Work-Related Strengths – Theory, Examples & Best Ways to Utilize Them

It can be very difficult to find the right job for your personality type. When you don’t work in an environment that suits your strengths, it’s easy to feel like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole.

The best way to get out of this frustrating situation is by understanding what work strengths are and how to best utilize them.

This post is designed to help you understand what types of jobs are likely to be good fits for your personality type and strengths so that you can start making better choices about where you want to work.

What are Work-related Strengths?

Work-related strengths can be defined as the skills and abilities that an individual uses to get things done at work.

They are often behaviors or personality traits that we display in our workplace, such as being a team player or having leadership qualities. There are many reasons why it is important to have work-related strengths.

As the world continues to change and develop, there will always be new challenges that need solutions or problems that must be addressed.

Because of this, having different types of skills means you can offer something unique and valuable in a workplace situation.

It will provide more growth opportunities as well because you might stagnate without any need for improvement or personal development.

All these things lead to being able to make better choices about where we want to work going into our future careers and career growth opportunities.

In addition, having different skills will make it easier to change jobs if your current one is no longer enjoyable. It also means you can be confident and proud of what you bring to a workplace because it reflects on who you are as an individual.

There is a misconception that people are somehow born with these specific strengths but the reality is that they actually develop over time with practice and experience.

15 Examples of Work-related Strengths

The following is a list of what we believe are some of the most important strengths in the workplace:

Management skills

The ability to successfully manage people, projects, and processes.

Attention to details

Taking care of all tasks so that they are done well rather than quickly; paying close attention to what is happening around you (what others say or do).

Inventive thinking

Inventiveness in developing new ideas, products, or methods by making imaginative use of existing or new ideas.

Critical thinking

The ability to examine and evaluate ideas, proposals, and facts with a questioning mind so that you can come up with your conclusions; being able to identify what isn’t working well to improve it.

Problem-solving skills

The capacity not only for identifying problems but also for figuring out potential solutions on one’s own as opposed to waiting passively until they are given instructions by others.

Logical reasoning

The skill of analyzing information logically rather than jumping immediately from one thing to another without a thought about whether or not this is logical or sensible; having an awareness of cause and effect in everyday life and the ability to question assumptions to come up with new ideas.

Being able to think outside the box

Being creative, original, or innovative so as not to be constrained by existing ways of thinking about things; having a flexible mind that explores different possibilities without prejudice.

Creativity skills

An inventive, productive, or imaginative way of looking at life through your personal experience and background which makes you more versatile than someone who doesn’t have this type of insight into human nature and society’s makeup.

Communication skills (written)

The skillset required for writing clearly and persuasively on paper; conveying thoughts easily, such as reports, emails, etc.; expressing yourself in a way that is easy for others to understand.

Communication skills (verbal)

The skill set required for speaking confidently and persuasively in speech; expressing yourself verbally with clarity, precision, and conviction so that what you say will be easily understood by your audience.

Computer literacy skills

The set of skills required for operating, programming, and effectively using computers.

Positive mindset

A way of looking at the world that is full of optimism and hope.

Emotional intelligence

Having the ability to understand and regulate your own emotions, as well as the ability to empathize with others.

Leadership skills

The set of abilities that allow you to influence other people or groups; to get them involved in a task by providing direction.

Strong work ethic

Having the desire to work hard and the willingness to go beyond what is required.

Co-workers admire these qualities because it means they can depend on you when the need arises. 

How do you Identify Your Workplace Strengths?

The first step is to think about what you are good at, personal strengths. What do people compliment you on or ask for help with most often? What are the things that energize and inspire you, keeping you coming back for more?

Is there a type of work or project that has always drawn your attention and seems right up your alley? Once you have identified some possibilities, take a closer look at them.

Do any of these areas relate to an area where the company needs help or growth potential (e.g., marketing)? Have these skills been recognized by others around the company or in the community?

Or take the strengths test with HIGH5

There are a few strengths tests out there, but only one stands out and that is the strengths test from HIGH5 and it is completely free. Feel free to take it here. The second step is to determine what these strengths look like on paper.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What do you most enjoy doing?
• What are your favorite tasks, projects, assignments, and responsibilities at work?
• How would you describe yourself in terms of how others perceive you professionally (e.g., self-motivated with an eye for detail)?

Once you know how they appear on paper, identify career paths with their specific hard skill that match them as closely as possible so that your day-to-day work will be productive and fulfilling for both you and the company.

