How to Take More Responsibility at Work Employment

If you’re looking for a promotion or just looking to spice up your CV, one great method is to take on more responsibilities at your current job. Not only will this help to revitalise your current role and also show your manager that you’re ready for more, it will also provide you with practical skills that you can use in the future. 

In this article from Building Better Opportunities, we’re going to give you some practical steps to claiming more responsibility at work. Building Better Opportunities is an employment and welfare support charity based in Staffordshire, England. Whether you’re looking to get back into work following illness or looking for help claiming benefits, we can help you. 

For welfare support in Stafford, Stoke-On-Trent, or Staffordshire, get in touch with us today. 

Assess Your Team

To start taking responsibility at work, the ideal way of starting is to look at your current team and look for opportunities to help out. You may find that one of your team members is struggling with their current role or you may see an opportunity to bring your own experience to that role. Make a note of this. 

Start Learning

The next stage will be to learn more about your colleagues’ work. For example, the research conducted during the previous section may have shown you that one of your colleagues is struggling with a client that they dislike working with, or you might have found that a colleague really dislikes working with a particular piece of equipment at a building site. Take this opportunity to learn more about your colleagues’ problems and  work out ways that you can overcome these challenges. 

For  this next section, you have two choices. If you’re looking to build up your own skillset or find a new job, read ‘(Optional) Be Proactive and Get Volunteering.’ If you’re looking for a raise or a new position within your current organisation read ‘(Optional) Schedule the Meeting’ 

(Optional) Be Proactive and Get Volunteering

Once you have all the information you’ll need, it’s time to approach your colleagues with your help. Make sure you do so quietly and without judgement  or ego. Remember, it’s important for everyone to understand that this is a mutually beneficial arrangement: your colleagues are going to be helping you just as much as you are going to be helping your colleagues. 

Likewise, you want to make your colleagues understand that being helped by you is not going to negatively affect them in any way. The arrangement will stay between the two of you. 

Once you’ve found people who are willing to help you, it’s important that you make sure not to get behind on your own work as you don’t want to see your overall productivity go down – as that will defeat the object of taking on more responsibility. 

(Optional) Schedule The Meeting and Put Yourself Forward 

If you’re looking to get a promotion at your current organisation your next step will be to make an appointment with your manager and bring all the information you’ve gathered so far. Be honest and explain that you’re looking for a little bit more responsibility and that there are several things they can do to help you. Make sure that your manager knows that you’ve spoken with your colleagues  and they are happy to have you working with them and taking on this responsibility.

Remember: when presenting the information you’ve gathered it’s important not to be judgemental or come in with an ego. Likewise, you’re not looking to throw any of your colleagues under the bus; your goal is to put the spotlight on yourself and not your colleagues.

Make Notes and Stay Positive

Once you’ve had your meeting or started volunteering you’re well on your way to taking more responsibility. At this stage we only have two more pieces of advice. 

The first of these is to take notes as you continue to volunteer your time. This is so that you can use these experiences and skills later on if you’re sitting in an interview or writing a CV. 

Our next piece of advice is to remember to stay positive. Taking responsibility is only the first step in realising your goals, and you’ve still got a long way to go. By staying positive, you’ll be making everything easier for yourself in the long term. 

For Employment Support in Staffordshire, Stafford, Stoke-On-Trent

For help and advice on finding a job or getting back to work, contact Building Better Opportunities  today. We can help you with work placements, career coaching, developing employability skills, and more. 

Our dedicated team is here to help you. Get in touch with us today!