4 Ways to Become Essential at Work

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people stay in their job an average of 4.5 years, with the number of years on a job lower for younger workers. These stats suggest you are likely to move on or be forced out of a company several times in your career. Change is unavoidable as companies look to improve processes and save money.

If you want to remain at a company for the longer term, your career strategy should always involve a plan to make yourself essential. 

Of course, there’s no way to ensure that you don’t experience a layoff, but you can take some steps to mitigate the likelihood while helping you land on your feet if a layoff does come.

Here are four ways to become essential at your workplace:

Be curious and learn new skills. Change is a constant in the workplace today and to thrive you need to cultivate your curiosity. Strive to understand your market, the company you work in, and how new ideas and technologies are changing the way people utilize your products or services. Develop the skills necessary to stay ahead and understand how best to apply them to your work.

Become an expert. Use your curiosity and the new skills you’re learning to do your job better than anyone. Become known as the person to seek out for knowledge and training about your position and demonstrate leaderships skills by offering to lead training sessions or mentoring others in your workplace.

Have a good attitude. No one wants to work with a person who complains every day and is difficult to work with. A positive attitude at work will make others want to be around you and collaborate with you, increasing the chances you’ll be asked to be part of new projects that come along. Use your positive attitude to encourage and inspire others.

Be involved. Volunteer to join workplace committees or get involved in other efforts to improve company processes or the overall culture of your workplace. Volunteer to chair the committee or take an active leadership role.

One thing you can be sure of in the work force: things change quickly. So take some time to develop a specific plan to get more involved at work, ensuring that your valuable contributions are noticed and essential to the success of the company.

6 Ways to Become Indispensable at Work

Layoffs and change are unavoidable. Companies are constantly looking to improve processes and save money and so your career strategy should always involve a plan to make yourself indispensable. 

Of course, this doesn't mean you'll never lose your job but it does provide some safe-guards and make it more likely that you'll land on your feet if a layoff does come.

Here are 6 ways to become indispensable at work:

1. Become an expert. Understand how to do your job better than anyone else in your workplace. And then actually DO the job better than anyone. Become known as the person to seek out for knowledge and training about your job.

2. Learn new skills. Continue to grow and learn more in your job. Develop new skills and understand how best to apply them to your work.

3. Have a good attitude. When you have a positive attitude at work others want to be around you and collaborate with you. Use your positivity to encourage others.

4. Take a leadership role. You don't have to be a manager or supervisor to be a leader. Demonstrate a good work ethic, have a positive attitude, and share your skills with others. Take on a task that others don't want to do. Do it without being asked.

5. Be involved. Many workplaces have committees or other ways to be involved in improving the culture of your workplace. Join a committee and take a leadership role.

6. Mentor others. Use the knowledge you've gained by becoming an expert and learning new skills to train and mentor others in your company. When new staff are hired volunteer to train them and soon you'll be the go-to person for training.

And finally a bonus idea: if necessary, bring in treats. Everyone likes to eat!