Social-Emotional Skills Support South Carolina's Workforce Success

Across the country, business executives have observed that too many employees and job applicants lack the “social-emotional skills” necessary to succeed on the job. This has consequences for the capability of businesses to compete in the global economy. 

Businesses need employees who can communicate well with coworkers or customers, collaborate to solve problems, and persevere to overcome challenges. The truth is, the foundation for these skills is laid in a child’s earliest years, as much of a child’s brain architecture is developed during the first five years of life. This directly impacts the development of the social and emotional capabilities that support long-term success in school and the workforce. In a recent Zogby Survey of 300 business decision-makers, 92 percent agreed that early childhood experiences affect the development of social-emotional skills later in life.


In this South Carolina ReadyNation report, we examine how character skills formed in early childhood contribute to building a strong workforce with the necessary social-emotional skills for the 21st century economy.