Good work habits drive success!
(This might be especially helpful for those starting their career.)
It’s important to be proactive in developing and maintaining good work habits that build upon your professional reputation. If consistently maintained, good work habits drive success, resulting in higher employee contribution, increased productivity and job satisfaction while creating richer relationships between peers, colleagues and managers. Below are 5 simple habits that can help guide you to build the professional image and reputation that you want.
5 work habits that build your reputation.
Here are 5 work habits that drive success and improve your professional image and reputation.
1. Treat people with kindness (easy enough)
This work habit seems simple, but it can be very effective and truly go a long way. People want to invest in people they like being around. If you consistently treat people with kindness, you will get more opportunities, not less. Conversely, people who treat others poorly generally don’t last too long, even if they are talented. We spend a large amount of time at the office or, if you’re like me, remotely engaging with our colleagues, make the most of it and be kind. A past study in the journal Emotion looks at acts of kindness within a real-life working environment and shows how kindness really does create a positive ripple that affects the whole workplace culture. So, in conclusion, make kindness a priority and work with a smile.
2. Be dependable
One of the most important work habits you can have is to be dependable. If you’re someone your manager knows they can count on, you will reap the benefits and become indispensable. Being dependable means letting people know that you will do what you said you would do, when you said you will do it, and you will do it to the best of your ability. I always try to demonstrate my dependability by showing my commitment to the company and my quality of work. This could be by attending meetings well prepared, completing and presenting quality work on time, or assisting colleagues with a project.
3. Be on time (punctuality is key)
Being on time goes hand in hand with being dependable. Timeliness is key when it comes to the reputation you’re building at your company. Sure, everyone is late once in a while, but being on time at least for the most part is extremely important and sends a message that you care and are deeply invested.
4. Ask for and offer help
No one can do it all, you should feel empowered to ask questions and excited to offer assistance (even if you’re just offering to get a cup of coffee). It’s much better to ask for help earlier than to complete a task when you’re not even sure if you understand the context or if you’re doing it correctly. To that point, remember, team members may be hesitant to ask for help, when you can, offer your assistance if you see that it is required. Managers note this type of behavior and will remember how helpful you are in work-related situations.
5. Have a voice and speak up
A key factor in building a great work reputation is to be open and honest with your opinions, by speaking up and voicing them. Speaking-up fuels brainstorming, ideation and group discussions. It’s important to discuss ideas openly in order to get input, feedback and invite different perspectives. When your voice is heard it shows others that you care enough to add input and that you are confident in your thoughts and position. It can be hard at first, but the more involved you are the happier you’ll feel.
Personal practices will develop over time, but by starting with these 5 simple habits you’ll be well on your way to building a great professional image and reputation. Moral of the story? Be kind, reliable and helpful, once you trust yourself, and others will do the same.
Jasmine Miller | Digital Marketing Specialist
Jasmine has worked in the marketing department of RoboHead for over 4 years. Her perfect day off would consist of sitting at the beach, going vintage clothes shopping, getting boba tea, and listening to the My Favorite Murder podcast.