The answer comes from a recent study of 12,000 workers in 6,000 organizations conducted by the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor.

The researchers reviewed more than 200 common activities that contribute to productivity on the job. Here’s what they found:

• The ability to listen to customers was the most important and most frequent activity that 82% of the respondents said they performed.

Other highly rated skills were:

• Using a computer to locate, process and communicate information.

• Scheduling and determining the priority of work activities.

• Providing information.

• Judging the importance, quality and accuracy of information.

• Collaborating with people in other departments.

• Coordinating one’s own work activities with the activities of others.

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