This premier virtual series is now available for non-members to participate and ETF-approved.

The Essential Skills for Thriving in the Workplace series will equip your employees with a comprehensive toolkit of skills to strengthen collaboration and contribute to organizational success through personal accountability.

Click on this link to view the flyer: Essential Skills for Thriving in the Workplace 

What Past Participants Are Saying

Professionals across Hawaii are finding real value in this course. Here's what they had to say:

Engaging and Relatable Facilitator
“Christina is very approachable and I did not feel nervous to participate, share opinions or ask questions. She also appears well-versed in the material, which made listening to her and learning from her very easy.”
“Christina did an excellent job on all four courses! Her personal stories helped me connect with the content and retain what I learned.”
“Christina was amazing. Very knowledgeable and engaging. Made subject matter very understandable and meaningful.”

Improved Communication & Emotional Intelligence
“This course helped me better understand how to communicate with coworkers using Emotional Intelligence while maintaining or building trust.”
“It is a great course to help better understand how to be an effective communicator—especially with different communication types.”

Interactive and Reflective Learning
“Great course! I personally like the interaction with other students.”
“I appreciate how the facilitator helped me relate to the topic and rethink my approach and the intentions of others. Great training & terrific, positive facilitator!”

Learners who complete all four courses in this series within a 1-year period of time, will receive a digital Certificate of Completion and brand-new badge! Celebrate your achievement by sharing your certificate and badge on social media and adding them to your LinkedIn profile.

1) Using Emotional Intelligence to Strengthen Work Relationships

Friday, Feb. 6, 2026  9–10:30 a.m.
Emotional intelligence is one of the biggest predictors of success in the workplace, as success at work often relies on collaboration and respectful interactions. Setting the foundation for the rest of this series, this course is aimed at enhancing your employees' emotional intelligence for improved interpersonal  relationships with peers and leaders.

Participants will explore the topics of self awareness, examining how these fundamental concepts serve as the cornerstone of effective social interactions. They will also learn practical strategies to regulate their emotions, navigate diverse relationships with colleagues, and come away with a comprehensive toolkit to contribute to a positive work environment. By understanding the connection between emotional intelligence and successful work relationships, your employees will unlock their journey toward elevating their interpersonal skills and thriving in the workplace.

2) Communicating with Intention for Meaningful Outcomes

Friday, Feb. 13, 2026  9–10:30 a.m.

This course is designed to equip participants with the skills necessary to communicate effectively and empathetically, as communication is not just about exchanging information —it’s about fostering a level of understanding that drives collaboration and success in the workplace.

Throughout this course, participants will explore the multi-faceted and intricate nature of communication, spanning various methods and modes of expression to gain a holistic perspective. At the core of this course lies the principle of intentionality, which aims to establish a clear understanding of desired outcomes or goals.

Starting with the end in mind, participants will develop an awareness of their personal communication styles and patterns in order to purposefully approach their interpersonal interactions. Your employees will come away empowered to navigate workplace communication with confidence and competence. 

3)  Fostering Trust through Personal Accountability

Friday, Feb. 20, 2026  9–10:30 a.m.
Trust is the cornerstone of a successful workplace, but it is not always readily given; instead, it must be cultivated through individual accountability and conscientious responsibility.

This course will delve into how to use individual accountability to contribute to a trusting, collaborative workplace culture. Participants will explore how trust and accountability intersect, recognizing how accountability acts as the catalyst for building trust.

Through analyzing both the practical and emotional dimensions of trust, participants will assess their strengths and weaknesses in areas such as reliability, consistency, authenticity, and integrity. With this understanding, your employees will be able to strategize how to personally overcome potential barriers to trust and implement practical techniques to foster trusting relationships and enhance teamwork. 

4)  Critical Thinking for Creative Problem Solving

Friday, Feb. 27, 2026  9–10:30 a.m.
In this course, participants will explore the differences between critical thinking and creative thinking, understanding how each contributes uniquely to problem-solving endeavors. They will uncover the benefits and impact of both creative and critical thinking, recognizing that creative thinking fosters flexibility and curiosity to discover possible solutions, while critical thinking promotes objectivity and rationality to determine which is most effective.

Participants will learn systematic steps for examining information, asking the right questions, and evaluating the available options. Additionally, they will explore the concept of framing problems as questions to shift their focus to potential solutions and possibilities.

By the end of this course, your employees will emerge equipped with the tools and techniques necessary to cultivate a critical mindset and embrace curiosity in problem solving, empowering them to tackle challenges with confidence and creativity. 

Trainers:

Talent & Organizational Development Team

Details:

The courses in this series will be held on Zoom and will not be recorded.

This is a copyrighted course. Participants may not reproduce (which includes the use of AI screen capture, transcription or note-taking applications), redistribute, disclose, share, email, or otherwise transmit any part of these materials to any other individual or entity, without prior written permission of the Hawaii Employers Council.

We will send you Zoom links and handouts a few days before each session.

Registration:

APPLY FOR ETF: 

Important Notice: The ETF Subsidy Application Deadline Has Passed

Thank you for your interest in "1E2602 Essential Skills for Thriving in the Workplace (Employee Series) - Full Series of 4 Courses (EST 1-4)." Please note that the deadline to apply for the State of Hawaii Employment & Training Fund (ETF) subsidy has passed as of Jan. 23, 2026. While ETF funds are no longer available for this series, you are still welcome to register and attend at the regular rate.

We encourage you to complete your registration and take advantage of this valuable training opportunity. If you have any questions, please contact our team at registrars@hecouncil.org.

We look forward to seeing you at the workshops!

HEC Members: $180 ($90 with ETF)
Non Members: $390 ($195 with ETF)

For more information on the ETF application process, please visit our ETF page.

ATTEND WHOLE SERIES (without applying for ETF):

Member price for all four virtual courses in this series: $180.00* per person.
Non-Member price for all four virtual courses in this series: $360.00 per person.
Please register online below.  To pay by invoice, contact registrars@hecouncil.org.

 *Bulk rate price is available for Members Only at $160.00 per person for groups of 10 or more people.
Please register and pay online with a credit card by clicking on the link below.  
(Names & email addresses for each employee are needed.)
To pay by invoice, contact registrars@hecouncil.org. 

ATTEND INDIVIDUAL COURSES:
(The digital Certificate of Completion and badge are only given to those who completed all four courses in the series within a 1-year period of time.)

Member price for each virtual course is $45 per person
Non-member price for each virtual course is $90 per person

Feb. 6: Using Emotional Intelligence to Strengthen Work Relationships (EST1)
Feb. 13: Communicating with Intention for Meaningful Outcomes (EST 2)
Feb. 20: Fostering Trust through Personal Accountability (EST 3)
Feb. 27: Critical Thinking for Creative Problem Solving (EST 4)

Please register online below. 
(Names & email addresses for each employee are needed.)
To pay by invoice, contact registrars@hecouncil.org.

Registration Deadline:

Registration will close at 6:30 a.m. on the day before the scheduled date of each course.

Cancellation and Class Switching Policy:

Cancellations must be made 7 days before the class date to receive a refund. 

No Shows on the day of the workshop cannot be rescheduled or refunded.

Please email registrars@hecouncil.org to cancel or request attendee switching.

Digital Certificates of Completion and Badges:

Learners who complete all courses in this series within a 12-month period will receive a digital Certificate of Completion and badge to celebrate their achievement. By registering for this series, you agree to allow HEC to release your name and email address to a third-party digital credentialing service (Certifier) to issue your certificate and badge to you via email. If you do not want a Certificate of Completion or badge, please send notification to email@hecouncil.org prior to completing the final course in the series.