8 Types of Productive Employees in a Workplace

No two employees are the same — but then again, no two employees are all that different either. Here are a few commonly seen employees.

1. The Director

They seek power, influence and control over people and resources. They like management or leadership roles with clear and visible responsibility for people and resources, and promotion and career prospects.

Give them responsibility and influence, give them a mentor and find opportunities for them to deputize. They are suitable for a job title that reflects power – they will find this motivating. Training or coaching to help them achieve gives them a boost too.

2. 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 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.

They don’t like being put in a routine role for too long as they get bored easily and become quickly demotivated. The more stimulating environment, the better; shaking up the office and creating a space for brainstorming gives them a boost.

READ ALSO >>> 5 Type of Employees Most Bosses Hate. Which One Are You?

2. 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 organization.

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.

3. The Star

They seek recognition, respect and social esteem. They like visible perks that link to their position, clear hierarchical structures, job titles and the opportunity to shine.

They are motivated with awards and status. Feed their need to be recognized by involving them in projects, providing clear career progression and regularly reviewing their targets and goals.

They particularly value positive feedback and they love good publicity, so when they achieve ambitious targets, reward them in a visible way.

SEE ALSO >>> The 6 Kinds of Bad Bosses

4. The builder

This kind of an employee seeks money, material satisfactions and above-average living. They like performance and reward to be strongly linked and are attracted to professions with above average pay and visible routes to promotion.

They are energized when they have a clear career path and plan, regular progress reviews and increasing responsibility.

They need clear goals and link to rewards, especially financial ones. Engaging their competitive spirit with games, sporting activities and competitions boosts their motivation.

5. The Expert

This employee seeks knowledge, mastery and specialisation. They like roles requiring specialist knowledge and skill, and are motivated by environments where personal development leads to formal recognition of expertise.

Their motivational hot button is training and development, especially when training, coaching or mentoring is linked to promotion.

They are motivated by ambitious targets and being a guide or mentor to others as they like opportunities to share their expertise and specialize in areas of interest.

6. The Spirit

This worker seeks freedom, independence and autonomy. They like roles offering freedom where they control their own time, can make their own decisions and use their discretion.

They are motivated by the company vision and goals, they love to work autonomously. Restrictions, rules and procedures can demotivate them as they hate bureaucracy.

CHECK OUT >>> 6 Most Annoying Coworkers Every Kenyan Company Never Lacks

7. The Soldier

Dedicated and committed, the soldier is the most bankable type of employee. Give him a task and consider it done. 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.

Which character that best describes you?

Victor Wachira is a Content Writer at Career Point Kenya. Email victor@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke