Mithila Mehta takes a light-hearted look at the different types of employees one can find in any organisational setup
No two employees are the same — but then again, no two employees are all that different either. Here are a few commonly seen employees. Read on to know which category you fall into.
The believer
Every employer’s dream — the believer — is dedicated, committed and loves his job. Such employees are utterly motivated and give their heart and soul to their work. Their innate element of loyalty to the company and the team binds him to the organisation. Believers have a way of getting jobs done effortlessly, inspiring their colleagues and giving their best to every task at hand. Bosses should not take them for granted, and instead, nurture and encourage them.
The soldier
Dedicated and committed, the soldier is the most bankable type of employee. Give him a task and consider it done. Soldiers show unstinting loyalty to their companies and often stick around at their jobs for years. While their stability is a benefit, they can be hard to manage during times of change. Soldiers make great team players but may lack leadership skills. Explains Sabeer Dasgupta, chief operations officer, InMobile Solutions, “Organisations love soldiers not only due to their devotion to the job but also because of the stability they bring to an organisation. However, their managers must encourage them to take the initiative rather than simply waiting for orders.”
The idea champion
Constantly buzzing with new ideas and thoughts, idea champions love taking the initiative and kick-starting projects. They love to think big, differently and proactively push innovative ideas to the fore. At the same time, they find it difficult to stay with a project while it is being executed, often jumping to other newer, more exciting ideas instead. While they are excellent at visualising and seeing the bigger picture, they tend to miss out on the finer details.
The climber
Focused on making it big and impatient to rise through the ranks in corporate world, the climber can be identified in an office owing his/ her apparent thirst to be recognised. One can find them networking with people who matter and their particular interest to work on the more ‘visible’ projects. Climbers also tend to hop jobs frequently in their quest to swiftly climb up the organisational hierarchy. While their glory-seeking ways may cause resentment among other colleagues, a leader who can harness their drive will be able to get the best out of them.
The doormat
Easily bullied and pushed around, the doormat asks for sympathy but always gets the raw deal. Very often, they are new to a team and hence branded as naive. Doormats need to learn to stop avoiding confrontation and speak up when injustice is meted out to them.
The troublemaker
Troublemakers don’t like their job and ensure that everyone around them is well aware of this resentment. This makes them quite difficult to handle. Their ire for the job is obvious in such signs as reporting late to work, taking time off at the drop of a hat, lagging behind on deadlines, not taking initiative and frequently speaking ill about the company and team. “The presence of a troublemaker on a team can be toxic. People dealing with such colleagues should try and find the root cause behind their dissatisfaction and resentment and address it. Communicate to them that their behaviour is not acceptable. Sometimes, a change of profile or team can be helpful,” suggests Radhika Murthy, team leader at an IT organisation in Bangalore.
The materialist
This is the employee who works just for the salary. They have lost their interest in the job and lack the motivation to work. Yet, they stay put in a company because they have reached a comfortable place in the organisation and need the money to trickle in every month. He does the least amount of work possible and leaves office exactly when official working hours end. “Challenging as it may be, team leaders and companies should look for ways to motivate them. A good way is to link performance to monetary benefits,” suggests Dasgupta.
Mr OCD
Highly obsessive and compulsive, Mr OCD gives perfectionists a bad name. They fuss over the extra commas in a presentation and endlessly recheck the numbers in a spreadsheet. Tireless and relentless, they are excessively dedicated to work. Although they bear the brunt of backbiting and criticism, they grudgingly command respect from peers and subordinates due to their eye for detail. “Be sure to keep this type of employee motivated as his quest for perfection can be very helpful to the team. Managers should ensure that other colleagues do not take advantage of such an employee’s traits to turn in sloppy work, knowing that the perfectionist will clean up their act,” suggests Murthy.
