What is a good employee? How to have an efficient team

What are the characteristics of a good employee? Here's the answer:

1. Behave professionally.

This is a business, not a playground. People talk, and workers know the difference between a person who is fun to work with and a person who is always fooling around. Fun means a good personality, a joke or two, and a smile. Fooling around is wasting your time and that of others, being frequently off-task, and often being seen standing in the workspace of others instead of in your own.

2. Learn to take criticism gracefully.

It will provide you with valuable ideas about what people expect from you, any weak areas, and what you need to work on first. If a boss or coworker criticizes you in a way that hurts or angers you, wait until you cool/calm down and ask them if you can talk with them. Tell them how you felt, but tell them that you would like to fix the issue and want them to talk with you about what needs to be changed.

3. Learn to do your job, and do it well. Whether it's menial and tedious, or tough and high-paying, learn how to do the job, regardless of how difficult you think it might be. Promotions are most commonly based your ability to do your job, loyalty to the company, your aptitude, and your educational background. If you don't know how to do something, go find out; don't make excuses for why you didn't do it.

4. Cultivate good relationships with the people in your organization

They are the experts in their departments. Treat all co-workers with courtesy, respect, and kindness because they hold more power than you realize, and your reputation with them matters. Do not hang out with other employees who mistreat, disrespect, or talk down to others.

5. When you get the opportunity to learn a new skill, receive training for a different activity, or take a study course paid for by your employer--do it! Cross-training, new skill sets, and further education show that you are intelligent and value life-long learning. If push comes to shove, and people are let go, you stand a better chance of being retained than those who can only do one thing.