Managing Employees Who Value Quality

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Those who value quality have an eye for craftsmanship. They appreciate expertise. These individuals believe attention to detail matters, and they are bothered when details go underappreciated or ignored. They expect their employers to set high standards, and they thrive in such environments.

How to Spot a Quality-Oriented Employee

Those who value quality will focus on the smallest details to ensure the best overall product. They prefer to be a master of a few trades than a jack of all. They know which of their colleagues are better skilled than they are in certain areas and will approach them for input on projects. Short deadlines may cause stress in quality-driven employees.

Pros of a Quality–Oriented Employee

The obvious one is that an employee who values quality will work hard to produce work for your company that meets their own high expectations. Leaders of these employees merely have to set baselines, and the employees will go from there.

Additionally, these employees aren’t afraid to step outside of their comfort zones if it means the project will be that much better. If there is a colleague who has more experience in something, the quality-oriented employee won’t hesitate to reach out to them. Behind the scenes or in full view, this employee only cares that everything that comes off their desk is the best it can be.

Cons of a Quality-Oriented Employee

Ever heard the saying, “Can’t see the forest for the trees?” That is the general challenge faced by an employee who values quality above all else. They are easily agitated by subpar work or the absence of fine-tuning. That means a fast-paced environment where deadlines are short and average work is sometimes necessary can lead to a lot of stress for this employee.

Generally speaking, quality-driven employees prefer to do a few things very well. They don’t like dabbling in many areas, so multitasking and juggling roles can be difficult for them.

On occasion, these employees may struggle with delegating. When they believe no other employee can perform the task as well as they can, they’ll hesitate to let anyone else take over.

Why Cultivate These Employees?

GlassEvery company in every industry wants a product or service that has a reputation for being the best. Business leaders are aware that, to be the best, they have to hire the best.

Unfortunately, simply hiring people who have the right skills and educations doesn’t guarantee best-in-class work. Employees who value quality, however, are the employees who will use their skills and educations to perform at the level that leadership desires.

How to Retain Quality-Driven Employees

The quality-oriented employee wants guidance – not step-by-step instructions. Micromanaging will stifle their motivation. Managers should set baseline needs and expectations for the sake of structure, but they shouldn’t constantly breathe down their quality-driven employees’ necks.

Tight deadlines can be very stressful for these individuals, so it’s important to be forthcoming and realistic about due dates. Consider allowing these employees to set their own schedules. A 2015 study found that when employers offer flexible work hours, their workers put an average of 7.4 additional hours in per week, so there’s no need to worry about slacking.

Don’t take the quality-driven employee’s work for granted. These individuals are counting on others to notice. Show them appreciation for a job well done. Bonus points if you can pinpoint a certain detail of the finished project that is especially fantastic. That will not only be a compliment, but also proof that leadership is paying attention to what the employee does.

Employees who value quality need very little motivation in producing their best work, but that doesn’t mean they can be set on the back burner and forgotten. In order to continue producing great work, these employees need the right kinds of appreciation and attention.

A version of this article originally appeared on the Vitru blog.

Ryan Mead is the CEO of Vitru.

By Ryan Mead