By <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/jennifer-liu/">Jennifer Liu</a> 



The potential to work for a company from anywhere in the world has never been greater.



According to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/trends-and-forecasting/research-and-surveys/Documents/SHRM%20Employee%20Benefits%202019%20Executive%20Summary.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report from the Society for Human Resources Management</a>, 69% of organizations allowed employees to work from home at least some of the time in 2019 — more than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shrm.org/about-shrm/press-room/press-releases/pages/telecommuting-up-over-past-20-years.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">three times</a>&nbsp;the share of companies who allowed telecommuting 20 years ago.



Many remote workers are highly compensated (nearly a quarter earn&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/17/owl-labs-state-of-remote-work-report-24-percent-of-remote-workers-earn-100k.html">$100,000 or more)</a>&nbsp;and they tend to be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/31/cebr-study-finds-remote-workers-get-105-hours-more-leisure-time-a-year.html">happier in their jobs</a>. A combination of factors, including improved worker satisfaction, greater productivity and more efficient use of company resources, are some reasons why the ability to work from just about anywhere is one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/18/buzzworthy-company-benefits-that-will-dominate-workplaces-in-2020.html">biggest workplace trends</a>&nbsp;to watch for in 2020 and beyond.



To determine which employers are leading the charge in this space, FlexJobs identified the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/100-top-companies-with-remote-jobs-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">best companies to work for</a>&nbsp;to land a work-from-home job today.



The job listing site analyzed its database of over 54,000 companies and identified the ones that posted the highest number of remote jobs in 2019, suggesting they’ll continue to hire a large amount of remote workers in the new year. Jobs on the site can be advertised as being a either part-time or full-time remote work arrangement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The companies that are hiring for remote workers, from tech to education</h2>



The No. 1 company hiring for remote workers is Appen, an Australian technology company that helps organizations develop machine learning and artificial intelligence products. While four of the top 20 companies on the list are international (China, India and Sweden are represented), the majority of companies are based in the U.S. and are largely concentrated in areas around Arizona (such as No. 4 Liveops) and California (such as No. 10 Williams-Sonoma).



Many roles within health care, computer and IT organizations can be done remotely, and these fields are well represented among the top companies filling remote jobs. These are also some of the largest and fastest-growing industries in the U.S., where&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/07/the-industries-with-the-highest-share-of-open-jobs-how-much-they-pay.html">demand</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/06/how-switching-careers-to-tech-could-solve-the-us-talent-shortage.html">pay</a>&nbsp;are strong, especially in today’s tight labor market.



Education companies also grew their remote workforce in the past year: Two e-learning companies, VIPKid and EF Education First, cracked the top 10.



“The most notable change we’ve seen over the past year is not so much the growth in the sheer volume of remote job listings, but the growth in the variety of remote job titles these companies are seeking to hire,” said Sara Sutton, founder and CEO of FlexJobs, in a statement to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/make-it/">CNBC Make It</a>. “Companies are expanding the range of professional positions they’re allowing to work from home.”



According to FlexJobs,<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/22/flexjobs-the-most-popular-remote-work-opportunities.html"> the most common job titles</a> for remote work are accountant, customer service representative, project manager, nurse and writer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">More companies are able to hire internationally</h2>



Global companies and those headquartered in high cost-of-living areas may be able to expand their talent pool by considering applicants who live in other parts of the country, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/03/the-top-10-cities-in-the-world-for-expats-to-live-and-work-abroad.html">even the world</a>.



“The cost of living in many major U.S. cities is high and can be prohibitive,” Michelle Armer, chief people officer at job site CareerBuilder, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/make-it/">CNBC Make It</a>. “Broadly, we’re seeing people&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/29/millennials-are-fleeing-big-cities-for-the-suburbs.html">move away from urban hubs</a>&nbsp;in favor of less popular areas where they can get more space for less.”



People who do their jobs from home, freelance or travel for work are increasingly leaving cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco and taking their families — and jobs — to places including Denver and Boise, Idaho,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/workers-are-fleeing-big-cities-for-small-onesand-taking-their-jobs-with-them-11567848600" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to The Wall Street Journal</a>.



Here are the top 20 companies, hiring hundreds of remote workers each.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. Appen</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia



Industry:&nbsp;Technology (machine learning and artificial intelligence)



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-appen" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;voice coach, linguist, web search evaluator, transcriber



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. Lionbridge</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Waltham, Massachusetts



Industry:&nbsp;Software and business (language translation)



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-lionbridge" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;creative designer, social media assessor, project manager, scheduling assistant



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. VIPKid</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Beijing, China



Industry:&nbsp;Education



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-vipkid" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;online English as a second language teacher



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. Liveops</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Scottsdale, Arizona



Industry:&nbsp;Customer service



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-liveops" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;customer service representative, licensed insurance agent, health care resource specialist



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. Working Solutions</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Dallas, Texas



Industry:&nbsp;Customer service



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-working_solutions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;sales development representative, travel reservation specialist, corporate travel agent



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">6. Kelly Services</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Troy, Michigan



Industry:&nbsp;Staffing



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-kelly_services" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;data entry operator, administrative assistant, software tester, data analyst



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">7. EF Education First</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Cambridge, Massachusetts



Industry:&nbsp;Education



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-ef_-_education_first" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;language teacher, copywriter, content writer, college counselor, IT coordinator



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">8. SYKES</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Tampa, Florida



Industry:&nbsp;Customer service



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-sykes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;customer support agent, executive assistant, senior director of client management



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">9. Concentrix</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Fremont, California



Industry:&nbsp;Business services



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-concentrix" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;sales and service representative



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">10. Williams-Sonoma</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;San Francisco, California



Industry:&nbsp;Retail



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-williams-sonoma" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;customer service agent, technical designer, copy manager



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">11. UnitedHealth Group</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Minneapolis, Minnesota



