Tag Archive for: being a good employee

Why the Right Employees Make All the Difference

No matter what type of business you run, or where you are located in the United States, it is no secret that there are many more job openings than there are people willing to fill them. The pandemic has allowed people to reconsider what is most important to them and as a result, many people have become more particular about the positions they take. Knowing that there are many options out there that would allow them to work from home and having had the time to start their own income generating projects, a large percentage of the population has chosen to either look for a position that doesn’t require their physical presence or leave the workforce entirely to pursue their own venture.

Of course this has business owners and hiring managers in a bind and has significantly slowed down production of all products and services on a national level. This can make it tempting to employ any and all people who apply to your company. However, as inclined as you may be to do that, being sure that you take the time and consideration into hiring the best/right employees is what will be of the biggest benefit in the long run. Here’s why:

Work Ethic

This may just be the most important quality an employee can have. This means they are someone who arrives to work on time, makes productive use of their time, gets their tasks done, and produces quality work. Without work ethic, you will end up wasting payroll on employees that are not getting the job done. It will be better if you hold out to hire the right people than to spend money on a revolving door of employees.

Social Skills

If you choose to hire just anyone who you think can get the job done, you may find yourself with either; an employee who does not get on well with the rest of the team, or someone who does not do well with clients/customers. Although disagreements between employees are inevitable, it’s important to make sure that the people you bring on can get along with others. In the case of needing your team to collaborate on something or communicate often, it’s important to have people who can work well with one another.

Dependability

Having employees that are reliable is a key component in having a successful operation. This means they show up every day and you as a manager can trust that they are doing their job. Someone who is not dependable will call in at the last minute, have excuses why things aren’t getting done, and may even one day randomly disappear and not come back. This isn’t a good use of the time you spend onboarding employees and you will find your company with plenty of work that still needs to be completed once the days are over. Avoid this by doing your best to find dependable employees.

Communication

People with excellent communication skills are often hard to find. There are so many different facets to communication from email and text responses, to being able to get a point across effectively in person. Having a team of people who all have good communication will ensure fewer errors, will result in prompt responses, and will enable you to have a team that is always on the same page.

Adaptability

As the past year and a half has taught all of us, things are inevitably going to come up unexpectedly. Having employees who understand that instead of insisting that “we’ve always done it this way”, will be a major advantage to you and the rest of the team. People who are adaptable are willing to modify their jobs as needed, shift their schedule occasionally if the business needs it, and are open to hearing new ideas. As an employer, it is important to let adaptable employees know they are appreciated, because otherwise they will feel that their flexibility is being taken advantage of and may take their skills somewhere else.

Self- Motivation

People who are self-motivated, do not constantly need to be told what to do. They know what their job is and will see what needs to be done and take the initiative to do it themselves. Having people like this on your team will keep the flow of operations going as well as save you time as you won’t have to regularly stop what you’re doing to give them direction.

Company Culture

In today’s society, company culture is one of the most valued traits a company can have according to employees. It is one of the number one contributors to employee happiness, therefore it is important that when you’re hiring, you look for people who will fit and contribute to your company’s culture. This means people who have a similar mindset about the company’s mission, people who participate in company events, and people who actively work to keep the energy and the environment positive.

If your company is in need of employees, we at Award Staffing are here to help you! Contact us with your staffing needs here.

How to Be Minnesota Nice at Work

The concept of “paying it forward” has been around for a while and refers to when someone does something good for someone else. The hope is that when enough people pay it forward, that it will eventually come around full-circle. If done effectively, the concept of “paying it forward” at work can actually be quite successful.

Pick up an Employee’s Shift-

If you don’t have plans, pick up an employee’s shift. If they ask you whether or not you are available to take it, say yes as often as you can. They will remember you in the future when you have a favor to ask of them. Also, you will be helping to create a workplace environment in which employees are only at work when they are physically and emotionally able to be present.

Help out a Supervisor-

It’s a fair assumption to make that your supervisor is always pretty busy, especially with helping and leading fellow employees such as yourself. If you have the time in your schedule to do so, ask him or her what you can do to help. If they say nothing, just start helping anyway. Your supervisor will likely remember your enthusiasm and affinity for hard work.

Stay Later than Asked-

Staying later at work can be a drag, depending on why you’re staying there. However, if you voluntarily stay later at work to get a little extra done, it can be exhilarating and empowering. Your supervisors and co-workers will definitely notice if you’re putting in some extra time, especially if it’s to get ahead on a project that would help them out as well.

Compliment Your Colleagues-

Sometimes, we take our friends and colleagues for granted. Take a minute out of your day to give some compliments to your colleagues. These compliments can be anything from providing praise of their most recent work accomplishment to pointing out something you like about their attitude. Regardless of which form you choose, your good cheer and sense of camaraderie will infectiously spread throughout the workplace. Once you start implementing all these tactics, you will be surprised at how easily and quickly these will come back to you. You will also find that your workplace will be a much more positive place for you to get work done.

If you’re looking for a new job at a company the appreciates Minnesota Nice, contact Award Staffing. We will be able to help you find a new job opportunity that lets you take advantage of your abilities and prepare you to turn the interview into your dream offer. Want to learn more career tips and tricks – check our When Work Works blog.