5 Habits That Will Help You Stay Proactive at Work

Being proactive means thinking ahead about what might happen in the near future, and preparing in advance for its consequences. Today we reveal top 5 habits to increase the value of proactivity at your workplace.

We are always surrounded by people who are always on top of their schedule, especially at the workplace. Not only do their lives seem to be organized, but they are always seen preparing for what’s ahead of them. That is exactly what proactivity stands for!

As the job market gets increasingly competitive, professionals continue to seek people who stand out of the crowd. And one of the values that differentiates you from the others is your ability to be proactive at work. 

In essence, proactivity entails anticipating future events and preparing, rather than merely reacting to them in the moment. It’s no surprise that proactive employees are now in high demand in organizations. People with this skill are the ones who frequently get selected for management projects, team leadership, and management training. 

But the question here stands – what do proactive people do that makes them stand out from the rest of the employees at work?

Let’s take a look at our top 5 picks that we believe will help you become more proactive at work:

Create a to-do list and prioritize tasks

Naturally, no human is able to do everything all at once (unless you secretly possess a super power that can be discussed in a separate blog perhaps…). While many of us may presume that multitasking is a great skill, at work it usually ends up in added efforts and time wastage. 

The thing with problems is that they show up unannounced and may already have caused damages that you can reverse. Here, accepting the situation is crucial. Instead of fixating on the unsolvable, prioritize what matters most and devise strategies to address it effectively.

Best way is to create a to-do list that will help you accomplish your tasks as per the urgency. An important point to note here is to leave out some time for unscheduled tasks or events. For example, your manager might schedule a sudden team meeting, or a colleague might seek assistance with specific tasks. In these situations, it’s always best to anticipate and be prepared for what might come up.

Working well with others

View it as a universal principle: Your friendly demeanor significantly enhances relationships with colleagues, influencing their work interactions with you.

You can support others in their projects especially when they ask you for help and you are in the position to assist. You can also collaborate with co-workers through brainstorming sessions, fostering creativity for project ideas.

When you get along well with your colleagues and show enthusiasm for your work, people will respond to it. Also make sure to socialize with people at your workplace on company events and take time out to praise others for their work. 

Good communication 

Successful, proactive people never shy away from speaking their minds. They are intentional about gathering information, asking questions, and effectively communicating with those around them. By learning about others’ concerns and identifying opportunities for improvement, they actively seek ways to enhance their environment.

Good communication also involves following up, which is another trait of a proactive employee. Following up and being persistent in your workplace garnishes your career and gives you an opportunity to succeed. Following-up on scheduling meetings and important emails, deadlines or events is how you show your skill of proactivity. 

Adapting to change 

Changes are inevitable. And in the world of business, there’s nothing much you can do about it. Instead of working up on these changes, find a way to adapt to them and demonstrate flexibility. The ability to adapt to change easily builds your capacity to be proactive at work.

When a change pops up in your routine work, try to analyze and understand the reason behind it, and how the change will impact your work in a positive manner. In such cases, you need to adjust seamlessly and move forward with it, and not let it affect your mood or work. 

If the change is initiated from your end, it is crucial that you communicate about it well with others. It would be ideal to involve everyone at every step and inform them of timely updates and the potential benefits. This will not only help people accept the change easily, but also motivate them to work on it. 

Improving work process 

In life, there’s always room for improvement and the same goes for your work. Proactive people are always on the lookout of improving your work. Some easy steps to achieve this include believing in quality over quantity, delegating and distributing tasks evenly with others, using automation, having checklists for tasks, designing forms and templates for everyday use, and much more.

Another way of improving your work process includes participating actively at work. This includes being vocal by asking questions during meetings, giving your suggestions and ideas in brainstorming sessions, volunteering to help out your team, and much more.

The value of proactivity at VAI

At VAI, we practice the value of proactivity in every aspect of our work. Everyone, from top management to employees, values workplace proactivity, evident in our daily lives.

As part of our monthly value recognition awards for employees, we asked Hasnain Rajkotwala, HR Specialist at VAI, upon winning the proactivity award about the importance of being proactive at work and how he practices it each day.

“To ensure there is an effective Employee Value Proposition, a proactive approach rather than a reactive one becomes the basis of a strong HR strategy. As a HR Specialist at VAI Marketing Management, in all the projects I undertake;  proactivity, continuous improvement & improvisation helps in being abreast of the market scenario and in providing efficient HR support to the business.”

Hasnain Rajkotwala, HR Specialist at VAI

Join us and be a part of VAI!

We initiate community engagement and encourage internal communications, make sure that hiring is done with values and culture in mind, addressing sales communication, and much more. All these lead to persuading employees to be more proactive at work and benefit from it.

Do you reckon you’ve got what we’re looking for?

Stay tuned for the recent job openings at VAI. Follow us on LinkedIn today!

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