WORKPLACE SPECIAL...... 5 WAYS TO Challenge Yourself At The Workplace

5 WAYS TO Challenge Yourself At The Workplace

In a rapidly changing work environment, it becomes essential to keep up. Almost every industry is in the middle of a major upheaval with skills being redefined in new ways, and employees -no matter which sector they work in -should be prepared to face any kind of situation. The best way to achieve this is by continuing to challenge oneself at the workplace. ET's Brinda Dasgupta has tips from the experts on how to move outside your comfort zone.

1 Start Small

The best way is to start with small steps and put yourself in uncomfortable situations. “You could volunteer to do something you have not done before, or even try to lead a small initiative within your team. Make yourself accountable to such results and constantly track these at the end of set time periods to reflect on the progress,“ said Vipul Singh, head of human resources and communications, ADP.

2 Work In A Different Team

Volunteering to work with a different department or team can be a good way not only to challenge yourself, but also get clarity on what it takes to be in that position. “Most companies usually have initiatives where employees can spend some time in a different role, which helps them move forward towards career accomplishments. This helps them understand new roles and challenges them to grow within these roles,“ said Singh.

3 Update Your Skills

Introspecting on your existing skillset is important in order to judge your strengths and weaknesses. “While there are numerous professional courses to learn new skills, it is also a good idea to develop skills which may not be strictly relevant to the current job,“ said Partha Neog, cofounder, Vantage Circle. “This will help in developing a fuller understanding of how things work and inspire you to develop better relationships across the company.“

4 Move Beyond Organisational Help

While most companies do have initiatives and programmes in place to help employees learn and do new things, it's essential to take ownership for your career path and move beyond just limiting yourself to these. “MOOCs (massive open online courses) have democratised learning and you can enrol in a few to pick up some new competencies. Be sure to allocate regular time for such activities and look at new ways of approaching tasks,“ said Anil Jalali, chief HR officer at Capgemini India.

5 Learn From Failure

Every once in a while, when you attempt something new, you may fail. “It is important to pick yourself up from failures and learn from them. Don't be afraid to experiment, don't be afraid to learn from setbacks and use those lessons as stepping stones for the future,“ said Jalali.