Why Would I Want to do That?

"Why would I want to do that?"  I hear that phrase all the time.  Well, I’m always up for a challenge which makes life interesting.  Why would I want to continue to do the same things day in and day out –UGH.  I’d be pulling my hair out from boredom. 

As an example, my department produces a weekly information e-mail of what happened and what will be happening.  These e-mails provide updates, introduce new people, and recognize anniversaries with the company among other things.  My manager sends a questionnaire and our employees reply to ten questions.  This helps to get to know them better and perhaps strike a conversation with like-minded individuals.  My manager and I now work on these together.   I’m excited about handling this new responsibility.  The benefits to me are numerous.  I interact with others whom I would not otherwise.  I add fun pictures of various department activities.  I add facts, quotes, poems, and company data.  All visitors come through me so I know ahead of time how to plan my day.  The news e-mails are very interesting and they let me be creative.

Just this year, my manager gave me the go-ahead to handle on-boarding of new employees.  My e-mail with specific forms attached is the first formal welcoming a new hire receives.  There are several databases where this pertinent information is entered.  So, I know a lot of new employee background before my colleagues.  To the new hires, I am the face of my department.  When a new hire begins work in my city, I add a welcome sign to the bulletin board which helps others know the new hire’s name.  Sometimes, I have the opportunity to personally welcome them into the department and take them on a tour of their new office facility.  This is appreciated.  I make sure they know me and make myself available to answer their questions. 

My manager and I meet weekly.  At one of these meetings, I suggested that I could create reports that would gather specific information she needed.  She took me up on my suggestion and I now produce many reports for her.  Some reports move on to executives and some reports assist her with major projects.  She is happy and I made her job easier, not to mention the executives now know my name.

Guess what…   I am more valuable to my company.