Being an excellent employee takes more than just showing up to work every day. It takes listening, being professional, and most of all showing you can follow through and complete the assignment at hand. Towanna Williams, human resources specialist for the Department of Justice says one of the worst things an employee can do is “show that they can’t do the duties of their position.†Below are seven characteristics that ensure you’re seen as the employee from hell.
Terrible phone etiquette: Whether you’re at the front desk or a cubicle in the back of the office, phone etiquette is essential to all employees. Williams, expresses how it’s never good for the person on the other line to sense that you are upset or have an attitude. Keep in mind that one phone conversation can set the tone in a caller’s mind about the level of professionalism throughout the company.
Bad attitude: The energy that you give out is so important and no one wants to be around someone who is always in the funk about something and offering a complaint for everything. Even when you’re having a bad day, never let your boss or co-workers see you break in the midst of trial and certainly never take your anger out on them because it can have damaging effects on your career and professional reputation.
Too quick to disclose: The happenings of your personal life should never be brought inside the office. Talking about personal issues and things that have nothing to do with work not only serve as a distraction, but it also gives your co-workers an unnecessary invitation into your personal life.
Inappropriate attire: The way you dress says a lot about who you are in the workplace and it can also cause you to either miss out on opportunities or gain them. If you can’t look the part of a professional in the office, then you may be the last person your boss thinks of when it comes time to picking someone to represent them elsewhere.
Lazy: An individual’s work ethic is one of the single most important things when it comes to measuring the success of their career. Those who work the hardest even when no one is looking tend to get the farthest in their career; meanwhile those who only work under a watchful eye find themselves being the last ones promoted.
Inconsistent: Consistency is something that takes you far no matter what career field you are in. No one wants an employee that’s here one day, absent the next, on time one day, and late the next. Inconsistency can send a sign that you aren’t trustworthy and reliable, causing you to be the last person someone thinks of when they’re passing along opportunities.
Lacks drive: Putting forth the effort to go the extra mile with an assignment when least expected says a lot about your work ethic. Not only does it show your boss that you take pride in your work, but it also shows that you can be counted on to do a quality job when given an assignment.