Before the sharp spike of Covid-19 cases in Singapore, visibility in the workplace could have been enforced quite literally. With staggered work time and telecommuting being the new norm. It is time to start thinking about what you can do to gain the trust of your supervisors. To show just how effectively you can manage your time and productivity even when they aren’t around to observe your performance.
With organisations using this period to “cut the fat” with cost-saving measures and retrenchment, it is crucial to reaffirm your position in the organisation and make yourself known as an asset.
1. Demonstrate that you're someone who's trustworthy
To be a high-functioning individual. Working as well as you would in the office while your colleagues are still getting used to new realities definitely puts you a cut above the rest professionally. It shows your capacity to take on work obligations as well as your adaptability.
You could make things easier for your supervisor who has to keep up with everyone’s progress digitally, on top of their own tasks. Suggest a quick virtual catch-up meeting or provide daily, and/or weekly to-do lists to show that you are accountable for your work. This effectively opens up a regular channel for communication and keeps you at the back of their mind. You could also circulate team updates, or expand your horizons and take the initiative to update your organisation.
The ability to perform your duties remotely shows that you honour your commitments. It also provides the assurance that you will complete any given task within the time frame as promised. Open communication is essential. This means letting your team know when you are not able to find alternative solutions. Communicating and ironing out realistic expectations is learning to work at a pace that you can productively sustain. One good practice is to acknowledge emails promptly and set expectations on when you can answer their calls and queries.
Demonstrating independence as an employee is more than keeping up your productivity. More importantly, it is the skill of self management and awareness of your potential, your limits and your progress. Translated into the work environment, it is shown in your work ethic, knowing what you need to do and getting it done proactively.
2. Be proactive with tasks and helping others
One way to demonstrate being proactive is to speak up in meetings. You could do this by actively coming up with new ideas, proposing solutions and making things known by the team. You could also highlight the little wins of others, and offer your assistance in projects outside of your usual scope of work so that it gives you the opportunity to work with different teams in your organisation.
With our current climate calling for digital transformation, it would be helpful to initiate ways to improve your team’s workflow. After a while of working at home, you may have learnt about the way your organisation is managing telecommuting at the turn of a global pandemic. Young and savvy employees can enlighten their team on trending applications or volunteer to provide technical assistance to team members who are less digitally savvy.
In the pandemic of mass layoffs, reduced collaboration and in-person interaction may dampen team morale. Support others and strengthen your relationship with your colleagues and supervisor. As you grow visibility for yourself, others will sooner take notice of the effects you have on the people around you as well.
3. Build Up Your Professional Brand Online
One of the main things you can do, befitting to the forced adjustments required of the digitalised workspace, is to create a professional online presence. This means making yourself available online as you would present yourself in real life. The difference is that you are now able to reach out to people outside your normal zones within the office.
There are a few ways you can boost your online presence. Participate in webinars to keep yourself informed. Take the step to network in a new way when you reach out to other participants and hosts during online meetings. Continuously engaging and interacting with others over a period of time makes a difference in developing relationships that are built on a strong foundation and plays well with algorithms. On Linkedin for instance, you could regularly share your thoughts and engage in conversations outside of your company that are actively talked about in your field and industry. Making a personal website is also an alternative to those who may not be fond of networking. Note that underpinning these suggestions is the idea that you build your credibility, reputation and showcase your brand.
Clean up your social media platforms. This is an avenue that savvy hiring managers along with recruitment agencies and headhunters in Singapore increasingly use to learn more about the candidates they hire. Be aware of what you post publicly on social media sites and clean old posts up so that you can still proudly showcase what you do outside of work while staying true to your values. Consider the qualities you would like to portray during a possible background check as you build a positive online brand for yourself.
Upgrade yourself for your line of work. Become an expert at what you do in the office and participate in activities that are aligned with your professional interests. It could be a simple hobby, or in other forms such as consuming knowledge from a book or browsing the internet.
Outside of formal education, there are plenty of avenues to discover “how to” videos, free online or short courses. Doing so expands your value and capacity as an employee who is exposed and bolsters the possibility of exposure to new opportunities outside of your current job scope, showcasing your willingness and passion to improve how you work. You can also follow peers or industry role models on their social media pages - engage with their content!
Investing in continuous education always pays off when you put your talents to use by applying and honing them on the job. You could also reflect these newly learnt skills in your resume and online profile. These new skills reflect your attitude in the workplace and make a difference in your interactions with professionals who are well-informed of the changing landscape.
Getting Visibility: In a Nutshell
Prioritise getting your job done before making your presence known. At the end of the day, getting visibility is one thing, having a basis of good work done is fundamental and requires self discipline day-in and day-out when no one is looking. Be deliberate as you carve a runway for yourself. Take time out to purposefully develop yourself outside of your work hours. Do not let staying indoors hold you back from making your potential known.
Know that you are an asset deserving of an organisation that recognises your potential! At BGC Group, we recognise individuals for the diversity of experiences and skills that they can bring to the table, let us help you in finding a rewarding career with a deserving employer! Reach out to our recruitment specialists with your resume here.
