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How to Be a Good Employee
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It sounds like a strange subject, but it is definitely important and is something that people commonly
take for granted these days. Sadly, most people don't realize how valuable and rare a good employee
is, nor how good it is to be one themselves, until they own their own business or are in charge of their
own employees.
Job Security through Openness
One of the first things that is important is job security. It is important to you and your livelihood.
However, it is not always important to your employer. What is to be done? A person could sabotage
their own work or control it to the point where only they can continue in that role. Putting complicated
code in software that only you know, having a special relationship with customers that someone else cannot
foster, or creating a messy system that only you understand. These are all tricks, and though they may
work for a short while, in the end they will be undone and definitely contribute to your own undoing!
I think it is best to do the opposite. If your employer decides that your job is no longer needed, or that you
should no longer fill the role even though you do "good work", then chalk it up to destiny. If your employer
does not recognize a valuable employee, and you *are* one, then you belong at a better company. On the other
hand, if your job has become obsolete it may be a sign that you didn't adapt when you needed to. This is,
as we all know, a world in which technologies and methods change all the time. We need to be dynamic.
I also recommend that you document everything; make your job simple
and easy to understand for others. That you be open, contribute to the work of others and let others contribute
to yours. It may sound like a sure fire way to get fired because you clear away the dependency they have on you, but as I mentioned
above, your value should not lie in your employer's fear of firing someone who has secrets, but in their
fear of losing such a valuable person. So, document and share everything in case you get hit by a meteor
one day and someone needs to continue your work. You'd be surprised when, one day, your bosses see such
organizational habits as being worthy of a management role and give you a promotion. Now, there
are some recent outsourcing fiascos happening in the USA that have a lot of people upset, and I certainly
would be upset too if it happened to me. It's a shame, and though what I have said above would seem to endanger
your job even more, keep in mind that countries like France and Germany have very strict laws forbidding the
firing of an employee, yet they suffer from the same outsourcing woes. Moreover, their unemployment is currently
hovering around 10%, twice that of the USA. It just goes to show that job protection should come from being valuable,
not tricks or laws against firing.
Follow the Rules
Another aspect of being a good employee is following company rules. If your company's employee conduct rules are
oppressive, fight them formally or follow them
while you secretly look for another job, but don't blatantly break them and
get yourself in trouble. Your workplace is not just a place to earn money, it is a social environment that has
structure, and those rules are in place for a good reason. Along those lines of social environment we also find the topic of coffee.
Yes, coffee. I don't drink coffee and I never want to, but if the other people in the office take coffee and the pot is
empty, make more. Your fellow cubicle dwellers will appreciate it.
Don't be a Slob
Keep a clean desk, and make sure it has personal items that have meaning to you. Bring in photos of family and friends,
but not so many that your desk becomes a home and not a place of work. Having a clean organized desk shows that
you are clean and organized as an employee. Your office and/or desk are a daily billboard. A constant, physical curriculum vitae.
A reminder of *why* your employer hired you in the first place, and why they still keep you on the payroll. Your conduct
and cleanliness should reinforce your worth to your employer. Having plaques, awards, and certifications around is a great
help too!
Come in Early, Don't Stay Late
You may also find that your hourly habits make you a better employee. Looking good is one thing, but feeling good
is quite another and surely contributes to the quality of work that you do. Coming in early and energized, if that is
your preference, may very well improve your interaction with others, your work speed and image to your
manager! On the other hand, if staying late is better and you do better work in the late hours, it may be best for you
to try that. There is also a lot ot be said for working the 8 hours of the day to their fullest, and leaving on time to see
your family. It is all up to you, but whichever you choose, make sure that you are punctual and consistent. Those
two are highly valued by management. If I had to choose between coming in early or staying late, I would rather come
in early. Getting to work early is easily noticed, but no one sees you staying until 7 pm because they're all at home!
Moreover, coming in early gives you a head start, staying late means you're catching up. So, if you come in early
you can stop the fire before it starts, otherwise you'll be staying late trying to put it out.
And....
Finally, I will state the obvious: being a good employee means being a good person. You should be patient,
attentive, courteous and reliable. Good companies know that those values cannot be learned in any college
curriculum, or on the job training. They must be within you before you work for them and not only
are they the most valued characteristics to find in an employee, they are also the most rare.
This article first published on: November 10, 2003
© Copyright 2003,2004 - Jeff Skrysak - All rights reserved.
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