In the workplace, some employees are significantly more productive than others. Their contributions towards the realisation of organisational goals are easily noticed and they quickly win the admiration of their bosses. As a result, they are more likely to be recommended for promotion, leadership roles, bonuses, a salary raise and assigned greater responsibilities. Ultimately, they get ahead in their careers with giant strides. Often, they stand out because of their professional habits.
In this article, we outline 5 of the career-boosting habits that will shoot up the level of your productivity and impact at work.
5 habits of highly productive employees
1. They have passion for their jobs
If you’re underperforming at work, the probability that you don’t have red-hot passion for your job is high. High-performing employees are professionals who enjoy what they do. For this reason, they are self-motivated, not micromanaged. They are literally being paid for their hobbies. Because they like their jobs, they go the extra mile to get better and attain new milestones.
On the contrary, those who don’t like their jobs struggle to achieve minimum expectations and relax. So, the first step towards becoming a productive employee is to find your passion and pursue it.
2. They seek improvement
One of the ways you can improve your productivity at work and bolster your career is to learn new things and improve. Employees stand out by seeking new skills that will enhance their productivity and prepare them for greater roles or future career opportunities. They don’t only try to get better at their current jobs but also look out for existing knowledge gaps within their organisations and acquire the necessary skills and professional qualifications.
3. They envisage needs and solve problems
Most people wait for things to happen before they respond. Highly productive employees, on the other hand, make things happen. They envisage challenges and plan before they become realities, making it possible for their organisations to easily navigate through turbulent times. They identify the inadequacies in their organisations and recommend more efficient solutions. Rather than wait for instructions from managers to address known issues, they take the lead by proffering suggestions. Therefore, they create the reputation of reliable team members for themselves. What follows is greater responsibilities and recommendations for leadership roles.
4. They simplify tasks
Use shortcuts to simplify and fast-track tasks; you will enhance your level of productivity. Using “shortcuts” goes beyond editing documents and includes many other techniques and tasks. Highly productive employees are able to achieve much more than their colleagues in terms of quality and quantity of outputs by adopting smart techniques to complete tasks, which helps to make them more efficient. This is a good way to demonstrate strong time management skills.
5. They think like leaders
Highflyers can figure out what their leaders want to achieve; they know what they need to do to achieve them and they accomplish their goals, self-motivated. They require little to no pressure from their supervisors to deliver assigned tasks. Because they think like leaders, they do not require micromanagement.
Though they are formally regarded as employees, they think and act like managers. Like managers, they motivate others and go the extra mile to get things done. They maintain professional reputation by beating deadlines, showing up always, being punctual, dressing appropriately, producing quality results and confronting challenging tasks and moments with positivity. Eventually, they positively influence their colleagues and their impacts are rewarded with better career opportunities.
Bottom line
The attitudes of employees in the workplace determine their productivity and, if negative, can deaden career growth. If you struggle with poor performance, you may start by examining your passion for the chosen job and field. Also, seek ways to improve your skills and simplify routine tasks. Enrolling in short professional courses or business courses will give you relevant skills that can boost your productivity and set you apart for rapid career growth.
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