Work unites billions of people around the world and naturally, we spend more time at work than we do with our families. Through interactions with different people; you are most likely to pick up certain habits and traits and this is true for most organisations. This is why you hear stuff like “Oh, you sound just like Bolanle in my office” or “that’s exactly what my manager does”.
While having casual conversations with friends about work life, I realised that similarities exists when it comes to the characters of the people we interact with. I decided that in almost any organisation, you are likely to find the following types of people:
Here is a list of types of employees. Which one are you?
The Employee of the Year- This is the guy (yes, it’s always a guy *side eye*) that is perfect. He’s the CEO’s favourite because he succeeds at his job and goes over and beyond for the organisations. He takes all the awards- most hardworking, best team player, CEO’s Award for Excellence, Salesperson of the Year, Employee of the Week, Month and Year.
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The Disgruntled Employee- This is that person that complains about everything. Traffic, the lights, the office toilet, the car park, cafeteria food, the government, the way the sun shines, the colour of the next building… anything you can think of. Of course they complain about their job too!
The Office Clown- Come rain, come shine, there’s that one person that is always happy. They gat jokes for every topic and every situation. Whenever you hear laughter in any office, it’s because they are cracking ribs better than your favourite comedian.
The IT Guy- Every organisation has this guy. They won’t let you use the internet in peace. Always coming to your office to gaze at the street through your office window but in reality checking which sites you’re opening. If you find out your Facebook and YouTube aren’t opening anymore, ask the IT guy what you did wrong so you can amend your ways.
The Rebel- There is always that one person that never adheres to the office rules- and even HR cannot do anything about it. Their hair is a different colour every week, they eat at their desk even though the policy is “food is allowed only in the cafeteria”, they resume at the office anytime they like and sometimes, they do not even show up at work. Other employees are always left wondering if he/she is a major company shareholder in disguise because the audacity is a tad bit too loud.
Mr/Miss Excuses- It’s always one drama or the other for this person. “I am feeling ill”, “My Uncle’s step son just passed”, “My daughter’s school is doing cultural day”, “My car broke down”, “I have a dentist appointment”, “My church program starts today so I need to leave early”, “I need the week off to attend my niece’s wedding in Akure”..You get the gist.
Jack of all Trades- This guy can do literally anything around the organisation. And he has everything you need- spanner, earring hook, car battery, chocolate bar, detergent, baby wipes- he has it all. You do not need to worry or panic about anything.
So which employee are you? Did anyone come to mind as you went through this list?
Stephanie is a strategy and business development professional with experience across various sectors including media, technology and energy. She is a Beta Gamma Sigma International Society honour member and mainly writes about organisational culture, emotional intelligence, and societal issues.
