Considerable attention recently has been focused on the skills employees need to succeed in the workplace. However, few studies have asked employers and the workforce what they see as the key skills and competencies necessary to thrive and how these might be acquired; fewer still have asked both employers and employees to consider these topics and analyze how their responses are congruent or incongruent. Independently, the University of Phoenix and U.S. Chamber of Commerce each sought to explore these topics with new primary studies conducted among the U.S. labor force and business executives. This summary presents key findings from these studies and ties them together to paint a picture of life in the 21st century workplace and the key dynamics both workers and employers need to consider as they seek to promote excellence in the workplace.
