When we use our skills and strengths at work, our happiness and productivity soars. That’s what research from Harvard Business Review says about job crafting – a simple tool that can re-energize how you work and develop yourself. Are you making the most of yours?
We all have unique strengths, skills and passions, and job crafting is simply about creating opportunities to use them more often. It’s not about changing your entire role, it’s about shaping it to what you’re great at.
This results in a win-win situation that benefits you and your team.
Chances are, you might already be doing it.
- Have you ever created a new process to speed up a time consuming task?
- Have you become the ‘go to’ person in your team for something you have a natural flair for?
- Have you volunteered for a project that uses a talent you’ve learned outside of work?
What’s better is that you don’t need to wait for someone else to make it happen. Reflect on the questions below to think about how you can create your own opportunities:
- When was the last time you were so absorbed in a task, you lost track of time? These are the things you’re most likely to enjoy
- If you had a magic wand and you could keep the bits of the job you’re best at, what would they be?
- What parts of your role do you find easy? (Just because you find something easy, it doesn’t mean others do!)
- What strengths do others see in you that maybe you don’t?
- Where could you spot opportunities to increase this type of work or use this strength? Who can help you with this?
- What skills or interests do you have that aren’t being used to the full?
- Which tasks take up a lot of your time? Can you re-design them so you can spend more time on value adding tasks?
- How could you use your strengths, skills and passions more broadly – for example, in your wider department?
- What opportunities can you find to have more satisfying interactions with other people at work? Could you volunteer for a new project, offer to mentor people or train new people?
- Why not build relationships with people who are aligned with your skills and passions? For example, if you’re passionate about improving your team’s dull presentations, how would a comms or marketing team make them more interesting?
To win support, focus on using your strengths to create value for others. Even though job crafting is about you taking the initiative, be open with your manager. They may be able to help you spot opportunities and different activities you can get involved with.
Build trust with your manager. For example, if you are taking on additional tasks or are interested in something specific, reassure them that your core work will still be completed. Remember, job crafting isn’t about picking and choosing what you do, it’s about shaping things a bit differently. Finally, if you’re putting any changes into practice, check in regularly to make sure it’s working for everyone.
What’s next for you?
Read more about job crafting and how you can create opportunities for yourself here. With small steps where could you be by Mid-Year?
Not too sure what your strengths or values are? Work out your career anchors here, try the unique strengths skill book here and take a look at our 5 step development planning guide here.
We all have unique strengths, skills and passions, and job crafting is simply about creating opportunities to use them more often. It’s not about changing your entire role, it’s about shaping it to what you’re great at.