8 Tips on How to Be a Better Employee

Temporary and permanent labor workers alike can land better jobs by being better employees. Here are eight tips that can help you do just that.

1. Be On Time

Being to work on time speaks volumes to an employer. It shows that you take your work seriously and respect your boss’s time. Getting up a few minutes early, checking local traffic before you leave the house and laying out your clothes and gear the night before are just a few things you can do to make sure you get out the door and arrive to work on time.

2. Take Your Lunch Breaks

You may think that working through your lunch break will make you a more productive employee but in the long run it has the opposite effect. Not taking the time to eat a healthy meal, let your brain rest and even socialize with your coworkers will leave you less focused and more burned out. When that happens, you’re more likely to make more mistakes or worse, get injured on the job.

3. Get to Know Your Boss Better

Even if you’re a temp employee, taking the time to know your boss can help you stand out (especially if you’re looking for a permanent position). What does that mean? Learning what they like, what makes them tick and what they want out of their employees. By meeting their expectations instead of just doing what’s in your job description makes you a much better worker.

4. Know Your Industry

White-collar industries aren’t the only ones that are constantly changing and requiring new skills. Blue-collar industries like construction, for example, are going through their own waves of change and to be a better worker you need to be in-the-know. Read trade magazines, get involved in online discussion groups or take certification courses to keep your skills fresh and turn you into much more desirable job candidate.

5. Do What You Say You Are Going to Do

Shawnice Meador, the Director Of Career Management and Leadership Development at the University of Chapel Hills says in a Forbes article: “One of the most important things you can do as an employee is to follow through on work commitments. Do what you say you are going to do in a quality manner, on time and on budget.” As a day laborer, you can follow this same principle. If you’re say you’re going to finish paving the sidewalk by the end of your shift - make sure it gets done. If you agree to work-overtime on a job site, be present and work as you would during normal hours. The more you follow through on your commitments, the more reliable you become and there’s nothing more golden to an employer than a dependable employee.

6. Be Kind to Your Co-Workers

Don’t become that employee that no one wants to work with by being kind and considerate to your co-workers. It can be as simple as saying “Good Morning” everyday to biting your tongue if it means avoiding a big conflict on a job site. Showing respect, being polite and lending a hand when needed goes a really long way in promoting a productive work environment.

7. Be a Proactive Employee

Staffing professionals and employers alike always remember (and hire) those candidates who go above and beyond what their job calls for. What separates them from the average employee? Their willingness to take the initiative and not wait to be told what to do. That shows a manager that you are self-motivated, truly care about your work and ready to take on additional responsibility.

8. Adopt an Attitude of Success

How you overcome challenges is largely based on your perception. If your job assignment is only temporary or requires work that you don’t want to do, instead of looking at these as a negative, adopt an attitude of success. That means looking at these experiences as stepping stones to a bigger and better job.

Are you ready to put these tips into practice? Click here to find open positions in your area!