • Copier & printer • Fax machine • Computer – including software • Internet • Telephone • Coffee machine and water dispenser • Office supplies – pens, paper, tape…

16. Office Supplies • Office resources • Ask, don’t assume… • Office supplies aren’t free • Internet is not for personal use • Know the rules

17. Computer & Technology Use • Text, IM, Facebook, surfing… • Clean up your digital dirt • Social networking sites • Google yourself • Limit cellphone use

18. Email Etiquette • It’s not “old school” • Respond promptly • Professional response • Use appropriate greeting • Include subject • Specific information & details • Respond to/with details • Don’t cut corners • Your signature

19. Appearance • Dress appropriate to your work location • Ask about the dress code • Present a neat, clean, well-groomed appearance • Observe other staff attire • Practice good hygiene

20. Discretion & Confidentiality • Do not interrupt professionals or meetings • Closed doors mean do notdisturb • All office information & communication is confidential • Avoid discussions about office information • Disclosure could mean dismissal

21. 10 Things That Take Zero Talent • But, will get you 100% Respect • Being On Time • Work Ethic • Effort • Body Language • Energy • Attitude • Passion • Being Coachable • Doing Extra • Being Prepared

22. Final Thoughts… • Being On Time • Work Ethic • Effort • Body Language • Energy

23. DAFVM Professional Development Questions? • Contact Information: • Connie Templeton • Distance Learning Analyst • Center for Technology Outreach • Mississippi State University Extension Service • connie.templeton@msstate.edu