News: Telephone and Writing Skills
Poor literacy skills present training opportunities
21 May 2008
Businesses may have to provide extra literacy and writing training if they are to get the best out of their employees.
A new survey by an educational software provider has claimed that over two thirds of British adults (67.97 per cent) have "below average" literacy skills.
Dr Heather Kerr of Basic Writing Skills, which carried out the research, warned: "The teaching of grammar and punctuation has therefore been largely neglected for about 30 years and we are seeing the results of that now.
"Giving employees the chance to master basic writing skills will bring many additional benefits, creating a better working environment, motivating the workforce, improving workplace safety, encouraging employees to be more self-sufficient and, perhaps most importantly, boosting profits!"
Indeed, recent research from Ernst and Young claimed that shortcomings in literacy are costing the British economy some £10 billion each year.
This week (May 17th to 23rd) is Adult Learner's Week nationwide. Recent official statistics suggest that 5.2 million people in Britain are "functionally illiterate". 
