Research reveals the worst possible traits an employee could have
Multiple studies find the qualities below to be the worst an employee could possess. Addressing them is crucial as they may result in the spread of toxicity and high turnover rates if left unattended for too long.
Taking credit for other people’s ideas
Employees are expected to bring their best performance. But one of the worst traits an employee can have is taking credit for other people’s ideas or work. This practice is unethical and demonstrates a lack of trustworthiness and competence. Taking credit for someone else’s work or ideas creates the impression that you do not value your colleagues and are only concerned with your success. This is a warning signal for many employers, indicating a lack of integrity and character.
Perfectionism
Perfectionism silently stifles productivity by showing up in self-defeating thought patterns. For example a colleague often exhibits all-or-nothing thinking. Basically, either something is perfect, or it’s a failure. Or, if someone does something better than you, you feel that you’ve failed. A coworker doesn’t like taking risks. So, they end up sticking with safer tasks because they know they can get them done. Studies have shown that perfectionists tend to set rigid and excessively high standards for themselves and believe that their self-worth depends on achieving perfection. Furthermore, research has found that perfectionists experience higher levels of stress, burnout, and anxiety.
Rudeness
According to research, disrespectful, rude, or insensitive behavior can derail people and organizations. It not only takes an emotional and physical toll on employees, but it also results in huge losses stemming from poor performance, absenteeism, and turnover. Among employees who’ve been on the receiving end of incivility:
• 48 percent intentionally decreased their work effort.
• 38 percent intentionally decreased the quality of their work.
• 80 percent lost work time worrying about the incident
• 78 percent said that their commitment to the organization declined