11 Low-Effort Ways To Impress Your Boss If You Want To Make More Money
It's entirely possible to stand out from your co-workers without over-the-top flattery.
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A | Shutterstock With the increasingly expensive cost of living, soaring apartment rental prices, grocery price gouging, health insurance costs, and a lack of savings, people are desperately looking for ways to maximize their paychecks. Unfortunately, some of the ways to make the most of their money often revolve around sucking up to their boss.
Hard-working people feel as if they don't have much of a choice, but fortunately, there are low-effort ways to impress your boss if you want to make more money. And none of them involve bending over backwards or wasting your time; in fact, you'll find that these tips put you in a much better position to make the money you deserve.
Here are 11 low-effort ways to impress your boss if you want to make more money
1. Proactively communicate
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Many employees forget that communication is key to building professional relationships. Clocking in, it's understandable that employees just want to put their heads down, work, and go home at the end of the day. But as a result of this eagerness, they may forget very important tasks, including keeping their boss updated on their progress.
For bosses, not staying in the loop like this can feel frustrating; after all, they won't know how far a project is from completion or if more time is needed. And this lack of communication is nothing new.
According to data from Communication in the Workplace Statistics 2024, 86% of employees and executives cite that lack of collaboration and communication often leads to workplace failure, and 70% of people believe that time is wasted due to a lack of communication.
In order to impress your boss if you want to make more money, make it a point to communicate as openly and as often as possible. That doesn't mean updating your boss every few minutes or with every task, but they should be aware of the good progress you're making.
2. Don't complain without offering a solution
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In the corporate world, it's easy for bosses to push boundaries or assign projects that don't align with your skill set. However, to make more money, a low-effort way to impress your boss is to not complain unless you have a solution to the problem.
It's okay to have boundaries put in place, as the American Psychological Association found that nearly 3 in 5 workers reported negative impacts of work-related stress. That said, there's a difference between setting boundaries and just complaining. For instance, saying, "This is too much, I'm not doing this," isn't all that useful and piles unnecessary work onto your boss or co-workers.
Set those boundaries, then offer solutions. For example, say, "I reviewed this assignment and noticed that this task is especially difficult since it has so many components. It might be better to delegate certain parts to other team members and make it a collaborative effort. Or perhaps, it might be good to extend the deadline."
Though your boss might not necessarily agree with the solutions, setting those boundaries, speaking up about difficulties, and offering solutions are better than complaining, and show how solution-oriented you are.
3. Keep a positive attitude
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It's hard to stay positive at work sometimes, especially if you're having a bad day. Maybe you woke up late, skipped breakfast in a rush, or spilled your coffee, putting you in a bad mood. But being grumpy all day won't get you a raise; in fact, it might just get you called into your boss's office.
Looking for the silver lining can be tricky; however, having a positive mindset is beneficial for many reasons. According to a study published in the Journal of Economic Psychology, researchers studied the relationship between happiness and income, finding that happiness impacts people's potential earnings.
Finding ways to calm yourself through deep breathing is better than staying in a negative state of mind. Bosses look to promote people who can bring employees together and create a better environment. Be that person and your wallet might just thank you.
4. Ask for feedback
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Receiving feedback can feel a bit intimidating in a professional setting. Nobody likes criticism, and there are plenty of reasons why, according to clinical psychologist Leon F. Seltzer PhD: people pointing out flaws, safety, or not wanting to experience negative emotions. Even so, criticism is useful, as it addresses people's behavior and helps them flourish in the process.
Ask your boss for feedback, and then apply that feedback to your work ethic. Instead of taking the feedback and doing nothing with it, make it a point to use that feedback for positive change. Don't stay stuck in your ways or avoid taking accountability; instead, put in the work necessary to evolve past your limitations.
If your boss gives you a note on double-checking your spelling, don't feel outed or ashamed; simply do what they ask and try your best next time. These low efforts, although small, show how willing you are to adjust, impressing your boss and hopefully making you a little richer.
5. Arrive early to meetings
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As the saying goes, the early bird gets the worm. According to a study from JMIR Formative Research, people who wake up early are increasingly likely to be more productive. So, take matters into your own hands by arriving early to meetings, even if it's early and you're feeling lazy.
