How to use your initiative at work

Employers value employees who show initiative. But what is initiative? And how can you demonstrate it?

In this guide, we’ll take you through:

• What does initiative mean?
• Why employers want to see you using your initiative
• How to show initiative at work

First things first, what is initiative?

Having initiative means you’ve got a get-up-and-go mentality and work well independently. With initiative, you’ve got the skills and confidence to start tasks without being told to. For example, if you complete your to-do list on your boss’s day off, you don’t just twiddle your thumbs waiting for a new task to appear. If you’ve got initiative, you’ll use your time proactively. Maybe, you’ll even solve a problem.

An initiative can also refer to a plan of action to resolve something, ie. a council’s recycling initiative will be all about encouraging residents to reduce waste. However, when an employer says they want to see your initiative, they’re not asking for a strategy. Instead, they want evidence that you have initiative as a quality (ie. being resourceful and self-motivated).

Employers value those with initiative because they like to hire people who work well on their own. Employees with initiative need less handholding to complete their tasks, which frees up their managers. Of course, it’s OK to ask for help, especially when you’re new in a job. Speaking up is much better than struggling in silence! However, once you’re fully trained, employers want to see that you’re proactive and can make your own decisions. As you progress in your career, you won’t always have someone else to lean on. It’s important to develop confidence in your abilities and get comfortable with trusting your judgement.

Plus, employees with initiative tend to have strong problem-solving skills – something else employers want to see.

So, you’re confident that you have initiative? Now, it’s time to show it at work to make sure your employer knows about it.

Here are some of the ways to make it clear to your colleagues that you’re using your initiative:

Don’t know something? Try to find out the answer.

Before asking for information, consider if there’s a way you can work it out for yourself. Of course, it’s good to collaborate with colleagues. Sometimes, however, you might already have the answer. For example, check your email inbox for a certain message before asking a colleague to resend it.

When you do need to ask your supervisor a question, it’ll impress if you show that you’ve already had a go yourself.

For example:

“Can you explain how I submit my expenses report, please? It isn’t in the employee handbook and the software’s troubleshooting guide contradicts our company policies.”

The above questions shows that you’ve been independent but can’t solve the problem alone.

“Hang on, I thought showing initiative was about working independently and now you’re saying I need to take instructions?”

That’s right. Part of working independently means you’re good at gathering everything you need so that you can work alone – and that involves taking instructions.

Whenever your supervisor talks to you about a task, grab your notebook and take some notes. As soon as you’ve finished receiving the instructions, another task may come up and by the time that’s complete, you may have forgotten details from the new task. Keeping a notepad and pen on you will help you get better at taking instructions. Plus, you’ll appear more independent if you remember what you need to do without any reminders.

When you’re briefed on a complex task, reiterate the instructions to your supervisor once you’ve received them to be sure (and to let them know) that you fully understand them. It also gives your supervisor the chance to check that they’ve given you accurate information. Sometimes, they’ll realise they’ve missed something and will be grateful you’ve pointed it out at the early stage.

Make sure you fully understand your instructions before starting the relevant work. As for the basics, you need to know the deadline, how long the task will take and how you need to present the work. If you don’t know, ask.

Showing initiative goes beyond making sure instructions are OK. It’s also about digging for extra information that will help you do a better job. Sometimes, you’ll uncover things that nobody else has thought of.

For example, you can’t create a marketing campaign if you don’t know who the target audience is. Just because you haven’t been told something, don't assume it isn’t important. Always be curious and raise any questions about missing information.

If you need to ask for more details from an external party (ie. a client or a customer) and you’re not allowed to contact them, show initiative by drafting an email detailing your requests for information. Instead of contacting someone without permission, send it to your supervisor and ask them to forward it. It’ll show you respect their seniority while displaying your initiative.

If you’re not invited to meetings, events or site visits, ask your supervisor if it’s OK for you to attend. It won’t always be appropriate, but a lot of the time, it’s a great learning opportunity. If you want to be somewhere, make it known.

Plus, if you have spare time, volunteer to help colleagues. It might not always relate to your job role, but it’ll broaden your experience. You’ll learn about the wider business and show that you’re proactive.

It’s important to read all emails that you’re CC’d into as well. There may be a discrete task for you buried somewhere in there, so don’t risk missing it. Sometimes, there’ll be a call-out for volunteers. Putting your hand up is one way to impress.

It’s easy to point out problems. It’s much harder to find the solutions. That’s why employers love proactive problem-solvers.

If something is bugging you, think of a way of fixing it before complaining. For example, are you wasting time with an inefficient way of working? If you can identify how to create efficiencies, it’s worth sharing your ideas. You can suggest a way of cutting down the length of team meetings. Or propose using a tech tool that’ll speed up an admin task.

You don’t want to tread on anyone’s toes (particularly when you’re a new employee) but if you positively suggest your ideas, you’ll be fine. Talk to whoever’s responsible for the area you’re struggling with and politely ask if you can present your idea. If you give them facts rather than opinions, there’s a good chance they’ll try your improvements.

Employers value employees who show initiative in the workplace. Why? Employers want independent workers who’ll do their jobs well without needing constant direction from a supervisor.

To show your boss that you’ve got initiative, you need to demonstrate that you can do your own research while making it clear that you’re not afraid to ask questions when needed. Plus, while you’re independent, you’re also ready to take instructions at any moment.

To impress, use any wiggle room in your schedule to volunteer for extra projects. By showing your face at optional events and meetings, you’ll gain exposure to more people in your company and learn about the wider business. Having a better idea of how things work will also make it easier to come up with solutions to problems – a major part of what makes employees with initiative attractive to employers.