Joe The Plodder Age: 35

Joe somehow found himself painting a building back in the ’00s and decided painting was as good a job as any. He follows the lines laid out by management close enough to keep employed, but he isn’t really looking to take advantage of any of the skills training you offer. Joe is happy enough on a summer day to be working alongside a team who doesn’t mind his ribald sense of humor, although you tend to assign him to projects where you know the customer won’t be home. He wants to come in and do the work, following the directions to the letter and absolutely no more. He’s not taking responsibility or risk, and don’t expect him to talk to a customer.

Motivation:
A paycheck.

How he helps you:
You’re short on painters, right? Joe knows the job and can be counted on to get it done, even if he isn’t exactly wowing the customer. Take advantage of what he knows, particularly during your busy season. As you take care of Joe by giving him regular work and understanding the personal interests that make him tick, you might find you get more loyalty — and, consequently, productivity — out of him.

How you can help him:
Give Joe a solid checklist to make sure he gets tasks done as expected. He won’t shirk the jobs you give to him, but expectations need to be clearly outlined. More frequent performance reviews that keep those expectations front of mind can also help.

Goals:
To keep a job.

Frustrations:
Getting pushed out of his comfort zone.

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