27 January 2024 , 17:00
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Workplace experts have identified five different personality types that are most common in the UK.
Looking around an office, everyone has quite different personalities - from chatterboxes, to workaholics, those who stay quiet and keep their head down, and others who are a hoot at work social events, the list is endless.
A job tailored to attract one segment of the workforce will not tick the boxes of another anymore, a new report by Henley Business School has revealed. Rigid HR structures that restrict what can be offered to employees - including benefits, career progression, flexible working - are no longer effective and the approach to work needs to become more bespoke to suit different personality types.
A whopping 46 percent of people have moved jobs in the past year, so understanding your workplace personality type could be important if you are looking to change paths. Which one fits the bill for you?
Surveying 3,000 full time employed respondents from the UK private sector, representing diverse company sizes, sectors and positions, Henley's research identified six segments that have their own tipping points, desires and attitudes to work. These include:
Three-quarters of workers will still go into work even if they have a cold
Work-life balance advocates (39%) - value flexible working, potential for a four-day week or unlimited leave, and generally look for a role where they can balance work and out-of-work commitments
The socially conscious (15%) - those who care about a company's stance on social issues and would shun organisations with a poor environmental and social justice record
Lone rangers (14%) - salary and location are top of the agenda for lone rangers, who particularly value the opportunity to work remotely
Salary-driven weekend workers (13%) - high salary is the main driver for these workers, who are willing to work long hours to secure this
Employee advocates (10%) - priority is ensuring the organisation they work for treats workers well, and highly value great employee benefits.
Employee satisfaction enthusiasts (10%) - highly sensitive to reviews from other employees and are motivated by benefit packages and companies that have a track record of treating their employees right
Dr Rita Fontinha, Director of Flexible Work at Henley Business School, said: "It is crucial that business leaders wake up and take steps to change the one size fits all approach of the past. If they don't, it's clear that employees in sectors with a high demand for talent feel empowered to look elsewhere."
She advises that employers should embrace a workplace culture built around homogeneity, make working flexible and be transparent.
Which workplace personality aligns with you? Comment your thoughts below.