Industry:&nbsp;Health care



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-unitedhealth_group" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;product director, medical director, health and wellness coach, call center nurse



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">12. LanguageLine Solutions</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Monterey, California



Industry:&nbsp;Translation



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-languageline_solutions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;interpreter, software engineer



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">13. TTEC</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Englewood, Colorado



Industry:&nbsp;Business operations



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-ttec" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;Salesforce developer, software engineer, consultant, web developer



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">14. TranscribeMe</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;San Francisco, California



Industry:&nbsp;Information technology, translation



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-transcribeme" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;transcriptionist



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">15. Humana</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Louisville, Kentucky



Industry:&nbsp;Health care



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-humana" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;sales manager, medical director, business and technology lead, sales executive



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">16. Cactus Communications</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Mumbai, Maharashtra, India



Industry:&nbsp;Communications



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-cactus_communications" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;editor, medical writer, academic research evaluation



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">17. Transcom</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Stockholm, Uppland, Sweden



Industry:&nbsp;Customer service



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-transcom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;technical support representative, payroll administrator, customer service agent



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">18. BroadPath Healthcare Solutions</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Tuscon, Arizona



Industry:&nbsp;Health care



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-broadpath_healthcare_solutions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;director of service operations, provider service representative, insurance claims processor, data specialist



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">19. Dell</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Round Rock, Texas



Industry:&nbsp;Computer technology



<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-dell" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote jobs</a>:&nbsp;program manager, account executive, consultant, sales executive



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">20. Aetna</h2>



Headquarters:&nbsp;Hartford, Connecticut



Industry:&nbsp;Health care



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/telecommuting-jobs-at-aetna" target="_blank">Remote jobs</a>: outreach coordinator, content quality reviewer, network relations manager, health coach



This article was first published on CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/10/top-20-companies-hiring-remote-workers-and-best-remote-roles.html?forYou=true">https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/10/top-20-companies-hiring-remote-workers-and-best-remote-roles.html?forYou=true</a> and is republished with its permission.

These 20 companies around the world are on a hiring spree for work-from-home jobs

It’s been eight years since&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/05/apple-steve-jobs-divided-people-into-2-groups-insanely-great-and-crappy-people-says-ex-employee-guy-kawasaki.html" class="">Steve Jobs</a>&nbsp;passed away on Oct. 5, 2011, but his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/05/amazon-billionaire-ceo-jeff-bezos-ask-yourself-these-12-questions-to-live-a-long-happy-life.html" class="">lessons about life, work and success</a>&nbsp;still live on today.



In a 1994, the Apple co-founder sat down for an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/steve-jobs-in-1994-the-rolling-stone-interview-231132/" class="">interview with Rolling Stone</a>. At the time, Jobs was at one of the lowest points of his career; he had long ago been booted from Apple, and the personal computer revolution seemed to be dimming. And yet, when asked if he still believed in the limitless potential of technology, Jobs answered yes.



“But it’s not a faith in technology. It’s faith in people,” he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">‘Tools are just tools’</h2>



“Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart — and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them,” he said. “Tools are just tools. They either work, or they don’t work.”



Put another way, Jobs believed that in order to achieve great success and create revolutionary changes in the world, we must learn to prioritize the intersection of technology and the humanities, because that’s how the best ideas emerge.



Jobs took this philosophy seriously. Years after he rejoined Apple in 1997, it was clear that he had become a far better leader. His goal, according to Walter Isaacson’s biography <a class="" href="https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Jobs-Walter-Isaacson/dp/1451648537">“Steve Jobs,”</a> was to build an enduring company that prioritized people. Everything else — products and profits — while still important, would be secondary.



Jobs’ vision paid off: He had successfully shifted Apple’s focus back to making cutting-edge products, which resulted in a phase of unprecedented growth for the company.



Here’s how Jobs’ put his “faith in people” into practice:



1. He hired the right people and trusted them to perform



Jobs understood the cost of hiring the wrong people. He was heavily&nbsp;<a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/steve-jobs/8810045/Steve-Jobs-timeline.html" class="">involved in major hiring decisions</a>, and remained so&nbsp;<a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/steve-jobs/8810045/Steve-Jobs-timeline.html" class="">even after taking medical leave</a>.



Plenty of people have a breadth of knowledge that enables them to make good decisions under a variety of circumstances, but you can’t possibly be an expert at everything. The best leaders know what they don’t know, and they bring in experts to help them plan their next move.



As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/27/steve-jobs-advice-on-hiring-helps-grow-this-ceos-talent-pool.html" class="">Jobs once said</a>, “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.”



2. He delivered his demand for excellence in a inspiring way



To many, Jobs’ version of “having faith in people” might not be considered the norm. His occasionally abrasive style of leadership has been described as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-co-founder-chairman-steve-jobs-dies/" class="">“terrorizing”&nbsp;</a>and<a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-co-founder-chairman-steve-jobs-dies/" class="">&nbsp;“extremely demanding.”</a>



But, as proven by Apple’s success, it worked. “Jobs’ rudeness and roughness were accompanied by an ability to be inspirational,” Isaacson wrote in a&nbsp;<a href="https://hbr.org/2012/04/the-real-leadership-lessons-of-steve-jobs" class="">Harvard Business Review</a>&nbsp;article.



Indeed, Jobs knew how to “infuse Apple employees with an abiding passion to create groundbreaking products and a belief that they could accomplish what seemed impossible,” according to Isaacson.



The author recalled Jobs once telling him: “I’ve learned over the years that when you have really good people, you don’t have to baby them. By expecting them to do great things, you can get them to do great things.”



3. He taught them about humility



Some people might get a chuckle out of this one, considering Jobs was known to have a certain degree of arrogance, but he also had the capacity to admit when he was wrong and change his opinion entirely.



