Workplace Literacy
What is Workplace Literacy?
Workplace literacy refers to the skills and abilities your employees need to have to function effectively, efficiently and safely in the workplace. Workplace literacy skills involve reading, writing, and math skills as well as other skills that employers need like critical thinking skills, computer use and the ability to work with others.
A good working definition of Essential Skills is:
Essential Skills are the skills needed for work, learning and life. They provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change.
Essential Skills are another way to talk about literacy skills development. They were created for the workplace.
What can you do to find out more about your workplace and literacy?
As an employer, there are three ways you can get involved in workplace literacy.
- Promote local literacy services within your workplace. Here are literacy bookmarks that have been developed by
Oxford, Elgin and Middlesex county literacy programs. Contact Literacy Link South Central for copies.
- Use the principles of clear writing when you develop or revise your workplace documents. Clear writing promotes word choice, sentence structure and layout that makes printed information easier to understand. Click here for a "before and after" to see how much of a difference clear writing can make.
- Consider a workplace literacy program that is designed specifically for your workplace. Contact Literacy Link South Central.
- Pour les services en francais veuillez appeler 519-451-5194 College Boreal a London
- Determine your workplace literacy needs
- Connect with literacy providers in your community
- Produce written materials that are clear and easier to understand
For more information on clear writing, click here.
What Drives Workplace Literacy Programs?
- Workers asking for assistance and unions promoting increased training
- An increased understanding by business of the connection between literacy and success
- Unemployed workers and others wanted to enter a highly competitive workforce
- Globalization and increased competition
- Skills shortages and changing skills
- Changing demographics (immigration)
- Concern regarding young people's skills
- Increase in workplace certification and standards
- Increase in level of education required for various jobs
- The need for clear language
(Source: Stepping Up: Skills and Opportunities in the Knowledge Economy)
How Do You Know if You Might Need Workplace Literacy?
Clear Writing Tips:
