While hard skills like specific knowledge and abilities are obviously important to perform a job effectively, employers also want employees with soft skills that are harder to measure. According to a 2014 study by Career Builder, the top two soft skills that employers look for are dependability and a strong work ethic. When applying for a job in East Central Ohio, your attendance record and overall reliability are two things that recruiters will look at, so being at work on time every day is something to strive for.
The Importance of a Good Attendance Record at Work
When an employer has to deal with unplanned absences, it adversely affects everyone else and puts a strain on operations as a whole. Besides the stress it causes, it can also have a negative financial impact. In fact, a 2010 study by Kronos Inc. found that “unplanned absences amounted to an average cost of 5.9 percent of a company’s payroll in the United States.” It hurts productivity, leads to lost consumers, and employers have to replace fired workers. The bottom line is that employers want to have employees who they can count on to show up on time and not have to deal with flakiness.
If you have a record of poor attendance, this often translates into a lack of dependability and work ethic in the eyes of employers. When this is the case, it makes it more difficult for you to land a job in Knox County and surrounding areas. On the other hand, if you have a history of good attendance, it’s a positive reflection on your dependability and work ethic and can give you an advantage over other job candidates.
How to Create Personal Goals to Improve Attendance
If you have a history of less-than-perfect attendance and struggle in this area, there are several things you can do to improve.
- Prepare for work the night before. For instance, you might make your lunch, take your shower or make sure you’ve got enough gas in your car so you don’t have to stop on your way to work.
- Get plenty of sleep the night before.
- Set your alarm clock away from your bed as opposed to a nightstand. This will force you to physically get up and out of bed to turn it off.
- Account for unforeseen circumstances like traffic delays, and leave for work ahead of time.
- If possible, have an alternate route in case you encounter heavy traffic or delays.
- Make it your goal to arrive to work 10–15 minutes early so you have extra time in case other issues arise.
Key Points to Remember
- Dependability and work ethic are valued above all other soft skills
- Poor attendance can hurt your chances of landing a job
- Good attendance will improve your chances of landing a job
Setting the right goals and planning ahead should improve your attendance and give you a positive reputation. For more on how to thrive at work and be an effective employee, get more advice from Shannon Staffing.