<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/01/former-apple-employee-guy-kawasaki-once-stood-up-to-steve-jobs-here-is-the-amazing-response-he-received.html" class="">Guy Kawasaki</a>, former chief evangelist at Apple who worked closely with the tech visionary,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/31/steve-jobs-taught-guy-kawasaki-this-surprising-lesson-about-intelligence.html" class="">told CNBC Make It</a>&nbsp;that one of the most important lessons he learned from Jobs “is that changing your mind, changing what you’re doing and reversing yourself at an extreme is a sign of intelligence.”



When Jobs first introduced the iPhone in 2007, for example, it was a closed system — no one outside of Apple could create an app for it. A year later,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/31/steve-jobs-taught-guy-kawasaki-this-surprising-lesson-about-intelligence.html" class="">Jobs made a complete “180-degree reversal,”</a>&nbsp;Kawasaki said. He opened the system to the public after realizing how much more the device could offer customers with apps written by anyone with a good idea.



In a world of stark dichotomies, it’s good to be fearless about changing sides or altering courses.



4. He taught them to focus



After his return to Apple, Jobs would take his top employees on annual retreats. On the last day of each retreat,&nbsp;<a href="https://hbr.org/2012/04/the-real-leadership-lessons-of-steve-jobs" class="">Isaacson wrote</a>, he’d stand in front of a whiteboard and ask everybody: “What are the 10 things we should be doing next?”



People would fight to get their suggestions on the list. “Jobs would write them down — and then cross off the ones he decreed dumb,” Isaacson continued. “After much jockeying, the group would come up with a list of 10. Then, Jobs would slash seven of them and announce, ‘We can only do three.’”



The theatrics of the activity were meant to teach his employees about focus. “Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do,” Jobs told Isaacson. “That’s true for companies, and it’s true for products.”



5. He engaged face-to-face



If Jobs were alive today, it’d be unlikely for anyone to get a Slack reply from him. According to Isaacson, Jobs believed in the power of in-person conversations and always preferred face-to-face meetings.



“There’s a temptation in our networked age to think that ideas can be developed by email and iChat,” he told Isaacson. “That’s crazy. Creativity comes from spontaneous meetings, from random discussions.”



Even at Pixar, Jobs made sure the building was designed to get people out of their offices and interact with others. The front doors and main stairs and corridors all led to the atrium, which housed essentials like a fitness center, cafe, employee mailboxes and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/steve-jobs-technology-alone-is-not-enough" class="">only set of bathrooms</a>.



It was meant to be the heart of the headquarters, the place where people ran into each other, talked and came up with the most inventive ideas.



<a class="" href="http://marcelschwantes.com/">Marcel Schwantes</a> is a speaker, executive coach and workplace strategist. As a leadership coach, he addresses the elements required to create human-centered workplaces that result in high-performing cultures. Marcel is also the host of the “Leadership from the Core” podcast.



This article first appeared on CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/05/apple-ceo-steve-jobs-technology-is-nothing-heres-what-it-takes-to-achieve-great-success.html">https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/05/apple-ceo-steve-jobs-technology-is-nothing-heres-what-it-takes-to-achieve-great-success.html</a> and is republished with its permission.

Steve Jobs: ‘Technology is nothing’—here’s what he said it really takes to achieve great success

By <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/kathleen-elkins/">Kathleen Elkins</a>



Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO Warren Buffett believes in working with people you respect.



“Try to work for whomever you admire most,” the investing legend told author Gillian Zoe Segal in an interview for her 2015 book,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419715704/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;camp=1789&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;creative=9325&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;creativeASIN=1419715704&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;linkCode=as2&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;tag=getti043-20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;linkId=X6UNEWPT2UNOA7CQ%20%5Ct%20_blank" class="">“Getting There: A Book of Mentors.”</a>&nbsp;“It won’t necessarily be the job that you’ll have 10 years later, but you’ll have the opportunity to pick up so much as you go along.”



It’s advice that served him well: When he was starting his career, well before he made his billions, Buffett took a job with his mentor and hero, Benjamin Graham, without even asking about the salary. “I found that out at the end of the month when I got my paycheck,” he told Segal.



The decision paid off, career-wise. Buffett, who was one of Graham’s students at Columbia Business School, says that his former professor largely <a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/10/billionaire-warren-buffett-tribute-to-investor-teaches-how-to-live-a-successful-and-happy-life.html">shaped his career and investment philosophy</a>.



While&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/25/most-employees-dont-negotiate-their-salary.html" class="">salary is an important factor&nbsp;</a>when thinking about your career, “You don’t want to take a job just for the money,” said Buffett, “and you should never work for people who make your stomach churn or who keep you up at night.”



Buffett’s longtime business partner,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/charlie-munger/" class="">Charlie Munger</a>, who has also made a name for himself as one of today’s most successful investors, offers similar career advice. “Don’t work for anyone you don’t respect and admire,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/16/warren-buffetts-partner-charlie-munger-has-3-rules-for-a-career.html" class="">he has said</a>.&nbsp;“Work only with people you enjoy.”



The two billionaires agree that this advice is most effective if you’ve chosen a career path that interests you. “I have never succeeded very much in anything in which I was not very interested,” Munger said. “If you can’t somehow find yourself very interested in something, I don’t think you’ll succeed very much, even if you’re fairly smart.”



Passion pays off, Buffett told Segal: “You want to be excited when you get out of bed in the morning. I tap dance to work every day.”



This article first appeared on CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/04/warren-buffetts-top-career-advice.html">https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/04/warren-buffetts-top-career-advice.html</a> and is republished with its permission.

Before Warren Buffett made his fortune, he took a job without asking what the salary was—here’s why

By <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/karen-gilchrist/">Karen Gilchrist</a>



<a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/search/?query=Artificial%20intelligence">Artificial intelligence</a> and <a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/cloud-computing/">cloud computing</a> are terms once reserved for the realms of science fiction. But, today, they’ve become an increasingly important — and lucrative — fixture of the employment landscape.



