As I discussed last week, there are three types of employees: the paycheck motivated employee, and work-enthusiastic employee, and the employee that falls somewhere in the middle. In this article, I will be discussing the pros and cons that come with each type of employee.
THE PAYCHECK MOTIVATED EMPLOYEE
This employee has one reason for coming to work, and that is to get paid. This employee may or may not engage in after-work outings or socials and they may stick to themselves, but regardless, this employee still needs to feel valued. Oftentimes, the paycheck-motivated employee is one of, if not the most dedicated employee, because they know they need to perform well to keep getting their paycheck, so they show up prompt and do their job.
Employers must be careful with paycheck-motivated employees. If they are showing up and doing their job well, then they can take their skills elsewhere if they feel they are not being valued the way they deserve. Any job pays, so it is imperative that paycheck-motivated employees feel valued for their work so that there is more to work than receiving a paycheck.
THE “SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE” EMPLOYEE
These employees are the most common. They work for their paycheck while simultaneously caring about the work that they do. These employees are typically reliable and will occasionally go above and beyond in efforts to prove their worth and obtain a potential pay raise or job promotion.
While the “somewhere in the middle” employees are working for paychecks, they also exert sufficient efforts into their jobs. Thus, these employees also need to feel valued in the workplace so that they do not take their skills elsewhere.
THE TOP-PERFORMING EMPLOYEES
These employees are gold and they are most beneficial to their workplace and/or employer. These employees understand the purpose of their job and show up, day in and day out, not only to better themselves, but to better their place of work too.
Top-performing employees will always go above and beyond, no matter what, and often value playing a pivotal role in bettering their workplace. Thus, they are also the most sought-after by competitors and other places of employment.
Evidently, all employees bring value to the workplace, regardless of which of the three categories they fall under, and thus, all employees need to feel valued and respected. Historically, large and especially small companies and corporations have been destroyed by office gossip and lack of workplace respect. This is because unhappy employees often gossip, and gossip can be destructive. Thus, employees should be kept happy.
WHAT ABOUT TRAINING?
Staff training is an investment for any employer. Whether an employer chooses to train through a training department or through utilization of top-performing employees, training is costly. Thus, if training is an investment, it should be money spent wisely. Employees should be trained well and treated well so that they stay, which, in turn, prevents an employer from having to train new employees.
WHAT ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES WHO BECOME TRAINERS?
Simply put, pulling employees to train new employees leads an employer to be down an employee, which can affect the workplace’s productivity. If an employee is going to train new employees, they should be confident that their trainees will stay at the job and thus be worth investing time into. This means that employees, old and new, need to feel respected and valued so that there is reason to stay at their job.
Human Capital is undoubtedly an employer’s most important asset. One can be the brightest and most innovative visionary in their field, but without the people to carry out one’s vision, the vision dies before it even has a chance to start.
Many employers truly don’t know how to lead. They think making money and producing an effective work product exhibits leadership. This is untrue. How much money a workplace brings in is no reflection of an owner or boss’s leadership skills. Money is nothing if staff is unhappy, and thus, money doesn’t always equate to success. There are bosses, employers, and owners out there who genuinely do not appreciate the employees that pull so much of the weight of their success, and society needs to recognize that such “leaders” exist.
A good leader takes the time to get to know their employees, takes responsibility for their actions and mistakes, accepts mistakes from their employees and uses the mistakes as a teaching moment for the employees so they can grow, learn, and become better at their job. A good leader smiles, shows appreciation, and motivates their employees to feel empowered, validated and valuable as members of a team.
Understandably, some workplaces, companies, and corporations are huge, and their bosses, owners, and employers cannot realistically know every single employee (Ex: Apple, Amazon, Google). The culture at these workplaces should be to put employees first and offer them opportunities for growth and self-empowerment. If employees feel they can grow from work, then they will work harder, in turn creating more success for their employer, workplace, or company. From the top down, there should be cooperation, teamwork, respect, and appreciation in order for a workplace, company, or employer to reach maximum success.
We all need to ask ourselves if we are true leaders. We must question if we are putting employees first and ensuring the workplace environment fosters room for growth. It is easy for one to call themselves a boss or owner, but without good and happy employees, a company, workplace, or employer’s performance is limited to the effort employees are willing to exert. Once one recognizes the value of those who carry out the day to day tasks that move their company or workplace forward, the true value and success of the company, workplace, or employer can be fully recognized.