Nobody Told You, but These Things Get You Fired

Low performers who are very obviously bad at their jobs are easy to track and locate. Their performance is usually not up to the mark (of course). They consist of those who claim to be ‘introverts’, but are really, really bad at team work. Or maybe those mostly fail to satisfy with their performance. Some even manage to have such a high level of incompetence or incurable laziness, that these employees are obviously spotted and walked out the door.

However, the seed of the most harmful of all ills is in having employees who don’t do a bad job- at least, not very obviously. These employees conduct an unsuccessful task, which may at that time seem trivial, but add up to an unmanageable amount of mess much into the future. They affect others’ performance, attitude and spirit, and in the process, damage the entire work environment of the company.

How do you make sure you don’t lie in that bracket of low performers? Read on to see if you relate to any of the points mentioned below:

1. Gossip Mongers/ Those embroiled in office politics

Gossip mongers are the most toxic of all. Not only is it considered extremely childish to be one to discuss another person’s life, it also shows one’s competency and management skills to indulge in malevolent back-lashing against someone you may or may not know. Sure, their life might seem more interesting than your 9–5 desk job, but consider this fun idea- maybe, the reason that you’re talking behind their back is because you weren’t involved in the talk in the first place. Why? Well, because they don’t need your opinion. Are you one of those who don’t respect other peoples privacy?

If you’ve thought of the entire situation as put above, then quite obviously, while you consider yourself to be the most trusted source of information for your colleagues and seniors, you’re actually someone who’s being let go pretty soon.

2. Those in Charge (but Not Really)

There are people who will concede or agree with all the clauses, terms and conditions decided unanimously in a meeting.

Meetings (noun) — Official gatherings where open discussions lead to planning and with every person’s express opinion and sanction, those plans are sought to be implemented in the near and far future.

Such is an ideal situation. But then walks in that worker who suddenly has a different view, an opinion that he did not feel the need to discuss in the meeting openly, even when all ideas were clearly invited. He saved it, clearly for a meeting later, an informal one, where he’s the boss.

While this definitely does not count as the nail to the coffin, it counts as the entire coffin- hence, where you didn’t openly bad-mouth your boss for his not-so-great idea, you did come out of the meeting and suggest an alternative. Worse, you decided on your own to implement the alternative.

3. What’s Theirs Is Theirs

I couldn’t even find the statistics to the amount of office property that is abused through out the world. Do you have a number? Comment below!

Office supplies can range from stationery to employee benefits. Your personal printer is out of ink? Slip out the cartridge from the office printer. Need a few sheets? Pick up the latest bundle of 500. Office laptop or email? You need to remember that even though you are provided with these amenities, your employer still has the access to everything. The number provided by your employer can be inspected, and all those personal calls you make will be taken into deliberation.

4. ‘’Not My Area of Concern’’

At times, we need to forget the roles, tasks or position assigned to us.

Agreed, that you had a contract letter which print pretty letters of your designation upon the expensive letterhead. However, you, as a member of the company, play a part of the team.

We need to think with alacrity, improve our compatibility level with others, walk that entire extra mile to make a vision come true and actually get things in place and finally done. We need to take it upon ourselves on our own. Even if it calls for a person to slip to a lower position to meet the demands of the job, even if it means some extra work load and even if it means some different kind of prioritizing, we need to do it all. Good workers always plunge straight in even without being asked. Denying a task because it’s not your area of concern, or because it does not relate directly to your position in the firm, is a clear sign of an attitudinal problem that needs to be addressed. Such attitude damages work ethics and ultimately, performance. It is sure to lead to a sad failure of team-work and make cohesive effort impossible.

The blatant and outright signs of having an employee that is incompetent are easy to point out. Their mistakes are so outright that it is difficult for them to commit those again. But people who carelessly mess up trivial things in office are uninformed of their faults, and can, hence, one day, be struck off for getting on the Managements nerves.

Make sure that you stay away from these little seemingly innocent things and stay on your toes.