“Some of the top skills we’re seeing that are in great demand are artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing,” Feon Ang, vice president for talent and learning solutions in Asia Pacific at professional networking site&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=LNKD" class="">LinkedIn</a>.



The demand applies globally. However, it especially pertains to the <a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/19/linkedin-these-are-the-most-in-demand-skills-jobs-in-asia-pacific.html">most sought-after skills in Asia Pacific</a>, which is currently suffering a “brain drain,” whereby talented workers are relocating overseas for better socio-economic prospects, Ang told CNBC’s “Capital Connection” Tuesday.



Tech skills should not be viewed in isolation, though — especially given the changing nature of technology.



By some measures, the average skill now lasts&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/20/creative-skills-critical-to-protect-workers-from-automation-expert.html" class="">just six years</a>, which means that workers should be well-equipped with the skills to adapt to the changing work environment.



Such so-called soft skills include <a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/21/future-of-work-these-5-traits-pose-the-biggest-skills-gap-linkedin.html">critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving</a>, noted Ang.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/CNBC-.png" alt="" class="wp-image-343463" width="436" height="526"/></figure></div>



Increasingly, employers and governments are looking at ways to prepare their workforce for such shifts in the jobs landscape.



Amazon&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/11/amazon-plans-to-spend-700-million-to-retrain-a-third-of-its-workforce-in-new-skills-wsj.html" class="">announced last month</a>&nbsp;that it plans to invest $700 million to retrain a third of its workforce. Meanwhile, Democratic presidential hopeful Andrew Yang is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/19/andrew-yang-on-google-amazon-helping-pay-for-his-ubi-plan.html" class="">rallying support for a universal basic income</a>&nbsp;to help Americans cope with volatile future work prospects.



Non-profit organizations, such as international training academy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.womenwhocode.com/" class="">Women Who Code</a>, are also cropping up to address growing skills gaps.



Women Who Code provides training and support from women pursuing careers in tech specifically. But the firm’s CEO, Alaina Percival, told CNBC Tuesday that more companies should be providing training, regardless of whether or not their employees’ work is directly technical.



“This really needs to be done more broadly and it needs to be starting at even younger ages,” said Percival. “Every industry is becoming a technology industry. There aren’t enough highly skilled workers to fill the current market needs.”



However, the responsibility for picking up new skills also falls to individuals, said Ang.



She said the growing availability of free training courses has made accessing education much simpler.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/learning/" class="">LinkedIn Learning</a>, for instance, hosts a wide range of video-based courses, she noted. Meanwhile, more than 10,000 free — or partially free — programs from&nbsp;<a href="https://qz.com/1437623/600-free-online-courses-you-can-take-from-universities-worldwide/" class="">a consortium of 800 universities are also available online</a>&nbsp;via a scheme called Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).



“It’s important for companies to continue to invest in their people so that they are upskilling and reskilling their people to keep up with the roles that are in demand,” said Ang.



“But, at the same time, people need to continue to invest in themselves and have a growth mind set,” she said.



This article first appeared on CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/22/linkedin-ai-big-data-cloud-computing-among-top-future-tech-skills.html">https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/22/linkedin-ai-big-data-cloud-computing-among-top-future-tech-skills.html</a> and is republished with its permission.

LinkedIn calls these 3 of the most sought-after tech skills

By <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/courtney-connley/">Courtney Connley</a>



Traditionally, candidates have been advised to broach the topic of salary only after a job offer is on the table.



But bestselling management author and CNBC contributor Suzy Welch says that the rules have changed: In&nbsp;today’s economy, it’s completely acceptable to discuss salary up front.



Welch tells <a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/make-it/">CNBC Make It</a> it all comes down to “simple economics.”



“Obviously, not all regions and industries are hot,” she says. “But in general, hiring managers are sweating bullets these days. Good candidates are hard to find and even harder to land.”



The upside to today’s tight job market, Welch says, is that “job seekers have leverage, which means you can ask about money when you want — even in the first conversation.” This also means that both the job seeker and the hiring manager are free to “make sure you’re on the same page before you slog through three or four interviews, only to find out you’re moneybags apart.”



But these new rules don’t mean that job seekers should say whatever they want&nbsp;— language, tone and approach are still important.&nbsp;



“Jerks still have a hard time getting hired,” Welch says. “Try something like, ‘This job sounds fantastic and I’m very excited about it. Could you just help me understand the salary range so we can make sure we’re aligned before moving forward?’”



Welch emphasizes that “no economic boom goes on forever, and someday, when tough times return, so may this taboo.” But until that happens, she says, there’s no reason not to be up-front about your expectations from the beginning.&nbsp;



“Go ahead and talk money early. You know you want to, and at last, for now and nicely, you can.”



Suzy Welch is the co-founder of the <a class="" href="http://jwmi.com/?mcv=jdg469">Jack Welch Management Institute</a>and a noted business journalist, TV commentator and public speaker. Think you need Suzy to fix your career? Email her at gettowork@cnbc.com.



This article first appeared on CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/05/suzy-welch-heres-when-to-discuss-salary-in-a-job-interview.html">https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/05/suzy-welch-heres-when-to-discuss-salary-in-a-job-interview.html</a> and is republished with its permission.

Suzy Welch: The rules have changed—here’s when to discuss salary in a job interview

By <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/elizabeth-gravier/">Elizabeth Gravier</a>



Richard Branson is used to shooting for the stars.&nbsp;



Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/09/richard-branson-space-unit-virgin-galactic-plans-to-go-public-wsj.html" class="">Virgin Galactic</a>&nbsp;announced its plans to become the first publicly-traded space tourism company. It’s a bold feat, and one that Branson credits to dreaming big – and out loud.



