Millennials, are you ready to take your office by storm and impress your superiors in 2016? Sure, working hard and getting the job done is a great place to start, but to really make a splash, try eliminating these 5 work habits in 2016:
Making laid-back look lazy.
Millennials love a laid-back company culture more than any other generation, but taking the relaxed attitude too far could lead to a negative reputation in the workplace. A flexible schedule does not mean that Millennials should make it a habit of leaving early on a daily basis, just like a casual dress code does not mean coming in with wrinkled clothing and excessive skin showing. Many of these traits have been shown to be a major factor in passing over workers when it comes time for promotions, so eliminate this work habit now to advance your career in the future.
Minimize your inbox.
Millennials have a bad habit of feeling the need to be “on” 24/7, probably because this generation grew up with social media and instant access to news at their fingertips. Despite this instinct, fight the urge to check your emails constantly throughout the day. Although it may seem like responding to every email right away that comes through is beneficial to your team, it really isn’t. When you stop what you’re doing throughout the day to check an email, it causes you to slow down, become disorganized, and fall behind on your daily tasks. Is that email from your team of distributors begging for your attention? Minimize your inbox, set aside time every hour or two to check in with your email and reprioritize your tasks based on what messages came through.
Not being respectful.
The open floor plan that is flooding the current corporate culture means that Millennials are even more tempted to socialize with co-workers. Obviously, managers must have known that this workspace designed to increase collaboration would lead to this, however as an employee, it’s your job to make sure your socializing does not distract others around you. Loudly talking about your weekend with co-workers across cubicles could be bothering people around you, and lead to conflict. Be aware of how you conduct yourself in the office, and be sure to take others’ work habits and conditions into consideration.
Being unprepared.
Have you just arrived to a team meeting with no notepad or pen? How did you expect to take notes on whatever updates your manager is presenting? Did you assume your 2 p.m. meeting would be a brainstorming session so you didn’t do any background research on your own? Meetings are called for a reason…to make decisions, share information and get things done. Do your part in moving towards these goals by coming prepared in 2016.
Poor planning.
Many Millennials thrive in the “go with the flow” culture, so they are always ready to adapt to changes quickly. Although this is a great quality for employees to have, even the most flexible workers should have some sort of plan to start the day. Spending the first hour of your morning deciding what you should start with and how the rest of your day will look is not productive for you or for the company. Always know exactly what task you need to begin with in the morning, and move from there throughout the day.
Eliminating these work habits could lead to opportunities for advancement!
Business & Finance Articles on Business 2 Community(85)
