How to Make Yourself Indispensable at Work

Think back to all the teams you have worked with throughout your career. Chances are, there are a few individuals who stand out in your memory. These individuals who were merely indispensable to the team and the company.

The genuinely indispensable employee is rare. Across organizations of all sizes, skills, knowledge, and relationships are more distributed than ever. When you couple this trend with the strong sense of entitlement that many modern employees show, it becomes easy to understand how team members become replaceable.

While the employer has a responsibility to create an environment where people can feel secure, I believe it is incumbent upon employees to step up and make themselves indispensable inside of their organization. An indispensable employee continues to build and use their talent stack (skills, knowledge, accomplishments, and behavioral traits) for the mutual benefit of the organization and themselves.

I can speak with some degree of authority on this subject. I have been the CEO of six organizations in three different sectors over the past 25 years. Indispensable employees are engaged employees. According to Gallup, fewer than one in five employees are genuinely engaged. These employees are up to four times more productive than your average employee.

Inc. Magazine reports only 2% of employees can name their company’s top three priorities. Executives of those companies predicted 64% would be able to do so."

How can you be indispensable if you do not know the priorities of the company?

Being indispensable at work means that your supervisors count on you so much that without you, the productivity of your department might suffer. In the minds of your supervisors and colleagues, you are essential to the overall success of the unit — you are a necessary and valued part of the machine. They depend on you.

When you are indispensable, you create your job security and give yourself the opportunity to own your career journey.

Take our 3-minute quiz to find your “Indispensability Quotient.”

Identify your strengths

Most importantly, you must possess the self-awareness to know your strengths and play to them accordingly. Too often people take the path of least resistance or force themselves down a road that is not right for their skills or interests.

I am passionate about helping students start off on the right foot. I have written extensively on the topic, including 5 Tips to Consider When Charting Your Career Path.

Many people I know are victim to this behavior and tried to force themselves down a path that just was not right for them. Rarely are these folks are indispensable to their company.

I am amazed that 80% of students change their major. It now takes on average six years to get a four-year degree (no wonder there is mounting student debt). Moreover, half the graduate feel they have the wrong degree. Even worse they begin their career in a field that is just what you did when you graduated from a program. Career planning starts when you are about 16 and never ends.

Many become anxious that they will be fired or surpassed by peers who are more inclined to the role. This occurs when you are not playing to your strengths. You will never be the best in this role, and as a result, you will never be indispensable in that capacity.

Focused your efforts on by playing to your strengths, rather than trying to force yourself into a role that is not right for you. This is the first step towards becoming an indispensable employee. We offer a career assessment to help you discover your behavioral strengths and the careers that need your unique strengths. It is then up to you to build the other elements of your talent stack for success. It is straightforward – career satisfaction means that we are doing something that we good at and something we enjoy. This is career success.

Develop complementary skills — Build Your Talent Stack

Once you identify your strengths, step two is to develop the talent stack that complements those strengths, match the requirements of your job, and help you extract the most value from them. Often, people focus far too narrowly on the skills that are core to their position. For example, engineers may spend the bulk of their time learning new techniques and programming languages, rather than developing the skills that help them communicate effectively and manage internal constituents. Employees become indispensable when they focus on their natural talents and master the skills that help them make the most of their strengths.

Our analytics show that employees who consistently meet or exceed expectations have these five core behavioral competency:

Maintains Accountability — Assuming full accountability for what happens and being first to invite criticism and personal responsibility.
Strives for Excellence — Striving for impeccable standards and the best quality possible through devotion to meticulous excellence.
Manages Stress — Performing well under stress without unnecessary worry or sensitivity to criticism.
Demonstrates Character — Maturely honoring interpersonal commitments while maintaining ethical convictions and playing by honorable rules.
Connects with Customer —Building trust, cares about customer success, maintains lasting and meaningful connections with customers, honoring commitments, and meeting their needs.

Mastery of these competencies puts you on the path to becoming indispensable

Hard work above all else

Perhaps the most critical step an employee can take towards becoming indispensable is to outwork those around them. When employees take ownership of tasks and put forth their full effort, leadership takes note. Indispensable employees do not have to be asked to work late or come in early. They do what needs to be done to drive their projects toward success.

Attitude and behavior matter far more than natural ability. Rather than have someone who is just naturally brilliant, I prefer having an earnest, hard-working employee — one who takes ownership of things and communicates with the team.

Hard work coupled with the ability to recognize one’s talent stack and the drive to develop complementary skills makes for an employee who is indispensable to the company. These people not only have long-term job security; they can chart their course. In my insight, Why hiring the ‘best’ people produces the least creative results, I explore this in much more detail.

Job security is a real concern for many employees in today's workforce. Knowing that so many positions are being outsourced, cut, or revamped, for instance, makes it especially difficult to believe that anybody's job is completely safe. However, in every workplace, you will still find people who are indispensable. Moreover, it is not just C-level executives. It could be an employee at any level in any department of the organization. Getting the best people into the most critical roles does not happen by chance. It requires a disciplined, evidence-based look at where the organization creates value and how its top talent contributes. In How to Link Talent to Value, I show you how to do it, and our Best-Fit Staffing approach shows you how to select the right people for the job.

Some people mistake indispensable for irreplaceable — they are not the same thing. Everyone can be replaced. However, to be indispensable means that you are so good and efficient at your job, that your boss and co-workers do not want to imagine replacing you. You are the go-to person they count on. The one who gets things done.

If you take pride in your work or are ambitious, you should strive to be indispensable. There is a great feeling of satisfaction in a job well done and knowing that you are making an impact. Today, employee job satisfaction is nearly at an all-time low; being indispensable is a great goal to have.

Benefits of being indispensable

Being indispensable:

improves your morale because you are going to enjoy your job more knowing how valuable you are to the company
makes you feel that you are contributing to something greater than yourself
provides you with validation of what you do and who you are
means others seek you out for special projects, opinions, and direction
makes you more likely to get a raise or promotion
puts you in a comfort zone because you will not have to worry as much about losing your job
provides greater job security

Elite athletes are always trying to improve their performance. They fine-tune the details that allow them to compete at the highest level. This practice holds some valuable lessons for people who are trying to become exceptional at their jobs. Being more of the tactical, being a good teammate, communicating well, knowing how to work hard, being disciplined, being able to multitask, competing — all the things that come with that professional mindset.

Being indispensable does not happen through arbitrary means. If you want to join their ranks, here’s how:

Make yourself indispensable at work

Everyone wants to be the ‘go to’ person in their field at work; it’s great for your confidence, managers rely on you and you should feel a great sense of job security. Being indispensable at work means making yourself irreplaceable.

