Get more out of your job, even if it's not money. An experts' guide to why there's more to work than landing a fat payrise.
Charles Elvin, CEO of the Institute of Leadership and Management, reveals how you can feel more valued, especially when a payrise isn’t an option.
Work Flexibly 'Everyone has the right to ask for flexible working but the organisation doesn’t have to grant it - the onus is on you to illustrate why it's a good idea. As well as explaining why you want to work flexibly, present it as solving a problem. Show your employer how you can achieve everything you need to do successfully and how the organisation is going to benefit.'
Have more autonomy 'The best way to achieve more trust and autonomy is to suggest you’re given a problem to solve, even if it's just a small one. Managers want people who solve issues, not to have to do the job for you. This is particularly an issue with women employees because they tend to be less pushy. But don’t wait to be discovered.'
Take on more responsibility 'Arrange a meeting with your boss and define your ambitions – it’s very motivating for managers to hear. But the key thing is to say what you want, not what you don’t want or don’t like. Take a positive spin, even if it is frustrating.'
Increase appraisals 'Don’t be afraid to ask for monthly catch-ups, or appraisals around every six months, where you should ask your manager to define success in your role. Request your appraisal face to face - email is very formal and people default to it too quickly. It’s also much more difficult to say no in person.'
Mentor or be mentored 'Being mentoring can be a great way of developing yourself and learning more about the business. Either identify someone who you admire and ask them if they’ll act as a mentor, or go through official channels. Mentoring others can be extremely rewarding for you, too. However if you’ve identified someone you’d like to coach, ask someone else to facilitate it rather then just telling them – or you risk causing a difficult dynamic.'
Looking for more career inspo? It's not too late to book tickets for Marie Claire's @ Work Live, in association with Cointreau and Next. A one-day event on 23 April 2016, featuring advice, tips and inspiration from incredible speakers.
