Dinosaurs are individuals who have worked for organisations for more than 10 years without regular promotions or job changes. These individuals often know systems and the organization inside out, and perform well in relation to their role due to their knowledge of the systems and organization, and relationships with individuals.

Andrew Simmonds, Director, Harvey Nash Executive Search in APAC shares his top five tips to prevent individuals from becoming corporate dinosaurs.

However, the days of a job for life are behind us and we all need to keep evolving to stay ahead of the game. Organisations are becoming increasingly agile and cost-centric, driven by the eternal quest for shareholder value. They are also more likely to assess individuals through regular reviews, and often have a stronger process in place to determine promotions. Companies will also often promote younger, more affordable talent with excellent qualifications when they are looking for cost savings, or replace employees with temporary talent. All of these factors, coupled with relentless advance of Artificial Intelligence (AI), means that we need to focus on reviewing our skillsets regularly.

Top 5 tips to avoid becoming a Corporate Dinosaur at Work:

• Do not assume you are irreplaceable. You are not! You need to stay relevant.
• Keep up-to-date with training, qualifications and memberships.
• Keep networking. Even with the rise of social media and professional networking sites, it takes years to build and cultivate a network.
• Be honest with yourself. Will your existing role exist in 5 years? Will your company still be heading in the same direction in 10 years? What does the future look like at work and will you be part of it?
• Take performance reviews seriously. Many people who have the same job in an organisation for a number of years are often high-performers. This is because they know the organisation, know the systems and know the people. If you don’t want to become a dinosaur, you need to look at different roles and/or promotions.

The End of the Dinosaur Era           

If you think you are a dinosaur or are in danger of becoming a dinosaur, it is important to take diligent actions now! It is never too late to learn a new skill, gain promotion, change organisation or just simply try something different. Make a decision before a decision is made for you.

Read more about People Development here