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Sholina Durga, Managing Director: Distance Learning and MBA at Richfield, pens down that career growth in a hybrid workplace comes from making yourself visible in meaningful ways, noting that upskilling can no longer be ignored.
Also see: Hybrid working: Enhancing your health and lifestyle balance
With hybrid work now firmly embedded across many sectors, career advancement is no longer as visible or automatic as it once was. To position yourself for promotion, it’s no longer enough to just show up. You now need to be more intentional about the areas that sit beyond your formal job specification.
How we advance in our careers has changed. Before the pandemic, managers saw firsthand how we worked and interacted, and this physical
visibility often played a significant role in advancement. However, in today’s hybrid and remote environments, these signals are less apparent.
To position yourself for promotion, you now need to be more intentional about the areas that sit beyond your formal job specification. Durga says that career development is no longer something that just happens. “You need to take ownership of your trajectory. You need to build the skills and visibility that move you forward.”
Here are five areas she suggests will support career progression in the modern workplace:
1. Start with a self-assessment
You can plan your career more effectively when you understand your strengths and skills.
The first steps are to identify your current capabilities and review how they align with the direction your employer and industry are taking. The next step is to fill in any gaps. These reviews and adjustments should form a continuous, internal feedback loop that informs an ongoing action plan
2. Upskill, all the time
With the world of work in a constant state of flux, the qualification you earned 10, or even five, years ago may no longer be relevant. To add as much value as possible to your role, you need up-to-date career-focused qualifications designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge to succeed.
Qualifications in IT and business science have become foundational across industries and roles. If you understand the strategies and technologies shaping organisations, you are far more likely to stay relevant. Meanwhile, the Master’s Business Administration (MBA)
qualification remains one of the most sought-after management qualifications, with employers continuing to signal rising demand.
In addition, micro-credentials from industry bodies like IBM, Amazon, Cisco, Oracle, Salesforce, and CIMA align with the skills employers are looking for. Durga advises that if you are considering a tertiary qualification, you should look for an institution that embeds these
courses into its curricula.
And, with numerous private tertiary institutions offering online programmes, you can balance work and life with flexible distance learning.
Also see: Work-from-home: Convenience versus consequence
3. Learn how to use artificial intelligence (AI)
With AI defining almost every aspect of professional environments, it is increasingly important to understand how and when to use it. Durga says, “AI can be invaluable for exploring ideas and comparing concepts. These tools can enhance efficiencies, but they are not a replacement for human capabilities.
“Developing the ability to use AI ethically while maintaining critical thinking skills is a core professional competency.”
4. Build quality networks
Long considered essential for professional visibility, networking is more important than ever. Talking to the right people, at the right time, helps ensure that your name is mentioned in the right conversations before roles are even advertised.
Attending conferences, leading industry discussions, and engaging meaningfully on platforms like LinkedIn can help you access opportunities, strengthen your credibility, and open doors. Mentorship can also play an important role in career development.
Gaining insights and direction from experienced professionals can help you make better decisions and accelerate your growth with greater clarity and confidence.
5. Hone your professional reputation
Advancement is often influenced by how leaders perceive your reliability and expertise, and reputation has emerged as one of the most powerful career assets.
Being known for mastery of a specific area of expertise positions you better when new opportunities arise. Consistency and visibility also matter. Delivering quality work, meeting deadlines, and communicating effectively all contribute to your credibility, while sharing learnings and collaborating constructively allows you to demonstrate your capabilities more widely.
“In a hybrid workplace, it is not enough to just show up. Your career growth comes from making yourself visible in meaningful ways, taking deliberate steps to develop your skills, and creating the kind of impact that others cannot ignore,” Durga shares.
Also see: Thriving in a hybrid world: Tips to succeed and achieve more
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