7 Characteristics of Highly Productive Employees in the Workplace

Workplace Productivity Characteristics January 11, 2023

Priyanka Bhadani

Writer

7 Undeniable Characteristics of Productive Employees

A highly productive employee is an invaluable asset for any business. Highly productive employees not only help with long term business profitability and success, but they positively influence the workplace culture and working environment for everyone else on staff.

From their uncanny networking abilities to their every day time management capabilities, there are so many advantages that highly productive employees bring to the workplace. When business owners understand the characteristics of productive employees it is much easier to identify them amongst staff members.

7 definite characteristics of productive employees include-

1. Independent

Productive employees generally do not depend on their fellow team members to begin or complete projects. Instead, they are willing to take the reigns and produce good work consistently, without being pressured to do so.

The independence that productive employees possess motivates them to exceed set expectations. For example, productive employees are more likely than their average counterparts to seek out additional learning and development opportunities such as conducting research or enlisting for educational courses.

2. Receptive

Highly productive employees do not view feedback as negative. Instead, they frame it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and develop their skillsets in order to be a better asset to their company.

In fact, productive employees will even go out of their way to request feedback. These employees are always looking for ways to further improve their already positive work and invest in their own long term career development.

3. Innovative

Every business faces unique challenges that can have significant short term and long term consequences. High productivity employees are ready to tackle new challenges, and bring their innovative perspectives to the table.

Highly productive employees will utilize a systemic approach to problem solving. They are dedicated to confronting problems, and will go above and beyond in their efforts to find solutions.

The positive work ethic that these problem solvers supply will enhance both the working environment and the workplace culture in a long term and meaningful way.

4. Timely

All companies recognize the short and long term value of employee time management skills. Highly productive workers are well known for their time management capabilities.

One reason that highly productive employees possess such great time management abilities is due to their work life balance. Productive employees deliver good work while on the clock, but maintain a work life balance that allows them to detach from work in order to recharge.

As a result, these highly productive employees are ready to create positive work every day, and are much less likely to have time management issues than other less productive employees on staff.

5. Focused

Productive employees recognize how important focus is for maintaining their long term performance levels. As a result, productive workers are more likely than their less productive coworkers to not only stay focused on their work, but also to search for ways to become even more focused.

For example, highly productive employees are more likely to develop their own systems for keeping their tasks and responsibilities prioritized. Perhaps they accomplish this through a consistent task checklist or even by maintaining a dedicated work journal.

Highly productive employees know that their working environment is important to their ability to focus. As such, these employees are likely to have organized and clean workspaces.

Additionally, high productivity employees are more likely to have an excellent work life balance. These employees recognize how important consistent breaks are and how a healthy work life balance allows them to keep producing good work each day.

6. Positive

A positive work environment and workplace culture cultivate even more positivity. As business owners know, moods can pass from employee to employee quickly and influence the entire working environment and company culture.

Just as an unproductive employee can corrupt a work environment or workplace culture from the inside out, a positive work ethic can quickly become contagious. As a result, a productive employee not only produces good work in the short term, but also fosters a long term positive work mindset that affects the entire office.

7. Communicative

Excellent communication is necessary for long term business success and profitability. High productivity employees are not only well aware of this fact, but they are heavily invested in their own communication skills.

High productivity workers are very likely to develop and maintain long term healthy working relationships. As a result, these employees can secure valuable networking opportunities both inside and outside a business.

For example, a highly productive employee might make a connection during a networking event that facilitates a future collaboration or merger. There is virtually no end to the opportunities that these special employees bring to a business!

Key Takeaways

Highly productive employees are an invaluable asset for any business that they are employed at.
Common employee productivity characteristics range from time management skills to a positive work attitude.