These are some common career paths to consider:

• Business Development – If one of your top skills is salesmanship, business development may be a good fit because it requires creativity and strategic thinking.
• Design – If you’re creative and enjoy solving problems, this may be a good fit for you as the design field is an ever-changing landscape with new challenges.
• Public Relations (PR) – This job requires strong communications skills to deal with clients, reporters, or other media outlets on behalf of your company. PR professionals are often required to speak at conferences and events which can open doors in terms of networking opportunities outside of work hours
• Finance Analysis – Strong analytical abilities coupled with detail-oriented tendencies make this a potential career path worth exploring if it lines up closely enough with some of your strengths
• Editorial Assistant – For many people who enjoy being behind the scenes, editorial assistant positions offer plenty of opportunities
• Marketing – Marketing professionals need to be strong with research skills, creative thinking, and the ability to write
• Human Resources – A degree or background in HR can make a human resources professional uniquely qualified for positions that require sound judgment
• Information Technology (IT) – IT jobs are plentiful these days. Everything from software developers, computer network architects, database administrators, and web designers all fall under this umbrella category

What are Workplace Weaknesses?

There can be many weaknesses that come with the territory of being at work. However, it is important to know what they are to make sure you don’t get blindsided by them and find yourself feeling like all hope is lost.

What are these workplace weaknesses? If you’re an employer, do you want to hire someone who is strong in every area or would you rather hire someone who might struggle but excels at one thing?

It’s difficult to know what to expect from individuals and it can be hard for employers to make sure they have enough employees with strengths in each area.

For any company to succeed, it needs employees with different skill sets. While it’s important to be aware of your workplace weaknesses, don’t let them get you down.

There are many ways to turn these negatives into positives and find a way to make the work environment more enjoyable for everyone involved.

As a side note, if you’re an employer, it’s good to know about two types of punishment that exist. These punishments can be used if you’re finding it difficult to get employees in line.

The first is positive punishment. This happens when you add a negative consequence to something in order to prevent the same thing from happening again.

On the other hand, negative Punishment includes removing an item that one may enjoy following said undesired behavior, so as not to be rewarded for doing what was seen as wrong and deterring future responses.

With that said, it’s always important to understand strengths and weaknesses in the workplace. Take some time to reflect on what you’re good at, and then think about areas where you could improve.

10 Examples of Workplace Weaknesses

The following is a list of workplace weaknesses that people often struggle with:

• Lack of organizational skills – being disorganized makes it difficult to succeed in anything that you do
• Poor communication soft skills – not being able to listen or articulate well with others
• Lack of confidence – this is often the result of low self-esteem and poor social connections. Those who lack confidence may be less likely to volunteer their opinion during meetings, which can lead them to feel left out when decisions are made without input from everyone involved.
• Lack of empathy – it’s hard to have a good understanding of how other people feel if you’re unable to put yourself in their shoes and see things through their perspective. This can make conflict resolution difficult as it prevents those who lack empathy from seeing what might help someone else more than themselves.
• Lack of flexibility – if you’re inflexible in how you do things, it can lead to frustration and resentment when someone doesn’t follow the “right” way.
• Indecisiveness – indecisive people may find themselves constantly on edge about what they should be doing next or whether a choice is right for them. This type of stress often leads to procrastination.
• Impatience – patience is key but it’s not always easy. Impatient people will want everything done immediately and have little tolerance for any delays that arise along the way.
• Focusing too much on the details – too often people get stuck on the small details that they forget to see the big picture; it’s good to have high standards, but perfectionists may be so focused on doing things “right” that they don’t take risks or experiment with different ways of solving problems. This can lead them into unnecessary stress and anxiety.
• Having trouble saying no to others when it’s required – Dependents tend to have difficulty saying no, and this can lead them into feeling taken advantage of or overwhelmed.
• Taking too many risks – too many risks can lead a person to be reckless, failing to think through and plan their actions. This can cause people to make rash decisions based on the moment rather than thinking about how it will affect their future.

Work-Related Strengths FAQs

What are your strengths as an employee?

Employee strengths are the abilities and skills that allow you to succeed as an employee. They may help you stay focused, boost motivation, communicate better, and so on.

There are a plethora of skills that are classified as “employee skills.” Such skills include: critical thinking, creativity, interpersonal skills, organization, active listening, persistence, and so on.