How to get ahead at work
Today we look at the kind of activities, attitudes, actions and things to avoid to get you ahead at work and make you a ‘four A’ employee rating superstar.
The basics
Time
Turn up to work on time and as strange as it may seem, ready for work. Being fresh, willing and effective from the get-go sets you apart from the crowd. It also sets you apart from those who arrive at 8.30 for a 9.00 am start, but are still drinking coffee at 9.45 to wake themselves up!
Effort
If you have run out of things to do, got get some more work from your boss. Not only will your boss appreciate your efforts, they will also see you in a whole new light.
Skill
Be sure to invest in your own skills as well as take on any offers of training from your employer. New skills lead to a new potential for you to grow and also keeps the door open in the manager’s mind that you are a critical and willing assets to their ever evolving business.
Quality
Set a high standard for quality, then meet and exceed that standard. Quality is instantly recognisable and will set you apart from those just clocking in and out.
The softer skills
Gossip, grapevines, and social skills
Don’t be the office gossip and/or engage with it if you can. The hot bed of who is doing what, when, where, why and with whom is a hot potato and when all hell breaks loose, as it always does, you don’t want to be the one with the burnt hands.
Watch your words
Positivity sells, negativity marks you out as a bad employee or at the very least a troublesome one. Getting promoted as negative Nigel is far harder than if you are positive Peter.
Workstation heaven
Where permitted make your workstation and general working area a pleasant place. If you are allowed and have the room add plants or other items that mean you are making a bit of a home of the place.
The care you give to the workspace speaks volumes about you being happy and vested in the company you work for.
Volunteer
If there is an opportunity and it is within your skill set, comfort zone, and capability then become volunteer Vera.
Often the employer has set up tasks which require volunteers as either the company is in need of real help, or if it is a philanthropic venture. Like If you are being asked to volunteer for a run a mile for a charity event, it will be because the charity or cause is special or meaningful to them.
The avoid at all costs
Holidays vs. Sick leave
Go sick when you are sick, not to extend your holiday benefits. Time off adds up, and you never know when that winter/summer cold from hell is just around the corner. Attendance records these days are everything. Make sure yours is the best of the best.
Honesty
Own up to your mistakes and if possible have a remedy for them. Every employer knows their employees will make mistakes at some point. Rarely is the mistake as costly as the effects of the employee who covers up a mistake.
"Time kills all deals" is a saying which is relevant here, because depending on how and when the error is discovered it can be a deal breaker, so make sure you are ahead of the curve when things go wrong.
Confidence
Being confident is essential, employers want to delegate tasks to certain workers. Confidence breeds confidence and so there will be a natural selection of the boss levitating towards the most confident team members.
Ok, so what if you are a shrinking Violet? Well, confidence does not mean you have to stand up on a stage and belt out a West End grade musical number so think about the basics. The key to getting a job done confidently is to be informed about all the parameters of the task, so if passed a job and you are in doubt about some aspects of it then ask some questions. You and you employer will be glad you did, and you might just avoid mistakes at the same time. Win, Win.
Don’t think too small
If there is a way to make a task, item of work better and it is within your remit then do it. You are paid to complete tasks, yes, but you were hired likely on a belief in your skills, your initiative being one of them, so make sure you use it.