These 7 Habits Make Everyone See You as a Highly Valuable Employee

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Leah Thomas866

When it comes to being a good employee, there are a few ways in which you can improve your standing in the workplace. While certain desirable qualities vary amongst different employers, the majority of the behaviors that make you a better hire are both universal and somewhat easy to attain.

We outline the qualities the most valuable employees embody — from honesty to organization.

1. Valuable employees tell the truth.

A sign of a good employee is honesty. Good employees are honest about making mistakes — they acknowledge exactly what happened, what they did in order to fix the situation and how they will prevent it in the future. An employer values this honesty more than they would value an attempted cover-up of a mistake. These employees are also honest about their opinions regarding decisions within the company. They express what they believe to be the right decision for the team, even if sometimes that means disagreeing with a manager. 

2. Valuable employees are easygoing.

Employers want as little drama as possible in the workplace (obviously). To them, it’s important to have easygoing employees who get along well with everyone (while also getting their work done). They know that you don't need to be best friends with your entire team, but you also shouldn’t be beefing with anyone. They make the focus of work be actual work, not workplace confrontations. 

3. Valuable employees are self-motivated.

Your employer doesn’t want to constantly be checking in on you to ensure you are doing your work. The best employees are those who are self-motivated, and can be counted on to complete their work without being hounded. A good employee also goes above and beyond to do things outside of their expected workload — show you are ready for extra responsibility by taking it on yourself.

4. Valuable employees have emotional control.

The best employees are capable of controlling their negative emotions in an office environment. We all get emotional at times, so this does not apply to those moments in the office where you are completely overwhelmed and need to let the tears out. That is OK! This guideline is more for those moments of anger — being able to control your anger and not let it out toward your colleagues (or even your boss) is a very important quality of a successful employee.

5. Valuable employees listen.

A good employee is a good listener. Employers want someone who is paying attention at all times, and who is taking physical or mental notes to ensure they are performing at their best in the future. Active listening is important as well; don’t be afraid to ask questions if you are confused. Make sure you are understanding what your boss is saying by repeating back to them what you think they mean.

6. Valuable employees organize.

Let’s face it: the best employees have their stuff together. From their desk to their schedule to their meeting preparation. These employees are ready for anything that comes their way, and they do so by staying organized and on top of their workload. 

7. Valuable employees show passion.

Probably the most difficult to achieve on this list: passion. The best employees are passionate about what they do, and it shows. Passion brings excitement, genuineness, approachability and more to an employee in the workplace. When you are passionate about your career, you naturally care more, you work harder and you put your best foot forward — always.