Little Luke "Skywalker"

Thursday, July 28, 2005

What Kind of Worker Are You?

It's been a long time since my last blog that is related to my office. Maybe I should include more of my office stuff in my blog in the future.

In my working environment, I can’t help but notice there are various categories of workers (ground workers and supervisory workers included). I don’t know if it is the same everywhere, so please comment.

Slave Workers

Slave Workers exist in all kind of industry and they are easily spotted by supervisory level workers.
Slave Workers are not ambitious (ie. not aiming for promotions or taking credits), low in expectations (ie. cheaper by dozens) and really hardworking.
Slave Workers are being manipulated all the times by other workers in doing tedious and hard work (ie coding, testing and debug, handling customer complaints, rectifying errors etc.).
Management workers will want to keep as many of Slave Workers as possible to get themselves up the management ladder.
Most often than not, Slave Workers are made to do things which are not stipulated in their job description namely carry stuff, photostatting, cleaning the toner, fax, chasing debts etc.
Slave Workers are the real asset to an organization as no work will be done without them and the rest of the management hierarchy will fall without their support at the bottom.
Slave Workers are often blamed for any misfortune that might happen (be it bugs in program, dirty workplace, client complaints, damage door locks, toilets that won’t flush etc.).
The turnover rate of Slave Workers are relative low as they are not on the lookout for better prospects and prefer adapt than change.
Slave Workers have a mixed track record because they rarely retaliate in any form to their superiors, but they are often made scapegoats for anything that went wrong.

Smart Workers

Smart Workers also exist everywhere and they are not easily spotted because they tend to lay low at times.
Smart Workers have high ambition but they rarely publicize it for their own job security.
Smart Workers are constantly on the look-out for greener pastures within and outside of their own company.
Smart Workers are not easily manipulated to do chores or work that is irrelevant to them. Smart Workers always grab any opportunities to enrich themselves in their profession (as long as it is company sponsored).
Smart Workers also tend to have side business or freelance work other than their main profession in order to earn more income as well as prepare themselves to venture their own business while tapping to company resources and contacts.
The turnover rate for Smart Workers are relatively high as they are constantly wanted and they always chase after better opportunities.
Management workers will always keep a small number of Smart Workers around them but will always keep a close eye on them.
Without Smart Workers, the company will not move forward by relying only on Slave Workers as they are only good at repetitive day-to-day task.
Smart Workers are needed to provide fresh ideas and useful input to the company.
Smart Workers also tends to skip ranks in submitting good ideas and proposals to the boss directly (without going through their direct supervisor), hence, they are tightly control and movement monitored to prevent them from rising above their supervisor.
Smart Workers also tend to avoid tasks or projects which they deemed will end up in failure or complications.
Smart Workers always keep their track records as spotless as possible in order to move further within or outside the organization.

Geek Workers

Geek Workers are found mainly in industry that requires a lot of technical knowledge such as engineering, IT etc.
Geek Workers constantly enrich themselves with knowledge and skills whether it is company sponsored or self funded.
Geek Workers may or may not be easily manipulated to do chores as they are extremely specialized worker who are very out-of-touch with everything else (they may not know how to fax, photostat, letter writing or handle disgruntled customers).
Geek Workers have a very limited social circle as they tends to mix among themselves for mutual benefits.
Geek Workers are idealist people that will constantly stick to their suggestions or arguments although they are not realistic, hence, they do not make good decision makers.
Geek Workers are must-haves for management worker as they are easily controlled since they have no political ambitions and they are the real brains behind every technology and products.
Geek Workers are not motivated by money and ranks but knowledge and technologies.
Geek Workers are constantly head-hunted within and outside the organizations.• Geek Workers will participate in any work that is relevant to their field of interests regardless of the risk and outcome of the project.
Geek Workers are important asset to the organization as they are the source of ideas and inspirations to the future development of any business.
The track record for Geek Workers are mixed as well due to their stubbornness that comes with their good ideas.

Incompetent Worker

They are rare breeds, but many of them exist especially in the higher management of an organization.
Incompetent Workers are easily spotted by people around them, but not to the eyes of people outside the company.
Incompetent Workers ride on the knowledge and strength of other workers on their way up the management ladder.
Incompetent Workers are often given managerial positions through means like being the pioneers of the organization, close relative to other members of the management, appointed by backdoor means or maybe sheer looks alone.
The turnover rate of Incompetent Workers is extremely low as they can only survive in their current organization. If they leave the current organization under any circumstances, they will find a hard time looking for jobs (not to mention if their ex-employer exposed their weakness in public).
Incompetent Workers continue to survive in an organization based on their skills in manipulating other workers while taking credit on their behalf.
Incompetent Workers always answer “I will get back to you on this” when asked a direct question by clients or their boss as they are constantly lack in their professional knowledge and only rely on their subordinates for answers.
Incompetent Workers (especially those in managerial post) always grilled other workers under them on petty issues like leave, claims, sitting position, toilet frequency, phone usage, talking attitude, lunch hour, personal relationship, relationship with staff from rival departments, salary etc. instead of their actual work.
Incompetent Workers always threaten their subordinates with their salary or appraisal in order to manipulate them into succumbing to their selfish agenda.
Incompetent Workers have a habit of playing office politics at every given opportunity in order to draw everyone’s attention away from their ability to do any real work.
Incompetent Workers also have a habit of constantly reminding other workers of their work, in order to make others believe that they themselves are doing their job.
Incompetent Workers either end up getting lay-off by the company or end up in managerial position by means of playing office politics while riding on other workers.
Incompetent Workers will constantly stop other workers from improving themselves especially when it might prompt the possibility of a promotion to people other than themselves.
Incompetent Workers will avoid blame at all cost, even to the extent of sacrificing a member of their own team to the chopping board.
Incompetent Workers often mix with their own kind (if they have any) as they are the next most disliked lots apart from the boss.

Which of these categories do you belong to? And which do you think I fit in to?

Jotted down by Egghead :: at around 7/28/2005 12:16:00 PM :: and invited 1 Blah(s):

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Willwolf,

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