Safety, security, and peace of mind. Nice calming words they are. They come with little worries and little stress. Every employee wants this. But what does management want from you?
For many in the customer service industry, there is little room for advancement and few opportunities to make “change” – a change that is meaningful, impactful, and which enhances the customer experience. Employees fall into a rut when they have few responsibilities and few opportunities to vary their procedures or personalize their service. No matter how hard they try, it’s the same thing day in and day out. But their job is “safe” and that’s the trade-off – a steady paycheck for basic work.
Many employees are satisfied with this. But for some people, safety and security quickly turn into boredom, and many morph into the biggest complainers of their situation. “This job sucks!”. “I can’t stand it here!”. Maybe you’ve said these words yourself – I know I have.
We can understand this may happen to those working on a factory production line, but most workers are in different positions. Positions that give them “opportunity” to be more than just a number on a spreadsheet or a faceless employee in a back room.
What Do Managers Want From Their Employees?
Most managers want their team members to continue doing their job without incident, especially if the team works well. It creates safety, security, and peace of mind for the manager. They have little worry that the work will get done, and even less worry their own job will be in danger. They sleep well at night knowing the team will get it done, as needed and when needed.
But what about YOU, the worker? The “faceless” employee? Are you happy? Do you feel you’ve contributed enough to the department to make your efforts stand out? Have you made yourself noticeable to those in a position to advance your career?
Employees must create their opportunities. Don’t expect someone to walk over to you and give you the cushy assignment you’ve been waiting for or that promotion you’ve dreamed of. It doesn’t happen that way in the real world.
It’s time to stop complaining about your job and do something about it. Now, I don’t mean to quit – unless it’s so bad there is no other option. But I do mean to bring to your work the qualities that are unique to you and which cannot be done by another. Find ways to become the “go-to guy” on your team.
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How to Earn Your Manager’s Respect
Every office has a “go-to guy” and I’ve written about this before. You know the type, the one person in the office who always has their projects completed ahead of time, always has the answer to the problem and is always looked to in time of need. A leader.
The go-to guy or girl uses their knowledge to identify the needs of the customer and what to do about them. They help to tweak the operation to take advantage of the latest industry trends and rising market segments.
- What do customers want today versus yesterday?
- Are the customer’s needs or expectations different in this market versus another?
- Does my product or service fulfill a gap in the marketplace?
- How can I make my job so unique that I stand above the others in my office?
Employee Must Create Their Own Opportunities
For most, opportunities must be self-created. They are not awarded based on simply showing up each day and doing your job. They are awarded on individual actions that benefit the company and which differentiate the employee from their teammates.
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This doesn’t mean they care little about teamwork – no, not at all. But they want to shine, they need to shine.
We’ve heard the phrase, “There is no “I” in team”, and that’s true. But a team will never reach its potential without each member first taking personal responsibility for their work and being accountable for its quality.
The heart of a team is quality individual work that supports the whole team’s efforts.
What Does Management Want?
Sure, management wants something different than you but to what extent? This doesn’t mean that a star performer should be held down and not allowed to shine. But some would rather the star performer stays right where she is and continue doing the fine work and not advance.
That’s a sure way to lose them to your competition. Definitely, not what your manager wants!
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