COVID-19 has completely changed the world. The question is how we can adapt to create work that is impactful, to take care of ourselves, our colleagues, our jobs and how to work happily.
Hello, I'm Rut. Anontawong Marukpitak,
Head of People at LINE MAN Wongnai.
The world of work is divided into 2 worlds; the old and the new worlds of work. The old world is traditional, working in the office from 9-6, growing and developing your career. The new world, on the other hand, is technology-led. It’s the world of e-commerce that grows and changes exponentially.
The two worlds are different. The old world is comfy with good work life balance. You can continue and you can go on but with little payoff, not very high income. But in the new world, It is tough and unforgiving. The workload is very high, but the payoff in terms of learning and earning are potentially far higher.
Recruit, Support, Develop
Human Resources (HR) has 3 jobs. The first is to recruit people, the second to support people, and the third is to develop people.
I have been in HR now for 5 years and have seen a lot of changes. Definitely, COVID is one of the factors. Businesses are moving faster and more aggressively.
The type of people that an organization needs also changes with time. In the past, we needed people with passion and creativity, who enjoy working.
When work is people-related, like LINE MAN (we work with restaurants, customers ordering food, and delivery riders), we manage a lot of people. We need strong minded people. We no longer need those who just work well but people who are patient and strong-minded. They need to be able to work as a team and to solve problems quickly and effectively.
The Types of People Every Organization Needs
What are the qualities of a good employee that organizations look for?
1. Open-minded and Eager to Learn
One. Open-minded and inquisitive people whose glasses are always half full. We're in a world where things change all the time. What you knew may not be true. What you thought was right yesterday, may well be wrong today.
You have to be ready to improve, to change and not cling to the old beliefs. This is about the need to unlearn, learn and relearn.
2. Patience and Dedication
Two. Patient people who never give up. This is an era in which change happens suddenly and it's very unforgiving. You need to be unyielding, ready to face anything and never give up.
3. See The Big Picture
Three. I think it is about being bountiful. When we have a narrow perspective we only see the view from where we stand.
If we're bountiful, we see the big picture, we can see the company direction, what our bosses are doing, what our executives are doing. We then will not be constrained by our job description, but free to do whatever moves the company forward. Free to conquer all problems.
These are 3 things that will help you grow in an organization that suits you.
5 Tips to Kick Start Your Career
On CI Talks today, I want to share my thoughts on things I think will be useful for new graduates and first jobbers. Know what to focus on in the first 5 years so you can grow in the organization and have a chance to advance your career. I have 5 takeaways to share with you.
Raise Your Hand
One. Hand Raising.
2 years living with the COVID pandemic has resulted in lots of changes. It invented new work, work that no-one was assigned to do. This is a gray area, where new work requirements aren't specifically assigned. The question is who should take that work?
If we view it as not being extra work, or work that distracts our regular work flow, we can raise our hand and say "I'll do it". This is how we make ourselves outstanding at work.
You will be more tired but taking on work no one wants to do will make others view you as a valuable asset. It differentiates you from the rest. This quickly becomes a distinctive point and your unique selling point.
Be Measurable
The second is to be Measurable.
We are entering a data driven era that is results oriented. How do we know things we do matter? We need to be measurable, to know that what we do is making a difference; that the video we created is being watched, or the blog we write is being read.
The work we do needs to be measurable so that we know our limited time and effort has been well spent. When these things are measured and the results presented to colleagues and the executive board, your opportunity to grow in the organization will increase.
Build Your Identity
The third takeaway is Identity.
I'll divide this into 2 parts, the workplace and the online world. Re Identity in the workplace, I see potential candidates on LinkedIn and the ones with most potential, the top performers, don't regularly update their LinkedIn profiles because their track record is attractive to companies. They don’t have to search for jobs as companies, recruiters and head-hunters will search for them.
The second is identity in the online world. I’m a believer in promoting your name as your brand, as opposed to any organization. We have many social media channels; Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok. If you're just a user browsing feeds, you are not using these platforms to their full potential.
When you become a creator and generate your own content that is published on those platforms, you build your identity, followers. This is clear and tangible work that can create fame, notoriety and opportunity.
So build your identity in the workplace and the online world to open new doors to good things.
Be Healthy: Mind, Body and Soul
The fourth is Healthy Mind, Body and Soul.
Over the past 2 years, more people have become burnt out, more people have suffered from depression. I think working from home is one reason; hours spent alone, sitting in front of a laptop. Another reason is that the boundary between personal life and work has dissolved by working from home.
With capitalism, organizations grow fast and if we don't protect this boundary, the pressure of the work and the pressure of the organization will keep us running all the time. When we run without rest eventually, as the body has limits, it will break down. We need to take care of ourselves both physically and mentally.
For physical health, it's easy; eat healthy, get enough sleep, and workout. Mental health is just as important. If we keep working, working, just working to fulfill our ambitions, In the end, you may not get there because you get burnt out.
At LINE MAN Wongnai, our policy is to be good to our staff, to give them a chance to experience what they love like hosting Music Evenings for staff to sing and play instruments, or booking bands like POLYCAT to perform. Things like this.
Be Patient!
My fifth takeaway is to be patient and wait.
I often remind new graduates that they need to be patient, that they need to wait. New graduates want to grow fast, succeed fast. They are impatient. "I've worked for 6 months and got nowhere" or "I know all this. I'll change jobs". But if you do this, you forfeit the chance to excel in your career and threaten your career success.
There's a term "Career Capital"; the accrued skills and knowledge you have. You build it by staying at a job and building knowledge to do that job until you begin to create impact and grow with the organization. When I am recruiting, I look for people who have been promoted in a company they have worked at for 2-3 years and have grown in that company. I'll hire them.
Another profile is the "job hopper". They change jobs frequently. I don't hire these people. The perception I have is that one, they aren't patient enough, or two, they are just not good, because all good things take time. Only bad things happen quickly. Everything else takes time. So if you are patient and never give up, you will reach your future goals.
Step Forward in the World of Work
The Future of Work.
What will the future of work be like? The answer is no one knows. We can’t guess how it will change but we can predict what won’t change.
Choose a good organization and know what organization you want to work for. Try to blend in and to understand the big picture of the organization and focus on that. Find opportunities to grow in the organization. Your future will then be bright and you will be in a position to earn enough to take care of yourself and your family too.
CI Talks
The Future of Work video web series is brought to you by CI Talks. Find more inspirational videos and stories that spark change on CITalks.com and be inspired to take action and grow.
