Job security has become a primary concern for many hardworking professionals in 2020. If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught many industries and employees anything, it is that revenue streams can shift and processes might need to change without warning.
The last thing you will want is for an employer to choose to let you go when looking to make cutbacks, which is why you must aim to become an asset to their business. Here are five ways to become indispensable at work.
Table of Contents
Be Reliable
When a company looks to reduce the size of its team, managers will more than likely say goodbye to their most unreliable employees first. There is, however, more to reliability than arriving at work on time. It relates to stepping up when a business faces a big challenge, completing projects on schedule and to a high standard, and not avoiding activities that will push you outside your comfort zone.
Exceed Expectation
Convince an employer that they can’t run their business without you by always exceeding expectations. Make it your mission to deliver more than expected in your role, which can improve confidence and trust in your ability and quality of work.
For instance, if you are a graphic designer, you could present a manager with four to six logo ideas when others might only offer one or two designs. It will not only help a company to increase its standards, but it will prove you’re a passionate, hardworking member of the team.
Improve Your Skillset
Many professionals are often hesitant to invest time and money into developing new skills; however, it could provide a greater return in the long run. For example, if you want to become a company asset and increase your earning potential, you’d be wise to earn an MSc management distance learning degree, which you can complete online and at your own schedule.
The course will help you to gain an in-depth understanding of international business, learn how to become a better leader, and find out how to overcome various business problems. The priceless knowledge will separate you from your colleagues and allow you to climb the corporate ladder at a fast rate.
Help Others
Don’t allow ambition to stand in the way of being a helpful co-worker. While you might have tunnel vision when completing an important project, you shouldn’t be afraid to lend a helping hand when needed. There is more to success than career accomplishments, promotions, and pay bumps, as it’s about supporting others to reach their goals and potential.
Employers value team players, as they will prove they care about the business more than themselves. Plus, a talented colleague who is eager to climb to the top of the career ladder might remember your helping hand in the future, and they could prove influential to your career.
Always Be Honest
Employers value integrity and honesty, as it will improve their confidence in an employee’s skills, ethics, and opinions. Rather than hiding an issue or blaming a colleague for a mistake, own up to the problem. Communicate the mistake as soon as possible and aim to provide a solution to rectify the issue quickly.
Think Outside the Box
It doesn’t matter if you work in marketing, sales, or finance; you must aim to generate new ideas that can help a brand to dominate a market or solve a big problem. Aim to think outside the box and suggest unique ideas that other companies have yet to adopt, which could help a brand to gain a market advantage.
If you regularly look for solutions to challenges, you could soon gain a positive reputation for being a creative, forward-thinking employee. So, rather than letting you go during times of business uncertainty, a manager will be more likely to turn to you for advice and creative ideas on how to improve a company’s success.
Conclusion
A lack of job security can be both scary and stressful. If you don’t want to spend many restless nights worrying about your career prospects, you must look for ways to become indispensable to an employer.
It might, therefore, be beneficial to enroll in an online course to improve your skills. Also, you must aim to become a reliable, helpful, and honest member of staff, which could convey your passion for a business, team, and position. An employer will then think twice about letting you go when looking to reduce the size of a team.
