Blog 7: How to be indispensable at work

Hello, my Amazing Readers, 

Today I want to talk about how to make yourself more indispensable at work. Especially in this turbulent economy, it can be hard to know whether the job you're working in is stable. By making yourself more valuable to your company, you can help yourself to look more valuable and not be as likely to be let go. It's a harsh reality to face, especially with COVID-19 hitting so many businesses, but helping to be a better employee can help to relieve any stress you may have about losing your job. I want to give some simple tips about how you can show your boss, coworkers, or anyone else at your office just how valuable you are as an employee. 

1. Help your boss meet their goals. 

    This may seem simple and counter-intuitive, but by showing your boss how interested you are in helping them to achieve their business goals, they'll appreciate you more. You two will also get closer and hopefully trust each other more, which can't be a bad thing either right? 

2. Excel in a few special skills and make sure you're the "go-to" person for these skills at work 

    This one will pay off in the long run but it'll take some time and energy investment. Find a few office skills that you enjoy or think you could be good at, such as being Instagram savvy or specializing in a specific type of client. Then take the time to make sure you're really really good at these skills/knowledge, and then make sure you're coworkers know that you're the person to go to for help in these skills. Once word gets around you're the "go-to" for this certain problem, you can bet you'll be seen as more valuable. 

3. Try to adopt changes in the company with a positive spirit and be willing to show you can adapt. 

    Having adaptable employees is a bonus for any employer. Employees that can positively adapt and support changes within a company help smooth out transitions and are seen as more important and influencing staff. Employees that are less adaptable will take more time to adjust, and possibly more money and time to train for new changes. Help yourself to stand out by showing that you can be flexible and adaptable and are willing to sacrifice change for the benefit of your company. 

4. Go the extra mile and lead by example 

    It may not seem like people notice when you go the extra mile on something, but believe me, they do. Going the extra mile and sacrificing more of your time and energy to your company will show you're determined to do a good job and be an employee worth investing in. This will also have impacts on fellow employees, as you're leading by example and showing what going the extra mile looks like. This increased work ethic will lead to more respect from your supervisors and peers, and make you look more like a leader. 

5. Network, Network, Network 

    I cannot stress enough the importance of networking. These days, getting a dream job, or even a job, in general, is all about who you know. If you should your boss that you're a good networker, they're going to like you even more because they know you're well connected as well as someone that gets the job done. Networking seems exhausting after a while, or something that is overlooked, but believe me, you'll be glad you spent the extra few minutes talking to a stranger at a convention. 

I hope these tips are helpful for you to stand out in your own office and be a valuable employee of the company. Know that there are many more steps you can take to be a valuable employee, but I hope that you can inject these skills into your routine to improve your skills in your workplace. 

Until next time! 

Katie