“One of my most enduring (and hopefully endearing!) habits is talking about plans that are yet to come to fruition,” Branson writes in&nbsp;a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/talking-ahead-yourself" class="">recent blog post</a>. “Whenever I come up with an exciting new idea or hear a thrilling new proposal, I want to tell the world about it straight away.”



He calls this habit “talking ahead of yourself.”



“Far from being a problem, talking ahead of yourself can actually be very useful,” he writes. “By setting yourself future goals that many people deem unrealistic, you actually bring them closer to reality.”



And Branson’s optimism has paid off. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/profiles/richard-c-branson/" class="">self-made billionaire</a>&nbsp;has made a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/richard-branson/#2bf6c8286ff5" class="">fortune</a>&nbsp;creating separate ventures all under the Virgin brandname, including Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Galactic,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/06/richard-branson-wept-when-he-sold-virgin-records-for-a-billion-dollars.html" class="">Virgin Records</a>(which he sold for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/06/richard-branson-wept-when-he-sold-virgin-records-for-a-billion-dollars.html" class="">$1 billion in 1992</a>) and most recently&nbsp;<a href="https://www.virginvoyages.com/" class="">Virgin Voyages</a>, a cruise business launching in 2020.



He writes that the practice of talking about future ideas out loud incentivizes Virgin employees to reach goals, but it also turns restless energy and ideas into real action. “If you start planning ahead for when you do have the exciting new line, the growing profits and the new staff, you’ll be better prepared for success.”



Branson takes inspiration wherever he can find it, but he credits April Fool’s pranks – an annual tradition at Virgin – as a surprising source of ideas. As a prank, he once wrote about new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/virgin-launches-glass-bottomed-plane" class="">glass-bottomed Virgin Atlantic planes</a>, and the idea was so popular that he is now considering installing giant windows in the roof of the planes for stargazing (a decision made after realizing the luggage at the bottom of the plane would block any type of view through a glass surface.)



“Sometimes the most far-fetched schemes are the most plausible,” Branson writes. “Often sensible plans go out of the window. You have to be ready for anything. If you talk ahead of yourself, your team will be ready for it too. You’ve got to have a dream before you can go about making it come true.”



This article first appeared on CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/15/why-richard-branson-talks-about-his-big-goals-publicly.html?forYou=true">https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/15/why-richard-branson-talks-about-his-big-goals-publicly.html?forYou=true</a> and is republished with its permission.

Why billionaire Richard Branson talks about his goals before he has any idea how to accomplish them

By <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/courtney-connley/">Courtney Connley</a>



The flexibility to work remotely is a perk many workers dream of having.



But according to bestselling management author and CNBC contributor Suzy Welch, working from the comfort of your home or coffee shop can easily become “a career killer.”



“I understand that as an employee, sometimes remote work is the only way work is possible,” Welch tells&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/make-it/" class="">CNBC Make It</a>. “And I understand as a boss, sometimes remote work is the only way to get the person you need.”



However, she says, though working remotely has a few “very real upsides,” it has serious drawbacks as well.



“Here’s the truth,” says Welch. “The best work in an organization, the important work, it never gets done on the phone, or over email or on Slack.”



Instead, she says, “it is almost always facilitated by relationships and understandings that only happen when people are together physically.” Great teams are built on “the banter, the lunches, the late nights, the jokes, the asides, the shared ah-has!”



That type of bonding, she says, “builds layers of trust, and trust is a career’s rocket fuel. You can fly without it, but you can’t soar.”



Welch emphasizes that if you’re content with where your career is now, or you’re not interested in a leadership role, working remotely may be a perfectly acceptable option for you. “You can contribute working remotely,” she says. “You can even get promoted.”



But, if you want to move up the ranks and become a leader in your organization, “you need to be in the building.”



“Leadership is an inside job,” says Welch, “and it starts in the room where trust happens.”



Suzy Welch is the co-founder of the <a class="" href="http://jwmi.com/?mcv=jdg469">Jack Welch Management Institute</a>and a noted business journalist, TV commentator and public speaker. Think you need Suzy to fix your career? Email her at gettowork@cnbc.com.



This article first appeared on CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/01/suzy-welch-why-working-from-home-can-be-terrible-for-your-career.html">https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/01/suzy-welch-why-working-from-home-can-be-terrible-for-your-career.html</a> and is republished with its permission.

Suzy Welch: Why working from home can be terrible for your career

By <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/courtney-connley/">Courtney Connley</a>



Not every job you hold will be your dream job, but according to bestselling management author and CNBC contributor Suzy Welch, treating any job as a simple means to an end is a mistake.



Not only is it a mistake, Welch tells&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/make-it/" class="">CNBC Make It</a>, but your intentions will be clear to prospective employers — and that could kill your chances in a job interview.



“Would you marry someone who said, ‘You’re OK, but only until someone better comes along?’” she asks. “Obviously no — but that’s exactly what prospective employers hear when you utter the phrase of death in any job interview.”



That phrase? “Stepping stone.”



The first time Welch heard these two words in an interview was when she was a hiring manager looking to add editors to the business magazine she was running. She was hoping to hire a particularly talented candidate, who seemed interested in the job. The interview went well, and Welch says she ended it by asking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/31/how-to-answer-the-interview-question-where-do-you-see-yourself-in-5-years.html" class="">a classic question</a>, “Where do you see yourself in three years?”



“Probably in communications for a bank,” the candidate replied. “I’d love to transition to that industry, which makes this job such an excellent stepping stone.”



Welch knew immediately that was the end of the road with that candidate, no matter how impressive her talent.



“Don’t get me wrong — I actually admire people who think strategically about their careers,” she says. “After seven years as a crime reporter, I knew I needed an MBA and a few years of consulting before I could legitimately cover business, and I’ve even advised my own kids to work at certain companies just to gain skills.”



