You are reading and hearing a lot about streamlining federal agencies with domino effect on private sector and non-profits. What does this mean to you? You’ve been seeing job cuts and re-organizing. Don’t panic! But do pay attention…
You likely have already experienced taking on additional roles and tasks that were previously covered by now-unfilled positions. Your manager is struggling to make sure all the required work is done and truly isn’t trying to ‘break’ you. Work with her to be clear on priorities and eliminate non-essential work to wisely manage your time. You can shine by using your fresh eyes to ensure a task is done for all the right reasons and the most efficient way. Keep the conversation open as requirements change.
Knowing what is valued (measured) helps you plan and manage your work. We’re seeing increasing use of data analytics for trend assessments and insights about where and how to manage our own productivity and work satisfaction. The key is in gathering the data based on asking the right questions. Be sure to ask and understand what metrics are important for your work.
Befriend technology to reduce the repetitive tasks. Don’t fear it. Learn how to use it to free up your time for more creative and critical thinking activities. You’ll see less paper and/or legacy systems-supported procedures related to recruitment, on-boarding, training, performance reviews, etc. The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 is being applied to all types of reports – internal and external.
Performance feedback is shifting away from the annual formal one-way conversation to an on-going dialog, even using online portals with immediate accessibility. Let your boss know what is working well for you, how she is helping you, as well as resources or conversations that could enhance your job satisfaction. Let her know when things are getting to be too much and offer some realistic ideas. The first unwritten rule of all organizations is, “Don’t let the boss be surprised.”