As we approach 2023, it's a perfect time for setting New Year's Resolutions for workplace, creating a fantastic opportunity to reflect on the previous year and set intentions for the year ahead. As we grow and gain experience as professionals, our goals change. Take this time to consider where you want to be in your job this time next year. Where do you see your career going over the next three to five years? And what steps do you need to take to get there?
Resolutions are a way for us to be proactive about achieving our goals and figuring out how to meet those benchmarks strategically. You might not know this, but people who make New Year’s resolutions are 10 times as likely to stick to them than others who pursue their goals some other way. Predicting the future may be impossible, but setting workplace goals keeps you aligned with the future you.
Here are some tips for those seeking to set New Year's resolution ideas for work to advance their careers as professionals in the public sector, as well as suggestions for managers who resolve to build a stronger work culture in the new year.
Whether you want to increase your salary, get a promotion, change roles, or something else, you want to get clear on your priorities. Doing this will naturally help you see the next steps you need to take to develop a strategy to achieve your goals. Without knowing your priorities and what to focus on, it will be difficult to map out your next steps.
Learning a new skill is always one of the best New Year’s resolutions for career success. There’s always something new to learn that can benefit your growth as a professional. Are there any new skills that you want to learn? Perhaps there are online courses, webinars, or books that can help you achieve this goal. You’ll never regret investing in your future. Employers should also consider prioritizing upskilling for their employees to teach them new and interesting skills in their field or help them achieve career advancement goals.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we do business, more and more public sector employees are working from home or in hybrid work environments. Younger generations working today expect flexibility in the workplace and are making it a priority when choosing jobs. Accordingly, some managers are considering embracing flexibility in the workplace as one of their New Year’s career resolutions to keep up with the times. Striking the right balance of flexibility and structure will ensure worker productivity doesn’t decrease, while still providing employees with a better work-life experience.
According to a 2022 survey by employee recognition company O.C. Tanner, one in three employees report feeling disconnected from their leaders at work. This same survey found that workers who feel strong social connections in the workplace cope better in stressful situations, produce better work, and experience less burnout. To that end, many managers are making it their resolution to create more opportunities for employees to engage with organizational leadership. Creating more opportunities for workers to engage with their managers can help employees build connections, share feedback, and feel that their voices are being heard.
This resolution probably isn’t surprising as it is a priority for the younger generations entering the workforce. But even older generations can embrace this as one of the top New Year’s resolutions for work. Many were taught hard work is the way to advance, but all work and no play leads to burnout. It’s important to balance your work and life to reduce stress, be a more effective employee, and live a healthier life.
Adopting even one or two of these resolutions can help your career and personal life, whether you’re a manager or an employee. But you don’t want to be too general with your goals and resolutions, as it will be way too generic to measure success. S.M.A.R.T. goal setting allows you to create goals with measurable outcomes so you can easily see when you’ve achieved your goal or resolution.
For more help on improving HR practices in your public sector organization, learn more about the programs and courses CPS HR offers.
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CPS HR Consulting is a self-supporting public agency providing a full range of integrated HR solutions to government and nonprofit clients across the country. Our strategic approach to increasing the effectiveness of human resources results in improved organizational performance for our clients. We have a deep expertise and unmatched perspective in guiding our clients in the areas of organizational strategy, recruitment and selection, classification and compensation, and training and development.
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