But though every job you hold won’t be a lifetime commitment, you can’t move throughout your career “using employers for your own needs.” Doing this, Welch says, will inevitably backfire — even if you don’t use the dreaded phrase “stepping stone,” your strategy will become clear to employers.



And treating your job “as a means to an end” isn’t a particularly satisfying way to live. “It’s beyond strategic. It’s beyond ambition. It’s just kind of mercenary.”



“I’m not only saying, ‘Don’t utter the words ‘stepping stone’ in an interview,’” Welch emphasizes. “I’m saying don’t even think them. Even if you know a job isn’t forever, it’s your professional home while they’re paying you.”



Instead, approach every job opportunity as though it could actually turn out to be your dream job, regardless of how long you plan to be there.



“That’s the only way to make true friends with your colleagues, earn a reputation as a team player and hopefully do something every day that’s bigger than you,” she says. “Maybe you’ll leave someday. Maybe you won’t. But if you do, in time, it will be with integrity — and that’s a step worth taking.”



Suzy Welch is the co-founder of the <a class="" href="http://jwmi.com/?mcv=jdg469">Jack Welch Management Institute</a>and a noted business journalist, TV commentator and public speaker. Think you need Suzy to fix your career? Email her at gettowork@cnbc.com.



This article first appeared on CNBC<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/17/facebook-announces-libra-digital-currency-calibra-digital-wallet.html"> </a><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/17/suzy-welch-2-words-you-should-never-say-in-a-job-interview.html">https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/17/suzy-welch-2-words-you-should-never-say-in-a-job-interview.html</a> and is republished with its permission.

Suzy Welch: 2 words you should never say in a job interview

By <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/michelle-fox/">Michelle Fox</a> 



If you want a more productive employee, give them a paid day off from work every week. 



That’s the philosophy of Andrew Barnes, founder of the New Zealand company Perpetual Garden. He tried the experiment last year, and the results made both Barnes and his employees happy. Now his workers enjoy a permanent four-day work week.



“This is all about working smarter, not working longer,” said Barnes, whose firm manages wills, trusts and estates.



“We have this perception that you’ve got to work five days a week, 9-5. What we are really talking about is changing how people are behaving when they are at the office,” he recently told CNBC’s “The Exchange. ”



In other words, less goofing off and more focusing on work. The idea is that employees give the company 100% productivity. They still get 100% of their salary, but only work 80% of the standard hours.



It’s a success because employees get the perk — and they concentrate more consistently on work during that time than their 9-5 counterparts do, suggests Barns.



Several studies back him up. According to a U.K. study done in 2017 by deals site Vouchercloud, the average employee spends two hours and 53 minutes each day working productively.



Separately, a 2018 survey by the Workforce Institute at Kronos found that more than half of full-time workers thought they could do their job in five hours a day if they didn’t have any interruptions. It polled 3,000 employees across eight nations.



Barnes is hoping other employers learn from his experience. He recently wrote a report that laid out his results and includes recommendations for how to implement a similar program.



However, he said many companies are “scared” to take the chance because they’ve been so conditioned about a five-day work week.



“What we’re saying is that if you engage with your staff, if you give them the opportunity to come up with ideas, if you say to them, ‘look, if you do things differently we will gift you this day off a week,’ what they do is they change how they behave at work,” he said.



“That improves the productivity and that delivers that much higher output, but at the same time gives you all the benefits of work-life balance, [and] a healthier, more loyal, more engaged staff,” he added.



Barnes is not alone in recognizing the benefits of a shorter work week. Last year, the Berlin-based project management company Planio introduced a 4-day work week for its small staff. The ad agency Grey New York, owned by WPP, also launched a program last year that allowed staff to work a four-day week for 85% of their full-time salary.



—Reuters contributed to this report.



This article was first published by CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/23/a-4-day-work-week-results-in-more-loyal-more-engaged-staff.html?forYou=true">https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/23/a-4-day-work-week-results-in-more-loyal-more-engaged-staff.html?forYou=true</a> and is republished with its permission.

Forget the 5-day work week—just 4 days results in ‘a healthier, more loyal, more engaged staff’

<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/courtney-connley/">By Courtney Connley</a>



Are you the person in your company who cleans up your boss’s messes and soothes the hurt feelings they leave in their wake? 



If the answer is yes, says bestselling management author and CNBC contributor Suzy Welch, “you’re probably a toxic handler&nbsp;— a job likely handed to you without having been asked, and one you should shed as soon as humanly possible.”



The concept of the “toxic handler” was first introduced in a <a class="" href="https://hbr.org/1999/07/the-toxic-handler-organizational-hero-and-casualty">1999 Harvard Business Review article</a> written by Canadian business academics Sandra Robinson and the late Peter Frost. In the article, Welch tells <a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/make-it/">CNBC Make It</a>, “Frost and Robinson did a brilliant job describing the heroics that toxic handlers often perform to keep their teams functioning.”



“Usually,” Welch says, ”[toxic handlers] are close in stature to the boss — a second-in-command, so to speak. And in that role, they manage to do their own jobs, plus spend an inordinate amount of time putting out the fires their boss has started.”



Welch says this job is an “unhealthy full-time side hustle,” and one that probably sounds all too familiar to many professionals.&nbsp;



In almost every situation, “being a toxic handler is a dead-end gig.” For one, it’s emotionally draining. And in many cases, “jerk bosses do get fired, and their toxic handlers are usually the collateral damage that goes out the door with them.”



“There’s no shame in being a toxic handler,” she emphasizes. “It’s a role usually imposed on the nicest people in an organization.”



But if that role has been given to you then it’s in your best interest to give it back, even if that means going to HR about the situation. “Your toxic boss may not be happy — he needs you to survive,” she says. “But if&nbsp;you&nbsp;want to survive, you have to let him clean up that mess himself. ”



Suzy Welch is the co-founder of the <a class="" href="http://jwmi.com/?mcv=jdg469">Jack Welch Management Institute</a>and a noted business journalist, TV commentator and public speaker. Think you need Suzy to fix your career? Email her at gettowork@cnbc.com.



