Best Ways to Improve Work Performance

Improving your work performance can show your supervisor that you’re ready for a raise or promotion. To improve your work performance, it’s important to learn more about your current skills to see where you should focus. This article shows you why work performance is important and how you can improve yours.

Tips for improving work performance

Here are some ways you can improve your work performance:

Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses

The first step you can take to improve your work performance is to make a list of your strengths and weaknesses. With this list, you can see where you already excel and where to spend most of your focus. 

For example, a strength could be good communication skills, while a weakness could be needing to improve leadership abilities. Review your weaknesses to see the best goals you can create to improve them. 

Create an organization system

Organizing your work can help you prioritize tasks and complete them on time. It can also allow you to find what you need easily, meaning you won’t need to spend a lot of time gathering resources for projects. Make sure your desk or workstation is clean and free of clutter, and organize any paper and electronic files you have. 

Stay focused

When you stay focused, you can complete better work faster. Avoid multitasking if you can since it can make it difficult to focus. Try to remove any distractions from your workspace so it’s easier to focus. Put your cell phone in an area that’s hard to reach, and only use it during designated breaks. 

Learn how to communicate effectively

Communication is important to understand and give instructions. You should be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing. To improve your communication skills, try actively listening to someone when they’re talking to you, and rephrase what they said to ensure you heard it correctly. When sending emails or writing reports, proofread your work for spelling or grammar errors so the recipient can understand your message.

Work on your time-management skills

If you work in a fast-paced environment or need to meet a lot of deadlines, time-management skills can help you stay on track. You can create a detailed schedule that includes different deadlines so you know what you need to work on. It can also be helpful to review what you need to do for the day at the beginning of your shift so you can meet any daily goals.

Make sure to complete tasks based on deadlines. Start more difficult assignments first so you know you’ll have enough time to complete them. 

Develop practical goals

You should develop measurable goals so you can track your work performance progress. Set smaller goals that you can achieve in specific periods of time. This can make it easier for you to make progress without trying to approach one large goal. 

For example, if you work in retail and want to improve your customer service abilities, a work performance goal could be to help at least 20 customers a day for a month. If you achieve that goal, you can increase the number or try meeting a new goal, like improving your customer satisfaction rate.

Ask questions

If you’re unsure of how to complete a specific task or duty, ask questions. You can first approach team members to see if they have encountered the same challenge before, and they may be able to help you. Ask your supervisor or manager for additional instructions if you need them. Asking questions to clarify all points can help you make sure you complete your duties accurately.

Build leadership skills

Leadership is an important skill in every industry, and you’ll likely need it to get promoted to a management position. You can improve your leadership skills by practicing. 

Try asking your supervisor for opportunities to lead a team project or presentation. If you lead a project, delegate tasks to different team members based on their strengths. Make sure you’re available to answer any questions, and stay involved in the project to show your dedication. 

Take breaks when you need them

When you work on one task for a long period of time, you may lose focus or feel stressed. Make sure you take breaks when you need them so you can stay productive. Taking a break from your work can also help you find new approaches or solutions to a challenge. 

Try using the 50/10 rule if possible. Work on a task for 50 minutes, then take a 10-minute break. Use the break to get up, walk around and leave your work at your desk or workstation. When you get back to work, you’ll have a renewed sense of focus. 

Learn how to work with a team

Teamwork can help you complete duties faster and learn more. Since most work environments involve working with others, learning teamwork skills can help you in any job or industry. 

When you work with a team, make sure they can rely on you by completing your assignments on time, and help them if they need assistance. In time, you can build strong connections with your coworkers, making tasks easier to complete. 

Ask for feedback

As you work toward your work performance goals, ask for feedback from your coworkers and manager. They can offer a different perspective on your work that you might not have considered. It can also show that you care about their opinions and suggestions, which can build stronger working relationships.

Take their suggestions and see if you can incorporate them into your work performance goals. When your manager sees that you’re implementing their feedback, they could consider you for a promotion or raise.