Pay attention to the Hygiene factors of your job

Understanding the essentials of a job help you benefit from it in the long term and develop your career in the process. Every job has essentials that can be split into, Professional competence, work ethics and hygiene factors. Professional ethics is the most obvious and employees will focus on obtaining qualifications that suggest that they can do the job they were employed to do. Therefore an accountant will take professional exams while a driver will seek to meet all the technical requirement of the job. However, on the job performance and career development depend on the other two factors.

The answer to understanding why you were employed and what you should do to perform your job effectively is in your Job Description or appointment letter. A good sit down session with your boss should help you clarify what you are employed to do.  Because we only look at the Job description on the first day, we end up wandering and wondering through the rest of the period of employment not knowing or caring if we are adding value to the business or not. Work ethics demands that we constantly evaluate our role and employment responsibility and fulfill it. Only then can we be productive and find meaning in the work we do.

The third factor which I call the Hygiene factor is a critical element of personal success not just on the job but in life. You may not be sacked for not brushing your teeth or failing to take a bath regularly, but if you do not your associations at work (or anywhere else) will not be thrilling. Hygiene factors are the personal initiatives you take to present yourself well, put on a positive attitude and take pride in your work. If you are a driver, take the initiative to wash and clean the car. It is your tool of service. If you are the receptionist wear a smile and look interested in people. If you are a policeman take pride in helping children cross the road. Be a team player. Help your colleagues willingly. These factors are not technical requirements, but one thing is for sure they get you noticed and speak more of your potential as a person than the job you do.