This article was first published by CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/15/suzy-welch-this-is-the-one-job-offer-you-should-never-accept.html">https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/15/suzy-welch-this-is-the-one-job-offer-you-should-never-accept.html </a>and is republished with its permission.

Suzy Welch: This is the one job offer you should never accept

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Career Women’s Networking Kigali is a firm of over 400 highly influential career women that connects and empower career women in Rwanda, in the pursuit of excellence to positively impact the world. Joining CNBC Africa to tell us more about how they hope to achieve this is Lucy Schalkwijk, founder and chair of Career Women’s Network Kigali.

This Rwandan platform aims to empower and connect career women

By Brianna Hansen, admissions and data coordinator for Cornerstone University&#8217;s Professional &amp; Graduate Studies division.
Communication is critically important for advancing your career. Whether you are a public speaker or spend most of your workday interacting with a computer screen or a steering wheel, effective communication skills will serve you well.
From improving your customer service to creating better relationships with your boss and coworkers, the benefits of communication are both obvious and surprising. Good communication is essential to achieving your professional goals and to being heard and understood.
Of course, this raises an important question: how can you grow in communication? If it&#8217;s so important for your career, you need actionable steps you can implement immediately.
Here are eight methods for improving your communication.
1. LISTEN FIRST
Female professional having a conversation with a male professional at a table
The art of effective listening is essential to clear communication, and clear communication is necessary to management success. —James Cash Penney
Have you ever worked with someone who is more than willing to share their opinion but isn&#8217;t interested in anyone else&#8217;s? It&#8217;s frustrating, right? They make you feel like nothing you say matters.
Communicating is a two-way street. Listening is the most important communication skill because it makes the other party feel heard and improves your understanding of the situation. This may seem a bit counter-intuitive, but it&#8217;s critically important. Two-way communication simply can&#8217;t happen if you&#8217;re not attentively listening to others.
By waiting to listen before talking, you create a positive dynamic between you and anyone else in the conversation. Listening also creates trust, and if you give someone your undivided attention and listen with your entire body, you can build trust and empathy far quicker than any other communication method.
You also give yourself an opportunity to compose your thoughts before delving into your desired message, which is a critical aspect of effective, results-oriented communication.
&nbsp;
2. ASK QUESTIONS SECOND
I&#8217;m a very strong believer in listening and learning from others. —Ruth Bader Ginsburg
There is no more explicit way to make someone feel heard than to ask them questions and, when possible, to repeat some of their main ideas back to them.
Not only does this help you get to know them better (and help you form memories of important details), it makes it clear that you are an intentional listener who is committed to fully understanding people and their needs.
And by reiterating some of their main points, you ensure that you truly understand the points they make. This is what&#8217;s often called &#8220;active listening.&#8221; Active listening is not just hearing a person&#8217;s words but processing and incorporating them into your own response.
&nbsp;
3. THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK
Graphic showing head with two speech bubbles
There is a difference between listening and waiting for your turn to speak. —Simon Sinek
Preparing for a conversation can be very helpful. It allows you to structure your thoughts, anticipate objections and consider how your words will be received.
In the conversation itself, there may be times when someone says something you instinctively disagree with. In those moments, pause before you respond. Take time to consider what they&#8217;re saying. Speaking rashly can lead to painful consequences for both you and the person hearing you.
If something upsets you, it may be best to not respond at all in the moment. Let your emotions pass and come back to the subject when you can speak in a calm, clear and helpful manner. The last thing you want to do is lash out against the other person.
&nbsp;
4. BE YOURSELF 
Communication—the human connection—is the key to personal and career success. —Paul J. Meyer
Many people are so focused on communicating &#8220;professionally&#8221; that they forget to communicate personally. You&#8217;ve seen it and maybe you&#8217;ve even done it. It often involves a person using a lot of jargon words that don&#8217;t actually mean much. If you find yourself using words and phrases like synergy, incentivize, outside the box, ideate or move the needle, you may be slipping into jargon talk.
Professionalism is important. But if you worry more about seeming professional than just being yourself, it&#8217;s easy to get overlooked in the hustle when people are forced to make decisions based on gut feelings.
In those situations, people turn to their subconscious, which bonds with personalities far more than with polished, impersonal jargon.
&nbsp;
5. BRIEF IS BEST
Two adult males having a conversation at a table
Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions to affect other people. —Jim Rohn
This may seem counterintuitive after the encouragement to listen, ask questions and slow down before making your statement or request. But there are several good reasons why being brief is best.
Aiming to be brief prevents you from making potential mistakes, trims the filler around your main purpose and leaves the other party with the sense that you listened far more than you spoke. Even if you make a big request, do it in fewer, smaller words.
Ever notice how much more believable stories are when there aren&#8217;t too many seemingly-impossible details in it? The same is true of your communication. Be honest and forthcoming, but also be straight to the point. Even if you have a large chunk of time for a conversation, devote most of it to listening.
&nbsp;
6. BE ASSERTIVE
Honest communication is built on truth and integrity and upon respect of the one for the other. —Benjamin E. Mays
This is a fine but very important line to walk.
Many people mistakenly believe that being assertive or having an opinion in the workplace is bad. They choose to remain silent in hopes that they will be perceived as more agreeable, only to find that the people with louder opinions get more attention.
This isn&#8217;t always because they are annoying or controversial. Oftentimes, being assertive about your opinions can show that you are confident and care about the work you&#8217;re doing.
You don&#8217;t have to be uncooperative to offer an opinion, and there is a fine line between caring and seeming selfish. But not inserting your thoughts or opinion may is far more likely to make you seem uninterested or forgettable than to help you achieve your goals.
Simply be respectful and humble in the way you share your opinions and you&#8217;ll be heard without coming across as overly aggressive.
&nbsp;
7. DON&#8217;T COMPLAIN, MAKE SUGGESTIONS
Close up photo of two individuals having coffee
Words—so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them. —Nathaniel Hawthorne
It is seemingly natural to complain when things are stressful, frustrating or not going according to plan. But instead of complaining, offer up helpful suggestions for what can be improved and how to do it.
Complaining is perceived as negative, while offering helpful feedback is perceived as being personally invested in the situation. Within reason, try to avoid complaining and instead offer positive, insightful suggestions.
You&#8217;re more likely to get results and leave a positive impression on those around you. Suggestions for improvement build teamwork, while complaints are perceived as selfish, even if everyone secretly agrees with you.
&nbsp;
8. OFFER ENCOURAGEMENT
Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble. —Yehuda Berg
Most of us think of encouragement as cheesy, awkward or simply hard to do. However, few things are more refreshing and motivating than simple compliments.
But you may notice that when someone does something well, and simply mentioning that from time to time is one of the most surefire ways to demonstrate that you are invested in other people and aren&#8217;t afraid of communicating that with them.
&nbsp;
YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS
The good news is that if you want to, you can improve your communication effectiveness by focusing on a few skills. A sincere desire to hear and be heard is a great place to start—after all, communication is a two-way street.
Start with listening and identifying a few areas that you could improve. Even if your primary goal is career advancement, you can&#8217;t fake good communication. So, slow down and commit to learning some of these valuable skills. There&#8217;s no limit to how much you can improve as a communicator, or how far that can take you.

