The recent Corona pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of young professionals. The US market saw an unprecedented unemployment rate of 14.7% in April 2020, which dropped to 11.1% in June 2020. India had an unemployment rate of 23.5% in April 2020 and by June 2020 it dropped to 10.99%. While the unemployment rate shows improvement and recovery, it leaves employees feeling overwhelmed and stressed.
So, how does a professional become indispensable at work? Here are a few tips shared by seasoned entrepreneurs and professionals that will help you improve your chances for growth at work.
1. Be Dependable
No company can afford to keep unreliable people in its midst, especially when the outside world is turbulent. Being dependable means delivering your best performance consistently without fail, being reliable, and taking responsibility for your work. If you answer these questions in the affirmative, your team can count on you.
Are you able to meet your deadlines at work?
Is your work of top quality?
Can your manager rely on you to get things done for an important assignment?
Do you communicate lapses on your part with clarity, accept mistakes and correct them?
Are you ready to do what it takes to get the project completed as per expectations of the clients?
Do you influence your teammates to make a positive contribution to the project?
Are you able to manage your personal conflicts skillfully to deliver your best performance? Are you consistent in your day to day work?
Is your presence helpful to the team to get things done?
Are you ready to take the responsibility for the project or simply pass the buck to other people?
2. Skills for Changing Needs
Employees survive and thrive when they learn to adapt as per the changing dynamics of the market. Your company relies on you to get things done. When you are able to deliver as per the company needs, you will rise in your workplace. But when employees are stuck with old skill sets, fail to update themselves and do ordinary work, they are more than likely to make way for others.
The modern workplace demands skill sets that can solve problems and get things moving. In a dynamically changing market situation, you may be called upon to do certain things that are not familiar with your current role. The ability with which you can learn things and get stuff done counts. It makes you a stand out performer & the go to person in a tough situation.
Infact, the professionals who put up their hand proactively and resurrect things are always the most valued ones for an organisation. They become indispensable at work.
3. Ability to Finish Things
Your ability to finish things is a great asset. Employees who work with efficiency, make progressive contributions and finish things are always in demand. When the pace of work is slow and unimaginative , it doesn’t help you progress. Many times employees get into a rut where they do repetitive stuff that is cyclic in nature. They tend to get bogged down and not make headways.
But the top employees are skilled at identifying the most important metrics for performance. They aim at finishing things everyday and add real value to their work. They get rewarded due to the quality of their execution and complete things. Even when they experiment, they develop ways to fail fast and eventually get the results they need.
When employees work with a sense of progress, they feel motivated and achieve better results. Human beings are innately longing for progress. Research has shown that of all things that can boost emotions, motivation and perceptions at a work day, the single most important thing is making progress in meaningful work.
The top employees assess their day to day work and measure the impact of what they do. When you work with a proactive attitude, review your deliverables and finish off things timely with high quality, you are indispensable for your team.
4. Transparency
You cannot bluff your way to greatness. It doesn’t work and it is not sustainable either. You need to learn to be authentic, honest and open. Transparency opens the doors of greater things in your career. You can be a more dependable person in your team, people will trust you and you will attract greater success in your company.
When employees hide data, present selective information and fudge things, it helps no one in the team. Projects go off track and eventually they are the ones who lose out on growth opportunities. Instead, a culture of openness and honesty shows that you operate with a sense of purpose in your work. It creates belongingness ,loyalty and augurs well for your growth.
5. Communicate & Excel in Your Work
No one excels with mediocre stuff today. You have to be prepared to constantly tweak things, iterate and produce excellence in whatever you do. Nothing less is acceptable. There is no room for those who think they know everything or lack the quality and commitment to do the job.
The best opportunities are always attracted by those who produce excellence, communicate well and are willing to grind it out. Organisations value people who are self driven, creative and patient until they get the right results.
The communication skills are ever more crucial when there are critical pressures, deadlines or situations like the Corona pandemic. Any problem can be resolved with proper communication, commitment and willingness to find the solution. Employees who display credibility and set high standards are always in demand.
