AD – This is a sponsored guest post by iCompario
Some people find a sense of belonging by connecting with the ideas of an organisation, while others thrive in the day-to-day freedom of the self-employed lifestyle.
Keep in mind that if you’re building a career through an existing company structure, you don’t need to be afraid to ask questions and demand more from the organization.
We hear you: asking for more takes a lot of guts, especially at a new place of work.
At a time of economic uncertainty speaking up at work has some mental hangups. Fear for job safety, overstepping your boundaries and irritating your superiors are all common.
However, these blockers aren’t often embedded in reality — asking for things often means you can improve your professional situation, as well as create a more comfortable environment for others to speak up too. Not a bad trade-off, right?
Read on as we study some compelling reasons (with examples) why you should make the leap and ask for more in your next job.
Asking for more shows off your business acumen
‘Why’ is one of the most important words in the English language.
Questioning the status quo and seeking reason in things we don’t understand is uniquely human. We search for meaning and logic in our actions, which rightly extends to your place of work.
Just because you aren’t the boss doesn’t mean you can’t question policy — or perhaps find an even better way of doing things through your line of questioning.
Businesses are always looking for ways to boost efficiency: why shouldn’t it be you who comes up with the next big idea?
It’s helpful to have an example in your head before venturing into the unknown. To help provide you with some inspiration, here’s a simple idea that can have a positive knock-on effect at work (both for you and the wider company):
Suggest mediating vehicle expenses with fuel cards
Whether we’re talking about big fleets in the transport industry or company cars ferrying us to and from work, vehicles are a major component to the efficiency of modern business.
But in contradictory fashion, these four-wheeled gas guzzlers feel like the equivalent of a financial black hole, a place where businesses shovel money into endless running expenses, like coal to fire.
Why is the status quo this way — and is there a better alternative?
Although it’s impossible to negate the financial weight of running a vehicle entirely, there is a way to mediate the burden and boost productivity levels: fuel cards.
Fuel cards are self-explanatory and fairly simple, they’re credit cards used by businesses to pay for fuel — and with a little research (using comparison sites like iCompario) you can find one that matches your business type like a hand to a neat glove.
All you have to do now is bring the idea to your next meeting…
It’s always good to back your pitch up with tangible benefits, particularly when your every word is being scrutinised under a strict business lense. For example, here are some upsides of using cards fuel cards your boss would love to hear:
- They help the business: fuel cards produce an HMRC approved invoice to save time on tedious accountancy related admin.
- They help the workforce: with digital receipts, there is no need to hold onto paper ones and jump through hoops to claim back expenses.
With this example, you improve the business from an operational standpoint and make life much easier for your colleagues. That sounds like double points for ingenuity to me.
Confident speakers move on in their career at a faster pace
The mantra is simple: if you don’t ask, you don’t get.
Building on from organisational performance and business acumen, your consistent voice and helpful line of questioning can open new avenues in your professional career.
A strong voice in the workplace is a first step in strengthening your influence in the company. Plus a consistent flow of questions not only commands respect but also gets yourself noticed by the big wigs up top.
If you don’t believe in the value of asking for more, then you can do a bit more research (reading opinions from business sites like Forbes is a great place to start). In short, though, here is a quick bullet point synopsis of what your questions mean to your business:
- Enable you to become more productive
- Helps your company become more efficient
- Challenges the status quo and points out areas of improvement
- Inspires those who are normally quiet to speak up too
- Shows off leadership skills and desire to learn
All that sounds extremely valuable, right? The more you question, the easier it is to find your voice and earn the respect of your peers.
In the end, all this hard work pays off when the time comes to ask for a pay rise — or even a promotion.
While it’s great to be the friendly face in the office, you cannot afford to be the silent type either. Asking for more shows pride in your work and an inner need to constantly improve.
From asking for more training to suggesting a new innovative idea, It takes time to establish your professional voice, but it all starts by allowing yourself to be more vocal and asking for more in your next job.