Tip	Category	How to
Act like you own the place	Initiative	Ownership is essential to being invaluable. Take ownership of your work—whether it’s a project assignment or even a simple spreadsheet. Think about it in terms of the bigger picture of the company and what its goals are. When you take full responsibility and apply strategic thinking to your work, you are immediately supporting your supervisor and team in a new and more valuable way. Every time, when it comes to you learning new skills, it opens a conversation for you to ask for a raise or a promotion. So, think about what you can take ownership of in your work environment, and treat your work as if you own the company and are acting in its best interest.
Add value to every transaction	Contribution	When completing your work, you should always ask yourself: Have I taken the extra step? Has my report or response indeed added value to the bottom line of this company?
Be a team player	Teamwork	To be indispensable, you not only need to prove yourself to your supervisor, but to your co-workers as well. If they are always looking to you to lead them, to be the point person on projects, even though you are not their supervisor, this speaks volumes about you. Furthermore, offer to help your co-workers when they run into a problem. If you do, they will see you as their colleague and mentor which can only help your work relationship with them.
Be a thought leader	Talent Stack	When everyone agrees, it is difficult to stand out. By applying yourself in a way that provides new and valuable thinking that benefits your company, you become a thought leader.
Be committed	Contribution	It sounds obvious, and it may even sound easy, but what often truly sets the indispensable workers apart from the replaceable cogs in the machine is a die-hard work ethic and commitment to quality. If you are the best at what you do, you are likely to be the last one to go.
Be consistently reliable and trustworthy	Behavior	These are traits that employers value today, because of too many incidences of unreliability and mistrust.
Be productive, but don't make it a race.	Contribution	Most employees equate being successful and productive with doing the most work and doing it the quickest. That is not always the case. Take your time to do the work correctly and thoughtfully. Often when you do this you can uncover better and more efficient ways to get the job done and once you bring those to the table. You are a little more indispensable to your boss and company.
Be seriously reliable	Behavior	Reliability is not just about showing up on time to meetings. It is about being efficient and cooperative when things get tough and being the person that people in your team turn to when they need to get something done well and quickly. Being reliable should never make you feel that you are being taken advantage of so make sure your manager knows who you’re helping and on what projects.
Be the expert	Talent Stack	Become the go-to person for your area and try to monopolize a particular skill. When there is a task that needs to get done and no one is properly equipped to take it on, learn the skills required and become the person who knows how to do it best. Having a USP, as well as expanding your skills, will guarantee that you are indispensable at work.
Be willing to go the extra mile	Initiative	This does not mean you have to 'suck up' to your boss--but if you have got the time and means to give a little more than what's expected, it can go a long way. Managers need help and support to do their jobs well and having a reliable team member makes a big impact. Most employees just execute, but if you are one of the few who are constantly coming up with new ideas and are taking on new responsibilities that aren't required of you, this will go a long way in making you indispensable. Volunteering for projects that other employees don't want to work on will also solidify your position as an indispensable employee.
Build relationships at work	Relationships	It is important to build good relationships, not only within your team and with the people you report to, but also with others in the organisation. It helps to be well-connected with senior people in the organization. Interpersonal skills and the ability to network are as important as basic knowledge required for the job. Try and smile as much as you can and control the urge to say things you might regret later. This is especially important during a stressful period.
Build relationships with senior managers	Relationships	Being connected and building relationships with people who matter in the business can not only make you indispensable in your current role but can take you a long way in your career. If you have exposure to managers daily, then you might be top of mind when it comes to promotion time.
Continually improve your oral and written communication skills.	Talent Stack	Many people do not like to speak publicly--but for those who do, it can lead to significant opportunities. It is also hard to find employees with excellent written skills, especially in the world of texting and Twitter--so if you are a great writer, you will have an advantage over others.
Develop expertise in a critical task	Talent Stack	Whether it is fluency in a foreign language, or knowledge of a computer software used by your company, having expertise in a function can make you indispensable. This does not mean that you monopolise that skill or put up hurdles for others who want to learn that task but, instead, become so good at it that no one else is entrusted with that function. It’s best to learn skills related to the core functions of your company.
Do an alignment check	Self-Awareness	It is also a good idea to ensure that the areas you are prioritizing in your career and development are consistent with what the company values. You may have a sense of what’s important to the company, but it is essential to be clear that your efforts are moving initiatives forward that the company cares about. Look at what the company’s goals are for the next period and be look at how your skills and experience align with those goals. Identify how you can set myself up on any projects that are going on, to add the most value to those upcoming projects.
Do work that matters	Contribution	Most employees can find tasks at work to stay busy, pass the time, and fly under the radar of the boss. To become indispensable, dig deeper and really think about the work that matters to the company and its success. Tackle those projects first.
Have a good attitude	Behavior	It is easy to find people who do not appreciate having a job at all, and much harder to find people who make the office a pleasant place to come. Everyone likes working with people who seem like he or she are happy to be there, and if choosing between two employees who are equally good at their jobs, a manager is more apt to ax the grumpy one.
Know and build your talent stack	Talent Stack	The secret to success is to know precisely where you fall on each spectrum of your behavioral traits, and how to make the most of your strengths and account for your weaknesses. Your talent stack—skills, knowledge, accomplishments, and behavioral traits—is the foundation for your success. You need to regularly assess if if there are any gaps that may be holding you back.
Make your manager’s job easier	Relationships	If you are making your manager’s job easier or taking responsibilities off them that allows them to concentrate on their managerial duties, then they’re likely to fight to keep you if it was ever in debate. Having someone influential on your side at work is very important. Try and find a gap in skills so that there are things you can do that your boss cannot – essentially, you need to make them look good by adding value to the broader team.
Mentor and support colleagues	Relationships	Organizations value employees who mentor and train junior colleagues. A good mentor imparts knowledge and expertise to the newbie employee and encourages him to improve his skills. But mentoring is not everybody’s cup of tea. Only someone who takes pleasure in watching others succeed can be a good mentor. An insecure person may not want to teach everything to someone who might eventually replace him in the company.
Monopolize a skill	Talent Stack	Find some task that needs to get done by the organization and make sure that you are the only person who knows how to do it. You will have the chance when somebody who already has a unique skill leaves the company, and you step in to replace them. Or it will happen when a new initiative is created that requires skill the company has never before had.
Never stop learning	Talent Stack	New technologies and artificial intelligence are fast making humans irrelevant at the workplace. The only skill that keeps your relevant at work is to constantly evolve, learn and improve. Everything else can be replicated. The individuals who embrace change and can quickly adapt are more valuable than those who cling to outdated principles and concepts that are past their expiry date.
Offer practical solutions	Initiative	Managers do not want problems – they want solutions. So, if you want to become indispensable at work, you need to find ways to solve problems faced by the business. When you overhear your colleagues complaining about something that isn’t working, figure out how to fix it and you’ll increase your value to your manager and to the company.
Offer useful solutions	Initiative	Employees who offer effective solutions to problems are people who have the company’s interests at heart. If you have a solution to a problem, don’t go to your boss without working out a detailed action plan. First identify the cause of the problem, then offer the potential solutions. If your idea is workable, it will cement your indispensability in the organization.
Share your knowledge	Teamwork	While it is great to position yourself as an expert with specialist knowledge and skills, it is also important to share your expertise with your team and add value to the broader business. Be willing to educate others and gain yourself a status as an invaluable training asset.
Speak Up	Initiative	When you are afraid to show that you are imperfect, or you do not know something, it gets in the way of your performance. Learning how to effectively communicate with your boss and team, including asking questions and ensuring that you fully understand assignment instructions and ask questions when you don’t is essential to ensuring you’re performing in the best possible way for your company. Beyond that, ask for opportunities to get better. Be vocal to your boss about the fact that you are open to learning. Ask for opportunities to collaborate with another team, or be vocal about your ideas, or you might see a training [you need to get better]. Make your case for it.
Stay current with technology and trends	Talent Stack	Technology and industry trends are always changing so if you are continually learning new technologies and keeping up with trends; you will continue to be an invaluable asset to your company. If you are not already, you will become the go-to person on these matters which makes your knowledge and skills even more valuable compared to those who aren't staying current.
Track your metrics	Self-Awareness	As you set your new goals, look at the metrics that are going to matter and include them as part of your plan. Whether it is bumping up a sales quota or improving efficiency or cost controls in your business unit by a certain margin, be sure to look for positive measures to which you can contribute and how you can be most productive in contributing to them. Companies value employees who are focused on finding ways to raise the performance bar.
Volunteer to do more	Initiative	Some people slip into a clockwork mode over time and mechanically do the tasks assigned to them. To become indispensable, step out of that comfort zone and start doing stuff you have never done before. As a start, learn at least one new thing every week. If you learn to do four new things every month, imagine how much more skilled you will be in a year. Over time, these small steps can enhance your skills significantly and add up to a lot.
Volunteer yourself for key projects	Contribution	Focus on and prioritize work that is most important and timely, not the work that is easiest or quickest to do. Key projects are likely to give you exposure to the broader business and volunteering, when other employees do not, will ensure that you are seen as a dedicated go-getter and a valuable member of the team.

No one is truly indispensable

If you leave, if the organization is at least slightly functional, it will find a way to survive without you. However, companies go to great lengths to retain employees in critical positions. They give huge increments, offer promotions and even use stock options to stop these employees from leaving. The strategies above will provide you with a chance at being perceived as indispensable and can put you in this hallowed company. Also, your talent stack is enhanced, making it easier for you to land that next great job where you will be indispensable again.

The downside of being indispensable is that you must consistently live up to high expectations, so when you do fail, it can be quite noticeable. It can put much pressure on you because you feel that people are always counting on you and you do not want to let them down. However, it's much better to be indispensable and occasionally fail than not being indispensable at all.

Your Personal Development Plan

You may get regular feedback and a performance review from your supervisor. However, it is also essential to do your periodic evaluation to ensure you are on track with your own goals and expectations. Keep track of your accomplishments, training, feedback, projects, and overall numbers related to your job.

Periodically and honestly review your progress, set new goals, and look at what is needed to get to your next milestone. You should recheck you Indispensability Quotient as part of your review process. Your self-checks will help keep your career journey on track and that you are shoring up areas that may need improvement. This practice will also keep you ready for the next time you are up for a promotion or future job. Also, it can be some of your best leverage to put your case forward and say — This is why I think should be promoted. This is what makes me good at what I do.

We offer both an employee development plan (best if you can encourage your company to pay for it) and a personal development plan so that you can be the commander-in-chief of your career journey.

We are incredibly passionate about Behavioral DNA and the impact this scientific insight can have on you. Using SuccessFinder, you can discover your behavioral strengths and challenges.

High-performers in the same role share a common subset of behaviors. Our talent analytics compares your talent stack — behavioral traits and competencies — with high performers. We show you how to leverage your unique talents to achieve career satisfaction and success.

Focus on your strengths and manage your challenges. You complete the assessment online, we then provide you report and personal feedback via video call. We offer the service worldwide. We’d love to hear from you!