It is no secret that in today’s competitive job market, employers are looking for employees who will go the extra mile and be willing to take on additional tasks and responsibilities. As an employee, it is important to consider how taking on additional duties can benefit your career in the long run. When you perform duties outside of your job description, you display your commitment to your employer’s mission and show that you are a reliable worker. Additionally, taking on additional tasks outside of your job description can give you a greater understanding of how your job fits into the overall mission of the organization. In this blog post, we will discuss ways to effectively manage additional duties and explore how taking on extra tasks can help to further your career.
How to manage extra work
It’s crucial to defend your own interests when your employer gives you responsibilities that are not listed in your job description. Consider these options to address your new duties:
1. Assess the situation and decide on your goals
Not every employee performing tasks outside the scope of their job has the same objective. You might want to keep doing the extra work to strengthen your negotiating position when asking for a raise or promotion or to acquire new abilities that will help you advance.
Alternately, you might prefer to reassign the tasks to employees whose job descriptions are more appropriate for the work. Both methods can be effective, but before choosing one, it’s crucial to understand your objectives for the new responsibilities.
2. Ask your manager about your additional duties
Speaking with your manager is frequently the best course of action for addressing additional responsibilities outside of your job description. Your manager can provide clarification on the new duties, including whether they are likely to be a temporary addition or a result of a pressing circumstance like an increase in workload or a temporary absence of a coworker. Knowing more about your circumstance will enable you to address your additional responsibilities in a thoughtful manner.
3. Seek assistance from coworkers
A coworker may be able to offer assistance if you discover that the additional responsibilities you have been given are degrading your performance or negatively affecting your happiness or health. Finding a coworker with experience in your new responsibilities who can provide guidance or take on some duties can help reduce the burden of the additional work.
4. Develop your professional skills
It’s possible that the responsibilities you carry out that are not part of your job description will require abilities you haven’t yet acquired. You can lessen the burden of your additional tasks by learning new abilities that will enable you to complete them more quickly and efficiently.
5. Explain your preferences
It’s important to express your concerns to a supervisor who can implement changes when you are dissatisfied with the state of your work obligations. You gain from having taken the time to evaluate your current situation and choose your goals for the new responsibilities before meeting with a supervisor. Discuss the changes you want with your manager, and then come to a mutually agreeable agreement.
6.. Formally update your job description and title
Consider asking for a formal update to your job description if you decide to keep all or some of your additional responsibilities. You can avoid misunderstandings about expectations and gain leverage when negotiating a raise or promotion with your current employer or applying for a job with a new employer by having a description that accurately describes your responsibilities.
You may also consider requesting a change to your title. A promotion is when you receive a new title and responsibilities. This can give you more status with your current employer and create a new entry on your resume that could make you a more attractive candidate.
7. Increase your compensation
It is crucial that your employer pay you for the extra work they are asking you to do if you reach an agreement that calls for maintaining some or all of your extra responsibilities. The most common form of compensation is an increase in salary, but you may also agree to different or additional options, such as insurance benefits, funding for your retirement, or stock options.
8. Know your limits
Although there are many ways to make the most of your additional obligations at work, it’s crucial to avoid overworking yourself. Recognize your limitations and establish boundaries at work, which may entail assigning new duties or asking for a workload restriction.
What does it mean to be performing duties outside of your job?
It is typical for you to have clearly defined responsibilities when starting a new job with a company from the job posting, your contract, and orientation. You are working outside of your job description when a company asks you to perform tasks that are not listed among your stated responsibilities. You can take advantage of this by utilizing these additional tasks to obtain the proper rewards.
Benefits of performing duties outside of your job description
There are numerous ways you can use new tasks that are assigned to you at work that are outside the scope of your job descriptions to advance your career. Some of the top benefits of completing extra responsibilities include:
Developing new abilities
Frequently, in order to successfully complete a new task that does not fall under your job description, you may need to pick up some new skills. Long-term, this can help your career because you can add these skills to your resume. Professional development can be fulfilling and increase your self-confidence.
Advancing your career
A great way to demonstrate that you are prepared for a promotion is to demonstrate that you are more capable than what is required of you in your current position. You can advance faster in your industry by doing more work, making you a more desirable candidate for advanced positions both inside and outside of your company.
Increasing job security
Your job security with the company can be significantly increased by taking on more responsibility at work. First, completing more work increases your chance of making a good impression on your employer. Second, it gets harder to replace you because you oversee increasingly specialized work. Your role in the company will be more valuable as you complete more tasks.
Maintaining professional interest
Your typical workday will change when you are given new responsibilities. Maintaining your engagement with your organization can be facilitated by completing new tasks. Additionally, completing new tasks successfully can make you feel more productive.
Negotiating from a stronger position
Having additional responsibilities gives you more negotiating power when you meet with representatives of your employer to work out a better deal. This could involve negotiating an updated contract, asking for a formal promotion, or bringing up a pay raise during a performance review.
Job Descriptions: Responsibilities and Duties
FAQ
Can an employee refuse to perform duties outside his job description?
The short answer is that your employer may give you tasks that aren’t explicitly mentioned in your job description. Your employer is legally permitted to alter your responsibilities if there isn’t a contract or collective bargaining agreement in place. Let me offer more detail.
How do you answer tasks outside your job description?
Try putting it this way in your response: “I’d love to be able to help you with this task.” However, our supervisor initially gave you this task, and it is outside the purview of my duties. I’ll politely decline and suggest speaking with management to come up with a solution. “.
How do you politely refuse to do something that is beyond your job description?
When asked to do something that belongs in the office’s shared responsibility area or is a supervisor’s personal responsibility, you should politely decline and make it clear that you want to help. One effective way to decline is to do something helpful after declining.
How do you handle additional responsibilities at work?
- Shift from execution to empowerment.
- Recognize what others see in you.
- Root into your resilience.
- Stay put for a while in your comfort zone.
- Grow your confidence.
