Should you have a list of non-negotiables at work? Why compromising on certain aspects of your job can hurt your career

Whether you’re a CEO or just starting out in your career, establishing a set of workplace non-negotiables can be a highly effective way to lay out the plan for your long-term career goals and aspirations.

Essentially, workplace non-negotiables are the standards you hold yourself (and your employer) to. These can range from your attitude toward getting work done to the company values ​​you’re not willing to compromise on.

However, it is important to be flexible and agile enough to adapt to different situations and outcomes. Non-negotiables should therefore not be confused with stubbornness or insubordination.

Below we list some of the most useful and non-negotiable points you can add to your list.

From becoming a subject matter expert to working in a more collaborative environment, there are certain things you shouldn’t compromise on

Be a subject matter expert

According to various reports commissioned by the UK government – ​​including the White Paper Levelling Up the United Kingdom and the UK Department for Education’s Skills for Jobs strategy paper – the skills gap is holding back economic prosperity across all sectors.

For this reason, it is important that you acquire as much education and experience in your field as possible – whether through on-the-job training or learning and development opportunities.

Likewise, it is important that you continue to educate yourself throughout your career so that you stay up to date with the latest developments, technological advances and tools that can help you improve your job.

Crossing borders

No, this does not mean you should refuse to work or disregard your company’s hybrid work policy by telling your boss that you can’t come into the office because you prefer to work from home.

Pushing boundaries means looking for new and innovative ways of doing things. This could be as simple as reviewing systems that have always been there to see if they can be improved. Or you could share your ideas in a formal way with senior management and ask for more responsibility or the opportunity to work on a new project.

Constantly developing through passion and creativity

Likewise, constant growth through passion and creativity is an essential part of career advancement, and a job that stifles your passion or creativity is probably not the right job for you.

This is particularly relevant in light of the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report, which highlights creative thinking as one of the most important soft skills of the future.

Constantly evolving through passion and creativity is an essential part of career advancement, and any job that suppresses your passion or creativity is probably not the right job for you

Be confident and competent

Self-confidence is not only important when you want to speak up in meetings or give presentations in front of a large group of people.

Confidence can also have a positive impact on your overall performance at work and how able you feel to express your thoughts, make suggestions, and reach your full potential.

However, self-confidence should never be fueled by egoism. Instead, let your hard work and competence shape your confidence and professional development.

Lively collaboration is the key

It may sound cliché, but teamwork makes dreams come true. And when you work in an environment that fosters a sense of teamwork and collaboration, you can do more than just build strong professional bonds with your colleagues.

This allows you to gain valuable experience and knowledge, approach problems and challenges in a uniform manner and distribute responsibilities so that everyone can play to their strengths and do the work as best and efficiently as possible.

It may sound cliché, but teamwork makes the dream come true

No excuses

While it’s easy to blame your lack of career opportunities on your boss or the current economic situation, your professional success is often in your own hands.

If you’re not getting paid the industry standard in your current position, or you’re not learning and continuing your education, but you know you have no opportunity for advancement within the company, it may be time to think about looking for a new job.

Have you reached your maximum compromise capacity? Search thousands of job openings today via the Mail Job Board