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• Avoids gossiping and negativity.
It may be surprising to recognize how difficult it is to avoid gossiping and negativity. In most work environments, it’s close to impossible. The key here is, “close to.” It’s not literally impossible but does require continuous attention and vigilance.
It’s safe to limit our interest to gossip and negativity directed to employers, co-workers and to clients and customers. Let’s call it work-related gossip and negativity. I doubt that much more explanation is needed. For most if not all of us, we’ve been there and done that. Sure, some of us more than others, but nonetheless, none of us are totally innocent.
The conclusion works like this. If being a perfect employee is the goal, Gossip as little as possible, as infrequently as possible, and then focus really hard on gossiping less and less often. Add that to a conscientious commitment to personally directing no negativity toward the employer, co-workers or toward clients or customers. You’ve heard the adage before. If you don’t have something nice to say, say nothing.
• Doesn’t complain about or criticize others.
This is little more than an extension of avoiding gossip and negativity. The point of including it is to give substance to the gossip and negativity perfect employees avoid. Most gossip and negativity in work environments boil down to complaining about and criticizing the employer, co-workers, or clients or customers. More specifically, complaining about the employer or criticizing co-workers combine to account for at least 90% of all gossip and negativity at work.
That makes the conclusion much easier. To be a perfect employee, don’t complain with anyone about the employer and don’t participate in the criticism of a co-worker with anyone. Just don’t do it.
Does this mean that the perfect employee does nothing about real problems or serious issues? It assuredly doesn’t mean that. Rather, the perfect employee only discusses the problem or issue with someone who has the position and authority to solve the problem or resolve the issue. In the meanwhile, he or she avoids gossip and negativity, does not complain about or criticize others.
• Is helpful and cooperative whenever he or she reasonably can be.
“I get up, go to work, do my job and go home. That’s all I’m getting paid for and is all I’m going to do.”
Well okay. If that’s how you feel, it’s certainly a choice. Your employer is definitely going to be okay with your choice, so long as you are actually doing your job. It’s likely that you will keep your job – that job – as long as the employer needs someone to do that specific job. A promotion is not likely nor is being transferred to another job if the employer’s needs change. Even so, your employment is probably safe for now.
There is an important reality within every organization that may not be obvious. If each employee in the organization did his or her exact job and never anything more, the work would get done but not nearly as completely and not nearly as efficiently. That’s where helpful and cooperative come in. There are always little glitches, unanticipated problems, things that don’t work as they are supposed to work and people who aren’t performing as effectively as they normally do. At those times, people make the difference.
Think about helpfulness and cooperation as the oil that reduces operational friction, that gives the organizational moving parts a little wiggle room and makes up for those minor glitches and unanticipated operating problems.
That makes the conclusion clear. Employers value helpfulness and cooperation. Among other benefits, they serve the interest of the bottom line. In turn, employers prefer employees who are helpful and cooperative whenever reasonably possible. For the employer and for those who aspire to be perfect employees, being open to helping and cooperating is a definite no-brainer.