Op-Ed: Eight ways to grow in communication and seriously boost your career

Looking to move abroad in 2017? Six of the top ten countries for a successful expat career are in Europe.
This is according to the latest HSBC Expat Explorer survey, which asked 26,871 people living away from their home country to fill in an online questionnaire about their experiences. 
&#8220;According to our survey, Europe is home to some of the best destinations for a successful expat career. Six European countries have made their way into the top 10 and are recognized for their strong work culture, great work-life balance and relatively good job security,&#8221; said Dean Blackburn, head of HSBC Expat, in a press release.
&#8220;The start of the new year is a good time for expats and prospective expats alike to reflect on what they have achieved to date and start to plan the next steps in their international careers. What&#8217;s clear in our survey, is that working abroad offers a wealth of opportunities to suit many different career needs and personal priorities.&#8221;
Let&#8217;s take a look at the top ten and why they are the best destinations for an international career.
<ul>
<li>1st – Switzerland</li>
</ul>
For the second year in a row, Switzerland is the top ranking destination in HSBC&#8217;s survey.
It&#8217;s the best all-round destination for professionals, offering the best earnings prospects along with an excellent work culture.
The survey found 69 percent of expats in Switzerland saw an improvement in their work-life balance, while the average expat income in Switzerland was $188,275, compared to a global average of $97,419. 
<ul>
<li>2nd – Germany</li>
</ul>
Germany has risen from third place in 2015&#8217;s rankings to second place. According to HSBC&#8217;s Expat Careers tool, which matches a user&#8217;s career goals with scores from the survey, Germany is the best destination for expats who prioritize learning new skills, job security and career progression.
<ul>
<li>3rd – Sweden</li>
</ul>
Sweden slipped from second place in 2015&#8217;s set of rankings. One of the main appeals for expats is the country&#8217;s work culture; 71 percent of expats said they experience an improvement in their working environment compared to their home country.
<ul>
<li>4th – United Arab Emirates</li>
</ul>
The Middle East can offer expats an attractive employment package, according to the survey. For instance, 56 percent of expats working in the UAE received an accommodation allowance and 75 percent received health benefits.
<ul>
<li>5th – Norway</li>
</ul>
Norway is a newcomer to the Expat Explorer survey&#8217;s top ten and expats in the country are most likely to experience an improvement in their work-life balance, with 87 percent of expats saying their work-life balance improved.
Norway is a good destination choice for professionals who prioritize their work-life balance, work culture and work fulfillment, according to the Expat Careers tool.
<ul>
<li>6th – Singapore</li>
</ul>
Slipping from fifth place in 2015, Singapore scores highly for career development, with 62 percent of expats based in Singapore saying it is a good place for expats to progress their career.
In addition, 53 percent of expats in Singapore said they enjoy greater work fulfillment since making the move.
<ul>
<li>7th – Austria</li>
</ul>
Another newcomer to the top ten, Austria scored highly for its favorable working conditions. The majority of expats in Austria said their work-life balance (71 percent) and work culture (62 percent) was better than in their native country.
<ul>
<li>8th – Hong Kong</li>
</ul>
Like Singapore, Hong Kong is great for career development, with 68 percent of expats agreeing it was a good destination for career progression. However, this comes at a cost with 50 percent of expats saying their work-life balance declined after making the move.
Hong Kong is the best destination for professionals prioritizing career progression, earnings prospects and employment benefits, according to HSBC&#8217;s Expat careers tool.
<ul>
<li>9th – United Kingdom</li>
</ul>
The third newcomer to the top ten, the U.K. climbed nine places from 18th in the 2015 rankings, with 64 percent of expats in the U.K. saying they were better able to pick up new skills compared to their home country, while 62 percent enjoyed better career progression.
It&#8217;s worth pointing out here that the HSBC survey was conducted between March and May 2016, before the U.K. referendum on membership of the European Union, so the views of expats may change in a post-Brexit world.
<ul>
<li>10th – Bahrain</li>
</ul>
Bahrain slipped three places in the rankings from seventh to tenth. Similar to the UAE, expats in the Middle East can receive attractive employment benefits; 65 percent of expats in Bahrain said they received an annual allowance to take trips home.﻿

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