The COVID pandemic has tilted the functioning of the world and has had serious implications for organizations. Not only have companies had to move online regardless of the field in which they work, but many employees have also been let go off due to the economic strain the world has suffered. The pandemic points towards the uncertainty that all employees have to face with regards to their work, irrespective of their experience and position. The situation has become akin to the ‘survival of the fittest, where most companies have only managed to retain their highly valuable employees.
How, then, does one become this ‘highly valuable employee’? With the drastic change in circumstances, the qualities that employers look for in their employees have also changed. This article will discuss some of the traits that are in high demand in the work-from-home, pandemic world.
Flexibility
Flexibility has always been an important trait that employers look out for, but it has become all the more significant during the pandemic. Organizations have had to change their entire way of working, which has put pressure on the employees to adjust quickly to the new methods, by grasping technological changes as well as shifting their workplaces to home.
The pandemic has pointed towards the necessity of having flexible workers, who are able to deal with and effectively manage changes and transitions smoothly. Applicants applying for jobs in the pandemic or even post-pandemic world should try to highlight this trait to make their applications appear stronger to hirers.
Optimism
Optimism in employees transforms into the high-energy level, creativity, and inspiration in the workplace. Optimistic employees are resilient and proactive, which is highly useful in dire situations like the pandemic. Moreover, optimism in one employee can work wonders in raising the spirits of the entire workforce, thus motivating them and boosting their productivity. Hence, this is a trait that is more important than ever now, not just in employees but for everyone in equal measures.
Self-reliance
Self-reliance refers to how well one can manage on their own rather than depending on others. A self-reliant employee is one who uses their own power and resources to get things done rather than relying on their seniors or co-workers.
It is easy to see why this is a desirable characteristic for an employee to have during the pandemic. With work being online and everyone being at home, employees don’t have supervisors or managers constantly hovering above their heads (at least literally) to get things done. This really puts the pressure on employees to be self-reliant and manage to do their work well with little outside help or encouragement.
Dependability
This ties in with self-reliance, as that really determines how much organizations can depend on their employees. The pandemic has transformed employees into something akin to ‘one-man armies’, with each employee working on their own and the organization depending on their ability to work well outside of the environment of the office. The ability to consistently follow through with assigned work is an important trait that all companies seek, and it has become more desirable in a world where the companies have to put full faith in their employees to get things done.
These are just some of the traits that employees should seek to highlight when applying for jobs as they are very relevant to the current way of working. More than anything else, perhaps, employees should be open to learning, and keep themselves up to date with how things are functioning in the world. This way, they will be able to face any challenges that come their way.
About the Author.
Ms. Payal, is an undergraduate student, pursuing a major in Psychology. While her aspiration lies in clinical psychology, she is keen on learning about all fields in the domain of mental health. She thrives on books, music, and traveling, and dreams of making it big someday.
