You Probably Have These Interesting Personality Types in Your Workplace. Which One are You?

There are different workplace personality types in every office, ranging from quirky and funny to no-nonsense and intense. Let’s see if you can spot a few from your workplace below…

Photo credit: master1305

Every workplace brings together people from different types of cultures and social environments. I like to believe that our differences are what make us interesting and make life (and even work) worthwhile. As they say, variety is the spice of life, which could also apply to all the people we interact with everywhere we go.

However, in this article, we explore the different workplace personality types you will encounter at your job. Each person’s behaviors and traits will apply to the productivity in your workplace in positive and negative ways. There is a specific way to interact with all workplace personality types in the office to ensure you get things done and maximize collaboration with your co-workers. 

Let’s break down workplace personality types you may have at your job. 

 

Perfectionist Patrick

This person’s work and even how they present themselves is nothing short of perfect, not a hair or a footnote out of place. You will see it from the moment you interact with them. Their workspace is immaculate, and their attire and posture will always be impeccable. This employee holds themselves up to incredibly high standards for anything they produce, so you can always trust that their work will not have any mistakes. They like to triple-check all their work and are highly detail-oriented in all areas of their lives, from their wardrobe to projects. This person likes to stay on task with daily work and during meetings. 

Any small obstacle in their work can throw off their focus and productivity more than normal, and they get incredibly frustrated and stressed when they make the slightest mistake. The Perfectionist Patrick will rarely take risks just so they can play things safe, even if it means switching lunch joints. You may call them uptight, but if you want something done to perfection, they are the person for the job; after all, who better to do a perfect job than the perfectionist?

Related: Shocking Ways Being a Perfectionist is Stopping You from Growing at Work (and What to do About it)

 

Fun Felicia

This person is usually very vocal and expressive. They love having fun and want everyone around them to join in on it- not to mention they tend to be the jokesters of the group. They will typically bring enthusiasm to any new project, so if you are trying to convince someone to invest in your project, this is the right person to bring to the meeting. They are also very interested in participating in teams; such people are very good at coming up with awesome ideas and getting people involved, but they are at a loss when it comes to execution. 

If you want to get in a Fun Felicia's good books, laugh at a few of their jokes, show enthusiasm for what they are talking about, and involve them in projects in and outside the workplace. 

 

In-charge Isaac

Leaders aren’t always in leadership positions or have big flashy titles. A leader is someone who motivates people to go in a specific direction. You can rely on someone with this workplace personality type to lead others without doing or even saying much. This person might not be the most vocal, but they have a quiet confidence that drives other people to do their best. This type of person also maximizes innovation to inspire colleagues and boost productivity within the team. They are always ready to provide wisdom and advice to other people and can adapt to all kinds of situations. 

An ‘in-charge Isaac’ is the person who will step up and take the lead when something needs to be done, but no one is willing to do it. They are energetic visionaries who rarely give up easily, if at all. Due to their need to keep moving forward, these people are prone to sarcasm and may seem uncaring, so you might think they are harsh if you are more sensitive. 

 

Cool-headed Caroline

This type of person never lets others know what’s on their mind or how they really feel. They always seem like things are going well for them and appear stable and content with everything. They value their autonomy, so you will often find them working alone instead of with larger groups. Such people are very good at tedious, repetitive tasks, so it is common for others to take them for granted. Usually, they take on risks fearlessly due to their innate bravery, and you can always rely on them to offer help where possible. This workplace personality type will stay true to their ideas and values regardless of how hard you try to convince them otherwise. They are also trustworthy, so this is the go-to person to tell anything you don’t want the whole office to know. 

The ‘Cool-headed Caroline’ never wants to appear vulnerable to others, so they tend to be very stubborn and will not change their mind or give in. They also keep their emotions hidden so you can never tell if they are hurt, annoyed, or upset, making it difficult to give them feedback. This also means it’s difficult to determine if they have trouble with something at work. 

 

Try-hard Terrence

This is the person who says ‘yes’ to pretty much anything you put on their plate, meaning they tend to take on more than they can handle. You will always find them in the middle of trying to accomplish something, but they might not necessarily finish every task they start. 

They are typically determined to finish whatever they are working on and do not give up until it is complete, even if it is a deprioritized assignment. Understanding and patience are this person’s superpowers because they know that some things need time. Quality is more important than quantity to them, so they do their best work when they are not being rushed. This person is committed to their team and work, so they will do whatever it takes not to let anyone down. This will be your biggest supporter in the office, and they are always there to offer assistance. 

However, the ‘Try-hard Terrence’ tends to set unrealistic goals by taking on more than they can physically complete and putting more effort into trying than actual completion. It is hard for them to relax, so they often seem tense because they often worry that their work is not good enough and keep comparing themselves to others. This person is highly sensitive, so it is difficult to give them suggestions or feedback without taking it the wrong way. 

 

Likeable Laura

This employee is the one who typically likes to make sure everyone is satisfied. They are often extroverts, so they are always surrounded by others. Social situations make them genuinely happy and energized because they are their best selves in the company of others. This means they usually thrive in teams. They are also super considerate of what other people think and feel, so if you’re having a hard time with a project or task, they’ll likely reach out to you first. These individuals are very good at managing and dealing with others due to their pleasant and kind nature. Their need to please other people is usually combined with high moral values as they are very observant of rules. 

As they are usually also people-pleasers, the ‘Likeable Laura’ can have some trouble being assertive, so they rarely defend themselves even when they're right for fear of stepping on anyone’s toes. 

 

So how do you work successfully with all these workplace personality types?

 

• Respect everyone’s boundaries - this goes without saying, but it is best to adapt to how other people prefer to work if it can boost productivity and collaboration. If you know someone is more comfortable being emailed instead of being approached directly, be mindful and move accordingly. Please pay attention to your colleagues’ more innate traits to help you be more considerate of their preferences. 

• Be mindful of how your colleagues like to do things - you will need to approach each personality in different ways in terms of presenting information and tasks. Some people like to have all the facts before making decisions. Others prefer to work with a bit more freedom, while some like a sense of order in how they work. 

By knowing all the colorful personality types in your workplace, you’ll be able to communicate and work better with everyone, which works to your advantage.