by Christa Joyce

Created on: January 21, 2007   Last Updated: April 13, 2007

The ten worst types of employees a boss can have

The top ten worst types, and sadly the most common, of employees, in no particular order are

1. Amy Attitude
Amy believes attitude is the key to success, but sadly hasn't figured out that she needs the Right Attitude' to succeed.

2. Blameless Bob
Poor blameless Bob, nothing ever goes right for himand it is never his fault. He always has a faulty piece of equipment, a colleague who didn'tno matter what the problem is, it's just not Bob's fault.

3. Cyclical Charlie
Charlie is a bit of a sticky one because he blows hot and cold, working well in some areas or for short periods and then taking his foot off the gas. Often his antics take a while to become fully apparent because of the spurts of good performance.

4. Lucy Loner
Lucy just isn't a team player. She doesn't communicate well and isn't comfortable in group situations this is fine if she works alone, but problematic if she is required to work collaboratively or in the limelight. Lucy's is often a case of right person, wrong job.

5. Andy Antagonist
Andy just loves to rub people up the wrong way and can't resist any opportunity to stir things up. He is the perfect candidate for union representative. His antagonistic skills will have any manager reaching for the headache pills.

6. Tony thumb-twiddler
An expert procrastinator, Tony knows what needs to be done and how long he has to do it but he is just disinclined to get started, preferring instead to sit and twiddle his thumbs. This is very irritating, especially when his work affects productivity in other departments.

7. Wendy Whiner
Wendy could try the patience of a saint. She is usually quite capable of doing the job for which she is paid, but is determined that everyone should know just how busy she is, just how hard her job is, just how little management understand what is involved at the end of the day she will do her job because she knows that is why she is paidbut it comes at a price.

8. Carrie Clockwatcher
Carrie has one eye on the clock from the minute she gets into work. Everything she does is timed towards the next coffee break, lunch break or the end of her day. She will spread her work out to do the minimum required within the time allowed and if she worked while she watched the clock she would increase her productivity by at least 25 per cent.

9. Larry Latecomer
Larry almost never gets to work on time. He has an unending supply of excuses, some more plausible than others. Larry clearly lives in an area devoid of reliable transport links, has a serious problem with appliances in his home especially alarm clocks, irons and anything that can flood or short circuit and comes from a family where ill-health and sudden death are the norm.

10. Suzy Sickie
Suzy has a sickness record that suggests she should be at death's door, although she looks fit and well and seems to recover from each ailment in record time, especially if threatened' with an occupational health referral.

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