Measuring your value to your company isn’t as easy as measuring your height or weighing yourself. Part of the reason for this is that each employer measures what a valuable employee is in different ways. Employers may be looking for employees who are efficient and accurate, pleasant to work with, experts in their specialty, hard workers and team players.

Attitude
Have a positive attitude. No one wants to spend 40 hours a week with a grouchy person. Having a good attitude as a valuable employee doesn’t mean you have to pretend there are no problems, simply try to find the good in situations and others.

Care about more than just your paycheck. Employers and coworkers can tell when you are only there for a paycheck. Usually, these types of employees only do the tasks they are required to do. They do not look for ways to help others or improve the company.

Show you are a valuable employee by supporting company goals. Your supervisors will be appreciative of your efforts to achieve company goals, especially if you encourage others to support them as well. Your example may have more of an impact than you realize.

Be a Team Player
Volunteer for additional assignments, and find productive tasks you can complete during your downtime. Take initiative. Don’t wait to be asked to do things. If you have time, offer to help out others on your team or pick up tasks that no one in particular is assigned to but need to be done. In volunteering, you don’t have to announce to everyone what you are doing, but make sure your manager is okay with the tasks you have picked up. If your supervisor isn’t comfortable with you completing additional tasks, taking them on without permission can make you less of a valuable employee.

Help your coworkers shine, including your supervisor. Point out the great things your coworkers do. Be appreciative of the things your coworkers do to help you as well. As the old adage goes, lifting others lifts you too.

Strengthen your people skills. Make friends with those in your office and with your clients. Take time to listen to them and help out as appropriate.

Be the type of employee who solves problems. Before going to your manager with a problem, quickly consider practical resolutions. When you go to your manager, share your ideas.

Develop Yourself
Know your strengths and weaknesses. Find ways to appropriately apply your strengths to your job. Make measurable goals to overcome your weaknesses. Keep track of your progress and share it with your supervisor as appropriate.

Valuable employees set goals, gain new skills and monitor their accomplishments. Improve laterally as well as longitudinally. Strive to become the best at what you do. Learn everything you can in order to specialize. At the same time, continue to broaden your expertise by learning new skills sets. This will allow you to have more flexibility in your career.

Maintain and cultivate good ethics. Work hard, be honest and self-disciplined. Take responsibility for your actions. If you have good ethics, this will not be as difficult.

Be reliable, dependable and on time. If you say you’ll do it, deliver. Do your best to exceed your employer’s expectations. Meet your deadlines and be at your office earlier than what is required.

Develop confidence in your abilities. Find ways to appropriately stand out as an employee. Perform quality work that your manager will take notice of. Complete your assignments before they are due. Take up additional projects in addition to your own; just make sure you can still do your required tasks well.

The more you strengthen your abilities, support your team and display a happy and sincere attitude, the more your company will see you as a valuable employee. By keeping track of your improvements, you will be able to share with your supervisor during evaluations specific things you have accomplished to increase your productivity and value.