Dedication can be described as an exceedingly strong feeling of loyalty and support for someone or something. To operate any successful enterprise, any employer should have dedicated employees available and be able to depend upon them. Career experts say that devoted employees put in much more personal time in their job. The most obvious way is when they work overtime; coming in early or staying late, and at times, volunteer for other tasks, once they are done with their duties. Moses Mukasa, an employer in Kigali explains that dedicated employees are dependable as they not only show up for work on time every day but also produce consistent work. “Dedicated employees love working as a team or assisting their colleagues to complete assignments on time, or training another employee on how to perform calculations or any task while stuck. To contribute more to the team atmosphere, an employee can look for ways to add to his team by sharing his unique skills.” He further notes that such employees are also honest, they speak the truth regardless of the circumstance or the difficult state they are in. Searching for an honest employee can be a hard task. Mukasa is of the view that devoted workers are proactive, as they don’t wait to be told what to do. They can anticipate their employer’s needs and act accordingly. They love accomplishing their work on time and finding solutions to potential issues. He also adds that such workers produce high quality work and make sure that there are no mistakes in their results before they submit the work. Mukasa carries on the devoted workers love completing these tasks on time and can help you and your team be more successful. “Dedicated workers are also creative. Creativity inspires employees to work with each other. In case of new ideas, they seek out colleagues for their feedback. This creative process encourages collaboration. Such workers come up with ideas that are unique and out of the ordinary,” he states. The local employer also points out that devoted employers are collaborative. CareerBuilder says that 60 per cent of hiring managers look for a team-oriented candidate during the application process. No company can succeed in the work an individual does, it’s all a team effort that drives success. Employers search for people who have a history of collaborating, giving and receiving constructive feedback. Benefits of showing dedication at work According to Indeed career Guide, when you show you’re dedicated to your work, your employer may notice your extra efforts. This can increase your chances of getting a raise, promotion or exciting additional responsibilities. But also, caring about your work can help you feel more motivated to try new tasks. This can lead to you developing valuable skills that may translate to other roles. “Feeling dedicated to your work may help you meet more of your professional goals. Such as learning a new skill, working on a new project or accepting a high-level position.” Mukasa says that if you want to move up within your company, try to set some time apart to discuss your goals with your manager. This will place you in their mind as a candidate for advancement. He also says that dedication will go hand in hand with confidence. Confidence can make an employee more motivated and ambitious, thus overcoming fear and anxiety, to take action. Confidence can also assist you to improve your performance and develop your skills. Experts say that you can boost your confidence by attending professional development training, learning new skills, dressing for success, leaving your comfort zone, and emulating confident peers. But also, setting goals for yourself, focus on your strengths, and learn from your mistakes and ask questions whenever possible.
