There are many different types of employees, each with their own particular characteristics. In our years of working with so many companies, we have found that there are almost always certain profiles that share a specific personality and common character traits, regardless of the sector in which they work.
Relationships with coworkers are one of the greatest sources of motivation for going to work and doing a good job. Not only that, but various studies have shown that positive relationships between workers act as a buffer to reduce stress.
Relationships between coworkers affect occupational health and performance, for better or for worse. In the companies we work for, we realize that there are always good people who will help us, but sometimes we may encounter people who poison the good atmosphere, affecting the whole team.
We have summarized some of the
most common profiles
in the professional world. Let’s look at the characteristics of each of them:
Toxic employee
Toxic workers, also known as conflictive workers, are those who cause conflicts to escalate, have constant friction with other colleagues, are critical, and may even believe themselves to be the bosses despite having no power.
The motivations of this type of employee can be diverse and, on occasion, they may even be right in some of their claims. However, managing emotions and knowing how to put problems into perspective are not among their qualities.
Defeatists
At work, as in life, we may encounter people who have different ways of seeing life and different attitudes towards it. Generally, these types of people are the same at work and outside of it. Sometimes we may encounter
defeatist people
who have a low perception of self-efficacy in what they do. Low self-confidence
affects the quality and quantity of the work they do and the different relationships they have with the various people involved in their working world: bosses, colleagues, and clients.
Defeatists
will not see it as possible to meet deadlines, carry out what they have been asked to do, win over clients, or close sales. They need extra energy from you, which sometimes we are simply not interested in providing.
Perfectionist
Another type of employee we may encounter, whose behavior can have an impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of their work, is the perfectionist. Doing things well is good, because companies want efficient and productive workers. But the perfectionist is the one who takes their work home with them and is never satisfied with what they do, affecting their occupational health and leading to stress and anxiety. Although many people think that being a perfectionist is good, this type of employee can quickly become frustrated because they always see imperfections even when things are going well.
Absent-minded
Do you have coworkers who are not very methodical and can be absent-minded and forgetful? These workers can cause problems or add more work for other employees due to their incompetence. Generally, this can be caused by organization, motivation, or even boredom at work, which is known as burnout. In general, this type of employee can be a good colleague and empathize with others, but their clumsiness can end up damaging the good working environment. If the situation becomes very serious, it may be advisable to talk to them respectfully to make them aware of their shortcomings within the general work structure.
Slow
On the other hand, there may be types of employees who hinder the work of their colleagues by being slow and not completing tasks on time. This may also be due to poor organization, lack of motivation, or not knowing how to do their job properly. It may be a mistake in
personnel selection
or they may have personal or health problems. In these cases, apply logic and carefully measure the time they exceed. This will help you better understand what they are doing wrong and find a solution.
Gossip
The toxic coworker usually has bad intentions and destabilizes the work environment. And, without any underlying bad intentions, we may sometimes encounter the
gossipy
coworker. This is the type of employee who always meddles in other people’s business and is more concerned with finding out what is going on in their coworkers’ personal lives than with doing their job properly. If the gossip is also mean, we will have a
toxic gossipy coworker
that we will have to be very careful with ;)
The ideal employee
This is a type of employee who is motivated and feels loyalty and empathy for the company’s values. They are committed to their work and their team. They do their tasks well, deliver on time, and help others when needed. They have a good character and know how to recognize conflicts. They are proactive and anticipate problems, knowing how to coordinate others. On top of that, they are a good dancer, attractive, and a good person. You couldn’t ask for more.
We are convinced that any type of employee will be a little happier if they have
fresh fruit in the office
every day. What’s more, fruit break time can be the perfect opportunity to smooth over differences, share personal stories, or improve the working environment. Guaranteed.
