The 8 types of toxic workers

These are the main types of toxic workers, and the reasons why they cause problems.

People are very diverse and this diversity is very visible in the world of organizations, where many people with different personality traits have to work together.

On many occasions everything goes well, with some people working harder and others a little less, however, sometimes it happens that workers have ways of being that do a lot of harm to the organization, and this must be corrected in some way.

There are several types of toxic workers that we can find in a company, and below we will see the 8 types of toxic workers that we can find in a company. and, next, we will see the 8 main ones.

The most important types of toxic workers in companies

Some would say that a company is a reflection of society, both good and bad. In the same way that in the real world there is a diversity of people, each with his or her own personality and way of doing things, the workers in a company cannot be separated from their temperamental traits. Each one works to the extent that his or her ability and way of being allows, with some working more and others working a little less and, unfortunately, there are also those who do not work at all or do so in a very dysfunctional way.

While it is to be expected that in our company everyone does their part and tries to make an effort to ensure that the organization runs smoothly, it is true that sometimes we can find people who seem to forget that they live in a society and the company is part of it. There are disruptive, self-centered, confrontational and, in short, workers who exert a detrimental influence that do a lot of damage to the company. Below we will see the 8 types of toxic workers and some tips to prevent them from ruining our company.

1. The troublemaker

The problematic worker is just that, the person who, with what he does, generates more problems than he solves, generates more problems than he/she solves. His way of working is incompetent, erratic and unreliable and, as he often does not know how to do his job well or does not put much effort into it, he does not really manage to fix anything. By relying too much on others to fix his own mistakes, he causes others to lose concentration on their tasks, which generates general frustration.

2. The slacker

The lazy and slack worker avoids working by absorbing the time, enthusiasm and energy of other workers.. Although he has all the tools, knowledge and strategies necessary to do his job, he doesn't do his part or, if he does do his part, he gets on with it too late and actually ends up being a rather unproductive member of the organization. He says he does it at his own pace and often doesn't care how rushed his boss and co-workers are because of him.

3. The martyr

The martyr is just the opposite of the slacker. This is a character who insists on doing absolutely everything, even what he can't get done..

He is quite a hard worker, but not in the positive sense of the expression, but he wants everyone to know how much he sacrifices himself doing things that do not concern him. The problem is that by working more than he/she can and should, he/she runs the risk of doing things wrong, besides leaving those who do know how to do it without work, causing a bad final result and, on top of that, unbalancing the rest of the team.

4. The social

In every office we can find people with a certain degree of humor, who brighten our day with their jokes and pranks. That's fine, but taken to the toxic point we have the figure of the socialite. This is an extraverted person who entertains an extraverted person who entertains and distracts others, more than they should.. They gossip, tell jokes all the time and talk too much, disturbing the rhythm of work. And if we add to all this the fact that many of them love drama, we have an individual who can bring tension to the organization.

5. The disruptor

The disruptor is the person who, as the name suggests, disturbs the good climate of the organization, disturbs the good climate of the organization.

Some prefer to call him the psychopathic worker, since he leaves a trail of destruction and discord wherever he goes. He creates a hostile, uncomfortable and tense work environment, affecting morale and, consequently, the effectiveness of all workers. If he doesn't like someone, he harasses them, sabotages their projects and manipulates others to turn against him, even his own boss.

6. The renegade

In every company there is someone who, after telling you how things are done, training you and advising you not to make certain mistakes, ignores you and goes his own way.

He has his own rules, his own method, even if it means putting the company's revenues at risk..... He improvises and makes decisions that are outside his competence. He does not take customer relations seriously, thinks he knows more than others and does things according to his method, without thinking about whether it might harm his colleagues. The word protocol does not mean anything to him.

7. The sunk

The sunk, also called by some as the loser, is the worker who unfortunately fails by nature. They are characterized by not believing in their abilities, not knowing how to manage their emotions of discouragement and despondency well and, on many occasions, having a low self-esteem. and, in many occasions, to have a very low self-esteem.

He does not have to be a toxic person, but it is clear that his way of being in the company is detrimental to its functioning. If they have been successful in the past, they consider it a product of chance or they attribute the credit to others.

8. The bad leader

The bad leader is one of the worker profiles that can bring worse things to the organization. These are people who become very toxic workers because they are sure to drag other employees in the company along with them.. They are also those people who are unable to see the merits of others, taking credit for what their subordinates have done and seeing them as mere means to achieve their purposes. They are incapable of delegating because, if they do, they feel they lose power.

What to do if we have toxic workers?

The presence of a toxic worker is a risk for the company. We must manage to generate an environment of trust where workers feel free to tell us as bosses what bothers them or, if there is a human resources team, to that department. The employee must feel free and comfortable to explain his or her concerns, knowing that he or she has the hope that he or she will be taken seriously..

Some basic tips to follow are:

• Do not ignore the problem
• Intervene at the slightest sign of conflict between workers.
• Investigate the problem thoroughly
• Help the toxic worker to stop being a toxic worker.

As for the toxic worker, if we have already done everything in our power to correct the situation, from intensive training programs, emotion and time management to anti-bullying protocols, but he does not seem to be doing his part or there are still serious problems between him and the rest of the workers, we will have to take the only measure that can nip the problem in the bud: dismissal.