Are You Adding Value to Your Company?

It’s a common office gag that employees work the hardest during the first month of employment. From there, complacency becomes the enemy, particularly within organizational structures that may not immediately recognize it.

However, as an employee, you must take responsibility for generating significant contributions to your organization. This is particularly important when it comes to job retention or landing that big promotion. The reality is that resting on your laurels is fine up until the point that it isn’t, when crucial organizational decisions must be made.

Beyond retention, adding value to your company reflects the value that you place on your career, giving you a greater state of purpose on a day-to-day basis. What better way to wake up happy than by feeling confident about what you’re bringing to the table?

Whether you’re an employee looking for some guidance, or a manager aiming to inspire your team with new ideas and resources, here are some ideas to help you begin adding value to your company:

Figure Out What You’re Good At

This seems totally obvious. With that said, we often view ourselves differently that our team may view us. Don’t be afraid to ask others that you work with their opinion on where they think your strengths lie and where you could make improvements. Their insight is much more valuable than may think.

We tend to think of ourselves in big pictures terms. Try to recognize the everyday tasks that may, on the surface, appear mundane. If you find that you are exceptionally efficient at completing one of these minor duties, congratulations! You’ve discovered a major way that you add value to your company. Let your managers know what you excel at and take the lead in those areas.

Stay Out Of The Background

Speaking of taking the lead…stepping up and leading the initiative on solving problems that your team is encountering is a great way to alleviate the burden of your team leaders and correct inefficiencies within your organization. Staying out of the background doesn’t mean getting in your manager’s way, and it doesn’t mean being noticed every five minutes. It means showing up and standing out by keeping the team rolling when the gears are grinding to a halt. It means finding new projects that add value to your organization during your downtime and creating new streams of revenue for your company.

Remain Aware Of The Company’s Goals

When taking the initiative, you must do so with the company’s mission statement and values in mind. Not only will this positively affect the trajectory of your assignments, but it will demonstrate to those around you that you’re working for the team and the company, not just yourself. Ultimately, the degree to which your team members trust one another will result in the greatest addition of value to your company.