Canadian Career Guide

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by Erika Osmundson, Director of Marketing & Communications
YOU ARE ASSIGNED A TASK and you
complete it. That’s productivity, right?
Sure, that is the very basic sense of
productivity, but like many things, being
a productive employee means so much
more!
Last year we explored ambiguity IQ
(visit Career Guide under Resources
on ). In this edition, let’s
continue to build and get comfortable
with another key employability skill that
employers sometimes feel young
professionals lack. Your Productivity IQ!
WHAT IS PRODUCTIVITY?
In its truest definition, it is the state or
quality of producing something measured
in terms of the rate of output per unit of
input. Blah! What a completely boring
definition unrelated to people and the
workplace. When we look at productivity
as it relates to the workforce it is huge for
managers and leaders in business.
Yes, you are a bit of an investment to
the organization and they are measuring
what they get out of you compared to
what they put into you. It is important to
remember that. But this isn’t to say you
are just a cog in the wheel. Most
employers understand productivity of
employees directly results from the
environment and culture of the
organization.
In this article we’ll focus on ways that
you can gain productivity experience,
demonstrate your productivity standards
to employers, and continue to build your
productivity.
building your
PRODUCTIVITY IQ
>>>
19 Ag & Food CAreer guide
PRODUCTIVITY
EXPERIENCE
Work experiences are
the best way to gain
and show your
productivity
prowess. Internships
and summer work
experiences provide
many opportunities to take
on unique projects and work. You will
have the opportunity to work through
and develop strategies on how best to
complete things. Watch others around
you and your boss to see how
PRODUCTIVITY MINDSET
Productivity and accountability go hand
in hand. To be highly accountable, you
must ask yourself what more can I do
or offer. The same can be said about
a highly productive employee. It isn’t
just getting a list of assignments and
working down the list in a literal manner.
Employers say that productive
employees work through each task
exploring ways to complete the task
and find efficiencies. Thinking about
how their actions could help or hinder
others within the business.
Then once they finish, it isn’t
“I’m done, I’ll go home.” It is seeking
additional opportunities to learn,
grow, and assist. Productivity
is truly a mindset and you
can be a highly productive
employee if you choose
to be!
“productivity is truly
A MINDSET”