With cutthroat competition, professionals must be fast adapters to remain assets to their organisations. There have been rapid developments in all fields and it is important that people keep updating themselves even to stay in the same position.
A lot of times employees, especially those who are a little older in the workplace, get scared thinking of how they may become obsolete and another may take their place.
The basic rule here is to learn, unlearn and relearn.
* In earlier times reskilling was an option but now it is a survival tactic. If you understand where obsolescence can come from, you can be better prepared for change. Avoid being myopic and thinking that competition can only come from one direction.
When it comes to jobs, there will always be more demand than supply and one must know how to become an important resource when there is a paucity of jobs.
The greatest strength of an employee is his/her existing skills. Each employee has a unique set of competencies that enables him/her to perform.
Doing what you know in a better way shows that you have not been complacent and have sharpened your existing skill set. Ideally, this should happen as one grows in one’s job and gains years of experience. You must also work on expanding your skill set, starting with skills closely related to your existing strengths.
* Employees must not depend only on the opportunities provided by the company alone to upgrade themselves.
Many credible courses are available online that enable self-learning and certify the learner. It helps to have certifications from within and outside the organisation. When one is looking at greener pastures, picking up new skills over time tells the prospective employer a lot about the candidate, in terms of attitude, flexibility, interests, and knowledge.
* Older employees also need to be flexible and constantly learn. Most importantly, one must take to technology though it may initially seem intimidating.
Be open to learning from younger colleagues. There is a lot to learn from young professionals, be it in technology, new apps on the phone, conversation techniques or even handling a difficult boss.
* It is the responsibility of the top management to create the future workforce, particularly of the chief executive. It is in the organisation’s interest to replace non-performers with fresh talent or move employees up the ladder when they display new skills, improve their productivity, manage work better.
If one has sharpened one’s competencies and become a more skilled, knowledgeable employee than before, it gives the company enough reasons to retain rather than fire the employee at the time of cost cutting.
As times change, there will be new problems and challenges that one must face. Enhancing your personal and work-related proficiencies will give you the confidence and attitude to face and overcome such challenges, helping you remain an important and ideally indispensable asset to the organisation.
Courtesy:www.peoplematters.in
