How to Be a Good Employee
You can learn how to be a good employee by exhibiting traits that are desirable to an employer. Traits that can help you on your way to getting a raise or promotion.
There are multiple levels to being an employee, whether you are upper management or an intern, being employed by someone can make you want to impress them and be the best that you can be. Using these tips, you can learn what it takes to be a good employee and why some people get noticed while others fall by the wayside.
Good Employees Reap the Benefits
Reap endless benefits from being the best employee that you can be. However, you have to know how to do this right, by getting positive attention, and handling professional situations correctly. A great way to get started at being a better worker is to have a great relationship with your boss. We have an article: “Build a Business Relationship with Your Boss” that delves into this topic in more detail. It can never hurt to gain the respect and trust of the person who manages you.While being employed in a corporate setting can sometimes feel like a rat race, you need to stop for a minute and put your situation into perspective. Are you making a great effort to perform your best work? Can you take pride in the overall result of your workday? If you are not sure how to answer these questions correctly, then pay attention to the suggestions listed below.
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Can I Be a Good Employee?
People in the workplace will notice your effort and attention to detail. Learn how to act and react to circumstances appropriately, and you will be on your way to becoming better at your job.- Always Act Professionally
Know when to be serious and when to joke around. There is a time and a place for everything. Also, all of your interactions and conversations should be about work appropriate topics. If your boss has some constructive criticism, learn how to deal with accepting it. Sometimes you will have to grin and bear it because a place of business doesn't have any room for emotional outbursts.
Your uniform or attire should also be respectable and appropriate for whichever setting you work. A good tip is to dress for the job that you want, not the job that you have. If you are trying to move up into a managerial position, then let the workplace know that you are serious by way of your appearance. - Learn How to Do Your Job
No matter what your job is, make sure that you know every detail about how to properly do it. Staff members are respected when their managers can rest assured that their employees have their duties under control.
Of course, it takes time to learn about a company and your job position. However, if you show that you are comfortable in your position and can handle your duties, you will gain the respect of your colleagues. Some of them may even respect you enough to turn to you for your help. - Be Responsible
Always take responsibility for your actions. If you made a mistake at work, immediately report your slip up and apologize. Of course, you should try to fix your mistakes even after you make others aware of it, but admitting your mistakes is the responsible thing to do.
A large aspect of job performance that managers take into account is punctuality. Try to the best of your ability to avoid being late. If you have trouble getting to work on time, trick yourself; set your clocks 5 or 10 minutes ahead. Alternatively, leave extra early to give yourself time to get there. Being on time consistently is a great way to highlight that you are responsible and committed to your position. Being late is a form of rudeness.
Additionally, this should help you to avoid getting bad marks for being late on your performance report. In addition to not being late, you should make sure that you meet deadlines for your duties to minimize customer complaints. - Bring Problems to Attention
There are bound to be problems in the workplace, and no matter what they are, they will most likely bring down morale and reduce productivity. Don't join your coworkers in complaining during your lunch break about something annoying with your job. If appropriate, bring that problem to the attention of your managers and try to suggest solutions. You would be surprised at how much upper management enjoys it when their people show initiative and work toward the betterment of the company.
If your company employs changes or has certain policies that many people do not like, agree with those items publicly. By not being difficult about changes or policies you will shine as a person who is able to adapt to change and wants to be a team player. - Consistently Be Productive
From start to finish, you should always use your work time to actually work and come up with great ideas. Most people try to coast during the last 15-30 minutes of their workday, instead continue to be as productive as possible. You may have a better chance of getting noticed at work and possibly getting into management. When everyone else is “slacking” it will be easy to see who is being productive.