Times are tough all over and competition is fierce as workers struggle to be the one who avoids the dreaded pink slip. You can be proactive and make yourself more likely to be retained than laid off with these seven simple strategies to make yourself a winner at work.
Be Professional
No matter what your career, you can improve your chances of staying employed if you conduct yourself in a professional manner. This starts with your dress: keep it neat and appropriate. Make sure you are looking your best at all times at work. Professionalism is also evident in your actions and your ethics. Make sure there is no question about your dedication to your employer and company, your ethics or your work habits.
Be Reliable
You'll be a cut above other employees if you make it a point to be reliable in all you do on the job. Come in on time and don't try to scrape extra minutes from your breaks. Stay to the end of your shift no matter who is watching. Cover your shifts if you plan to be away. Call in if you are sick, and whenever possible, arrange time off in advance. All of these things will help leave a great impression on your boss.
Show Initiative
Stand out in the crowd by being the one who sees needs and takes care of them. There's no such thing as time at work with nothing to do. Don't wait to be told what to do next! Volunteer for tasks, big or small. Offer ideas to improve things in your area. Make your corner of the company the best it can be.
Do More
Employees who are retained are the ones who get the most accomplished. Find ways to work with greater efficiency. Make sure you clean up after yourself, whether you are completing work tasks or finishing up your lunch break. Make sure that each thing you do is the highest quality you can provide.
Be Thorough
Plan the details of your work day. Impress your supervisors by being well-prepared for meetings, attending to small details, and finishing tasks completely. Don't forget to follow up when appropriate.
Make the Boss Look Good
Everyone likes to be seen in a favorable light. What can you do to shine the light on your supervisor? Put out consistently high-quality work, get more accomplished each day than your coworkers, and finish early. When you can provide a high-quality product ahead of schedule, you just made life easier for your boss. He or she will appreciate your consideration and will keep it in mind when making decisions about who to keep on the job.
Be a Quiet Know-It-All
One final way to become indispensable on the job is to learn every detail of your own position, and then branch out to learn about the positions near you. Learn the arcane skills like how to change the register tape and where the spare light bulbs are kept. Find out how to do minor maintenance on the machines you use. Understand your coworkers' jobs and be able to fill in when needed. This knowledge will not only help you to be tough to replace, but it will also open career advancement doors such as supervisory positions and training specialist.
There you have it: Seven sure-fire ways to make yourself stand out from the crowd at work. Each one is easy to implement and takes next to no extra training or time. These tips will help you to be so difficult to replace that the bosses will think twice about letting you go with the next round of pink slips. Give it a try!
Be a Winner at Work - 7 Tips For Keeping Your Job in Tough Times