Top 10 Qualities of a Good Employee

Every organization wants to fill its workforce with good employees. Every candidate hired for a new role promises to be a good employee.

But the question remains. What makes a good employee?

Are there certain criteria individuals have to meet or boxes to be checked off? Does it change from one company to the other?

Sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn't. Even then, there are some qualities that every organization would prefer to see in their employees.

Let us take a look at ten such qualities that make up a good employee.

If you are a manager who is looking forward to hiring new employees or is on a mission to evaluate your current workforce, having a clear idea of what makes a good employee is really important.

Let us take a look at some qualities that make a good employee.

1. Integrity and Honesty 

There are some qualities that are specific to industries and some that are preferred no matter what kind of job you do. When it comes to integrity and honesty, they fall in the latter category.

Be it, managers of healthcare companies or mining companies, everyone likes some integrity and honesty in their employees. Ethics is prevalent in every walk of our lives, but only people with integrity stick to it no matter how difficult the external circumstances become.

Employees who have transparency in their actions and are sincere while communicating their ideas with their coworkers and managers are said to be honest.

If every employee in a company is honest and has integrity, it would solve a lot of problems for the managers.

2. Works Well in a Team

We know that no man is an island.

The same concept can be applied to a business setting as well. Employees definitely work individually, but most of the time, the activities they do are as a team. The entire company is one huge team if we think about it.

So, if employees do not have the ability to cooperate and get along with their co-workers, it would create a plethora of problems. So what are some factors or characteristics that make some employees work well in teams?

• They prioritize the team’s success over their individual success
• They respect and value the opinions of others
• Empathy, patience, and other interpersonal skills are abundant in them

And that’s not even the best part.

Employees who work well in a team develop a sense of camaraderie with their co-workers, which in turn increases their level of engagement and satisfaction. 

3. Is Self-Disciplined

Micromanagement is a thing of the past.

Even though there are still companies that practice this, most managers do not have the time or the energy to go through each task their employees perform.

This is why self-discipline becomes a highly valued skill in employees. They have the ability to complete their tasks on time even when there is nobody to supervise their actions.

They also stick to the company rules and values with a strong sense of self-discipline. Such employees have hyperfocus which helps them meet each and every deadline.

This value touches upon another much-coveted skill in employees, which is time management. Employees with the ability to control their mind and actions obviously have a great grip on time management as well. 

4. Is a Good Communicator

We live in a time and age where misinformation and misinterpretation have almost become a daily occurrence.

Because of this reason, it is even more important to brush up on your communication skills and keep the channels open. Employees who have the ability to communicate a message clearly to their co-workers or the management prevent multiple scenarios of conflict and misalignment of goals.

It is important to mention here that communication is not just about articulating one’s thoughts clearly but listening actively to what others have to say as well. By doing so, people heed the golden rule of communication, which is that it is a two-way street.

A workforce is composed of people from different and diverse backgrounds, so nothing is as important as an employee with good communication skills.   

5. Emotionally Intelligent

A work environment is a space where people from different walks of life come together to achieve organizational and personal goals.

In order for the work environment to remain positive, the employees have to have some amount of emotional intelligence.

But what exactly is emotional intelligence?

Employees with high emotional intelligence exhibit empathy, self-awareness, and interpersonal abilities, allowing them to negotiate social dynamics successfully. They understand the influence of emotions on behavior and decision-making, helping them to respond correctly in a variety of situations.

So, people with a high level of EI can manage their emotions, stay cool under pressure, and deal with stress constructively. Above all that, they are skilled at reading others' emotions, developing rapport, and establishing trust in interpersonal connections.  

6. Is Self-Motivated

Self-motivation comes under the same umbrella as self-discipline, yet it is slightly different.

Self-motivation is the desire and initiative to pursue objectives and tasks without external prodding or monitoring. In other words, they do not need someone to always keep them accountable.

Employees who are self-motivated have a strong sense of purpose and drive, directing their energy and effort toward accomplishing their goals. They create high but reasonable objectives for themselves and take aggressive actions to achieve them, especially in the face of challenges or failures.

Self-motivated people view setbacks as opportunities for development and learning, exhibiting resilience and tenacity in their quest for greatness. Self-motivation is especially useful in tasks that need autonomy and initiative because self-motivated people can work independently and adapt to changing conditions successfully. 

7. Can be Relied on

Everyone loves people who are reliable. But what exactly is reliability?

It can be understood as the continuous ability an individual has to complete activities and execute duties with dependability and precision. Employees who are dependable can be counted on to fulfill deadlines, perform excellent work, and keep promises, especially in difficult situations.

They have a strong work ethic and a dedication to quality, taking pleasure in their contributions to the business.

Reliable people are prompt and organized, and they use their time wisely to complete assignments and projects on schedule. Furthermore, they speak freely and proactively about anticipated issues or delays, exhibiting responsibility and openness.

8. Is Someone with Passion

Passion means a strong passion and devotion to one's job and goals.

Employees who are enthusiastic about their jobs display a real dedication to excellence and a desire to make a significant contribution. Their love for what they do drives them innately, and they derive gratification from the process of creation and contribution.

Passionate people approach their work with vigor, ingenuity, and tenacity, inspiring others with their passion and determination. Furthermore, they are always looking for new ways to learn and grow, and they perceive problems as chances for personal and professional advancement.

Passion is contagious, producing a pleasant and energetic work atmosphere in which individuals are driven to exceed expectations.

9. Confidence

Companies prefer employees who are confident in who they are and what they do. Confidence is the belief in one's own talents, judgments, and decisions, allowing people to face obstacles with certainty and boldness. Employees who radiate confidence instill trust and respect inside the organization and among external stakeholders.

They have a high sense of self-confidence and self-efficacy, which allows them to take measured risks and achieve lofty goals. Confident people feel comfortable venturing outside of their comfort zone and seizing new possibilities for development and learning.

Furthermore, they are good communicators who convey their thoughts and beliefs clearly and convincingly. Confidence is especially important in leadership jobs, as confident executives can inspire and encourage their people, make sound judgments, and handle uncertainty with ease. 

10. Creative

In super-simple words, creativity is the capacity of an employee to produce new ideas, solutions, and approaches to issues, hence promoting innovation and driving progress. Employees who are innovative think beyond the box, challenge traditional beliefs, and pursue new opportunities. They have an inquisitive and open-minded attitude, continuously seeking inspiration from a variety of sources and experiences.

Creative people are skilled at linking apparently unconnected ideas, synthesizing information, and devising novel solutions to challenging problems. Furthermore, they value experimentation and iteration, considering setbacks as vital learning opportunities along the way to success.

Creativity is critical for generating development and competitiveness especially in a business world where everything keeps changing so fast, where firms strive to differentiate themselves and adapt to shifting market conditions. 

Do You Have Good Employees?

We would suggest you conduct an in-depth employee feedback survey or behavioral assessments before hiring, wherein you can analyze where your employees stand. If you believe they can do better in certain areas, then conducting a feedback survey using tools like ThriveSparrow shows you the exact places that need change and how these changes can be brought about.