While you aren't getting paid extra to do extra work, arriving early to meetings shows you're dependable, which is a great way to show your boss that you care. Doing this also gives you the chance to clear your mind, allowing you to be present during the entirety of the meeting, all while showing your boss that you are deserving of more money.
6. Build relationships with other teams
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When a company says their employees are "like family," many people roll their eyes or scoff. But there's something you can learn from this phrase, and it's that building relationships with other team members is a great way to impress your boss.
The impression you leave on others can either open or close doors in your career. Nobody likes a cold and uncaring person, but sucking up and exhausting yourself for other people is never the answer. The goal here is to find a middle ground as a way to build relationships
According to Megan Dalla-Camina, an expert in women's leadership, offering assistance in small tasks, showing appreciation, building trust, and having empathy are a few ways people can get there. Even so, it won't always be so easy. It will take a few weeks or months of consistent behavior before you truly build a good relationship with those around you, including your boss.
7. Stay calm during difficult situations
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Throughout your career, you'll encounter difficult situations that will require you to think on your feet. During these moments, a low-effort way to impress your boss if you want to make more money is by staying calm, cool and collected.
Whether it's at work or in a romantic relationship, nobody likes a difficult person who reacts with anger instead of in a calm manner. It shows a lack of control and a lack of emotional intelligence. But there are a few ways to keep your cool during stressful situations in the workplace.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, exercising, talking to someone, using calming techniques like deep breathing or counting exercises, and journaling your thoughts are all ways to do so. Of course, there will be times when you do or say things you don't mean, but this is a behavior you can work on over time.
8. Take responsibility for your mistakes and then fix them
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You're human and will make mistakes. This may mean you copy the wrong file, make a data input error, or don't finish an assignment in a timely manner. Regardless of the mistake, taking responsibility and finding ways to fix things is a low-effort way to impress your boss.
A good boss will understand that mistakes happen from time to time. They usually aren't concerned about someone making a mistake; rather, they want to know if their employee can find a solution to that mistake.
If you truly desire to increase your salary, figure out what you'll do to fix things before approaching your boss. Otherwise, not offering a solution fills their plate and annoys them in the process.
9. Pick up the slack
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Employees should never feel obligated to do more than they're hired to do. But sometimes, you may notice a colleague struggling to finish their work on time. Feeling overworked and utterly stressed, your co-worker is already at their wit's end and likely has a fast-approaching deadline.
To impress your boss and earn a few brownie points along the way, simply offer to help your co-workers in need. That means offering assistance for tasks big and small, even if it's only for 30 minutes. And according to a study from Psychological Bulletin, "Those with strong prosocial motivation at workplaces with a collectivist culture — ones that place a higher value on group achievement — were more likely to flourish there."
As a result of your kind actions, your colleagues may give you praise and pass that message along to your boss. It may not lead to much at first, but jumping in when help is needed can improve your reputation and make you a candidate for more money.
10. Align your ideas with what your boss cares about
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Sometimes, people who have built a personal relationship with their boss tend to play by a different set of rules compared to the rest of the employees. It's not too surprising, as a study published in Psychology found that people are naturally drawn to those who are similar to them.
But by aligning your ideas with what your boss has in mind, you become one step closer to getting a raise or promotion. For example, if your boss's goal is to increase profit or to increase diversity, when pitching ideas, be sure to emphasize that this idea is aligned with their goals.
It might sound obvious, but many people don't follow or pitch ideas based on what their boss is aiming for. Staying consistent and making sure that your work and ideas are aligned with the company's values is the number one way to impress your boss.
11. Keep your word
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Nobody likes a person who isn't consistent with their words and actions. They may frequently switch their position or break promises, which makes everyone around them view them as untrustworthy. And this, in turn, can impact any potential earnings. Plus, earning back a boss's trust is extremely difficult.
One study from the Journal of Management found that although trust is hard to repair, it isn't impossible. As a matter of fact, there are plenty of ways to restore trust. Apologizing, offering an explanation, acknowledging mistakes, compensation, and organizational reforms are all tactics to restore trust in the workplace.
It also helps to not make a promise if you don't intend on keeping it in the first place. Instead, say, "I'll do my best to do this, but there's no guarantee." That way, if you can't uphold your end of your bargain, it won't destroy the relationship with your boss.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.