A productive work environment is about more than just having technically-skilled employees. Research has shown that positive work environments boost morale and improve productivity. In essence, when people look forward to work, they work better.   

Warren County Community College understands this connection and is continuing its commitment to providing training in every facet of workforce development through business skills training led by renowned corporate trainer, speaker and author John Eric Jacobsen. A host of Jacobsen’s courses will be held at the College’s Phillipsburg Education Center throughout the next few months.     

Often overlooked, business skills training, also known as soft skills training, is important for personnel retention and morale by helping employees and employers deal with non-technical issues like problem solving, navigating professional relationships, managing stress, and more.  

Jacobsen joins WCCC as a guest Business Skills Instructor after spending 30-plus years as co-founder and president of Jacobsen Business Seminar, Inc., as part of which he has addressed more than one million people across 5,000 talks and seminars nationwide.   

Focusing on personal and professional development, which he says are often intertwined, the author and speaker has addressed audiences across fields, from small business to large corporations and even the U.S. military. His talks and books, including “Weapons of Mass Instruction,” blend instruction with humor in a way that engages attendees and leaves a lasting impression.  

Local employees who have taken part in his courses have called them “eye-opening” and “full of ah-ha moments.”   

“My success has stemmed from my strong commitment and sense of professionalism,” said Jacobsen. “I maintain high ethical work standards for myself and have an excellent rapport with clients and employees.”  

In other words, he practices what he preaches in his seminars and workshops.  

Beginning in January and through May, Jacobsen will be the instructor for several courses at WCCC:    

Emotional Mastery in the Workplace , Thursday, Jan. 9, 9 a.m.-12 noon  

Negative emotions can impact work experience in a myriad of ways. They can spoil professional and personal relationships, create stress and health problems, reduce productivity, and ruin self-esteem. Emotional Mastery in the Workplace can lead to business and personal success by providing solutions to approach these negative emotions as they arise at work and home.  

Overcoming Workplace Negativity , Thur., Jan. 9, 12:30-3:30 p.m. 

Chronic negativity, difficult people, and low morale can cost companies in productivity and even lead to good people quitting. Overcoming Workplace Negativity provides insight into ways to confront negativity constructively. Tools learned include the early detection of negativity, techniques to deal with different types of personalities, steps for interacting with negative people, strategies for letting employees blow off steam in a healthy way, and what to do if you are considered the negative one.  

Stress Management for Health & Success, Thur., Feb. 6, 9 a.m.-12 noon  

Even the most seasoned of employees are left frazzled sometimes. Pressures, deadlines, and difficult situations can cause stress, leading to lack of energy at work, worrying even when off the clock, and, worst of all, health problems. Stress is linked to insomnia, headaches, anxiety, and absentmindedness, all of which can lead to lower productivity. This seminar discusses ways to manage stress at work and at home to be more productive and positive.  

Effective Time Mastery , Thursday, Feb. 6, 12:30-3:30 p.m. 

In this interactive and supportive workshop, students will learn and share insights and practical techniques to help plan effectively, prioritize responsibilities, and become better organized so they can make the most of their time both at work and in their personal lives. At the end of the seminar, students will have created an action plan for setting priorities and managing their time.  

Communication Mastery for Success, Friday, May 1, 9 a.m.-12 noon  

Research has shown that human relation skills are imperative for professional success, but what are human relation skills? These include the ability to create positive, productive relationships, as well as build trust and rapport with coworkers, clients, professional contacts, and others. While technical skills and knowledge are important for getting the work done, communication and interpersonal relations help advancement, enhances productivity, and ensures job satisfaction. The communication skills learned in this one-day training can also be applied to personal relations!  

Dealing with Difficult People , Friday, May 1, 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 

Difficult people: everyone knows one. This seminar will help students become better equipped to understand and empathize with the difficult people in their professional and personal lives. Designed to provide techniques to learn how difficult people think, what they fear, and why they do what they do in order to humanize them, this seminar will discuss actionable ways to derail problem behavior, ask them for respect, and bring out the best in people. After all, nobody is difficult all the time (and everyone is difficult some of the time).

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Classes are grant funded and available to to NJ employees working 20 or more hours per week (excludes government employees).  To register for these classes, or for more information, please visit www.warren.edu/workforce-training/.