| In our turbulent world of financial challenges and | | | | organization in which you have the greatest abilities to |
| workplace changes, many employees are visibly | | | | perform and contribute. Play to your strengths. |
| worried about being laid off. Though cutbacks can be | | | | 3. Take initiative. Once you know your organization's |
| an important strategic approach to regain control over | | | | strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and |
| inefficient or unprofitable business units or | | | | you know your personal strengths and talents, take |
| organizations, there are several things great | | | | the initiative to invent ways to solve the organization's |
| employees can do to keep their names off the layoff | | | | problems and maximize its opportunities. Volunteer for |
| list. Though every organization is different, the primary | | | | new responsibilities that add value to the organization |
| motivation for retaining or laying off employees is the | | | | and match your talents and strengths. Involve others; |
| amount of value an employee creates for the | | | | share your ideas for improvements and opportunities. |
| organization. Employees who create great value are | | | | Be visible; be vocal; be optimistic and be on the hunt |
| more critical to the success of an organization and | | | | for opportunities. |
| more likely to be retained in a recessionary period. To | | | | 4. Focus on the bottom line. Ensure that you know the |
| be noticed, appreciated and retained, employees must | | | | impact on the bottom line of all suggested tasks, |
| take full personal responsibility for creating significant, | | | | initiatives and opportunities. Know the planned impact |
| unique and results-oriented value for the organization. | | | | as you start projects; know the final impact of |
| To build your value and to stand out in the workplace, | | | | completed projects. Develop a method to track and |
| develop each of these four areas: | | | | report your weekly progress on initiatives that drive |
| 1. Know your organization. Be familiar with your | | | | results; be able to translate your performance into |
| organization's purpose, mission and value statements. | | | | empirical results. Think numbers; think metrics and |
| Do a monthly mini-strategic review on your | | | | financial performance. Not only will it change your |
| organization, team or department, noting its strengths, | | | | approach to your work, but your decisions will |
| weaknesses, opportunities and threats (known as a | | | | positively impact results and insure that you stand out. |
| SWOT analysis). This shows your effort to | | | | Today, employees must take greater ownership for |
| understand the business and to use this information to | | | | their personal performance and for company results. |
| regularly make decisions that positively affect the | | | | At a time where most organizations are assessing the |
| organization's performance. In tough economic times, | | | | contributions of their employees, to determine who |
| employees who have committed the time and effort | | | | should stay and who should go, those who know their |
| to know their organization, and what drives its success, | | | | company, know their strengths, take initiative and focus |
| are more valuable to the organization. Share your | | | | on the bottom line will be applauded for their |
| summary of the organization's strengths, weaknesses, | | | | contributions and will earn the privilege of remaining. |
| opportunities and threats with your management; this | | | | Employees must now think and act like owners. The |
| shows initiative and exponential effort. | | | | days of average or marginal performance are over; |
| 2. Know your strengths. Each of us is good at some | | | | organizations became lazy and complacent and |
| things and not at others. To stand out in the workplace, | | | | allowed average performance to prevail. The free ride |
| you must be able to know what you are intrinsically | | | | is over. Today, every employee must create value, |
| good at - what your talents and strengths are - and | | | | drive results and perform in a great way. If not, the |
| then work in roles that allow you to fully develop and | | | | organization under performs. If not, employees are laid |
| exploit these talents. If you work in roles that are not in | | | | off and companies fail. |
| your talent areas, your performance will generally be | | | | We are in a new period of employee accountability; |
| good at best. In times of layoffs and cutbacks, | | | | you own your ability to get noticed in the workplace. |
| employees must be great, not just good, to be | | | | Stand out in the workplace; play to your strengths, find |
| retained. Use Strengthsfinder 2.0 by Tom Rath or | | | | the opportunities and drive the bottom line. Do these, |
| other talent assessment tool (locate on the Internet) to | | | | and you have earned your rightful place in your high |
| learn your primary talents. Knowing your talents and | | | | performing organization. |
| strengths helps you focus on the areas in the | | | | |