11 Things Low-Value Employees Do That Their Bosses Secretly Notice Right Away
An underperforming employee makes themselves known in subtle ways.
MAYA LAB | Shutterstock Employees play a crucial role in shaping the overall success and culture of an organization or company. While many strive to contribute to these companies positively, there are others who undermine its productivity and morale. These employees tend to stand out through their poor performance and constant mistakes, which is something management tends to see blatantly.
Even if they show up to work, put their head down, and complete their tasks, there are other things low-value employees do that their bosses secretly notice right away. Whether it's their lack of motivation or negative attitude, it can be contagious towards other employees in the workplace. Knowing when to spot them helps leaders address issues early on and figure out how to best assess the situation.
Here are 11 things low-value employees do that their bosses secretly notice right away
1. A lack of initiative
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One of the quickest ways a boss can spot a low-value employee is when they consistently show a lack of initiative in anything they do. According to a Gallup poll, workers tend to be more productive when they are engaged at work. However, these employees would rather wait to be told what to do than proactively looking for ways to contribute or solve problems.
Bosses appreciate workers who take ownership and act without constant supervision. They want team members who bring energy and creativity to the table, not those who only do the bare minimum. Without initiative, it's difficult to stand out or prove your value in any meaningful way.
2. Putting in minimal effort
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One of the frustrating things low-value employees do that their bosses secretly notice right away is not putting in effort. These employees don't push themselves to tackle their daily tasks and instead do just enough to get by without truly engaging in anything.
Their work tends to lack enthusiasm, which bosses quickly pick up on. This disengagement can slow down team progress and affect other employees' productivity as well. Managers will notice the lack of drive and see it as a sign that the employee isn't fully invested in the company's mission or vision.
These types of employees are resistant to feedback or change and often stick to old habits rather than adapting or growing. All of this limits their career growth and makes them less valuable to the company.
3. Having poor communication
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Poor communication is the most obvious sign of a low-value employee. Whether it's vague emails, missed messages or unclear instructions, ineffective communication disrupts workflow. A manager may start to question whether that person can be trusted with important tasks.
Bosses also interpret this as a lack of respect for others' time. According to statistics from Pumble, around 63% of people believe that wasted time is one of the worst consequences of poor communication. Strong communicators help teams stay aligned and efficient, while poor communicators slow everything down.
4. Avoiding responsibility
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Employees who are low-value will avoid any sort of responsibility in the workplace. They make excuses, deflect tasks, or avoid stepping up when things get challenging. While bosses may not always call it out, they do take note of each employee's patterns over time.
The blame game within the workplace and avoidance in responsibility damages trust between management and employees. High-performing teams rely on trust, and when it's broken it can be hard to get everyone to work together.
Someone who takes initiative, admits their mistakes and learns from them stands out more positively than someone who doesn't. Those who avoid responsibility send a clear message that they're not ready for leadership or even reliability.
5. Lacking curiosity
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According to research published in Human Resource Management Review, curiosity determines how creative we can be when it comes to sharing our ideas with others in the workplace. So, a lack of curiosity in an employee means that they have a limited mindset.
When someone has little interest beyond their immediate tasks, it shows disengagement with the work that they do. But curious employees ask questions, seek context, and try to understand how their work fits into the bigger picture.
Leaders notice who cares about the vision of the company and who doesn't. Even if someone meets the bare minimum expectations, a lack of curiosity suggests they're not invested in improving or contributing meaningfully.
6. Having a negative attitude
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Having a negative attitude is one of the many things low-value employees do that their bosses secretly notice right away. From constant complaining to a general reluctance to participate, these behaviors signal a lack of team spirit. Even subtle negativity can shift the mood of a room and dampen the momentum of group projects.
Leaders pay close attention to morale, and a low-value employee with a poor attitude doesn't just bring themselves down, but the entire team as well. Instead of being seen as someone who contributes to solutions, these employees are often viewed as obstacles. Bosses will begin to assign less to these individuals and limit opportunities to protect the team from the negativity.
7. Being chronically late
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According to business psychologist Camille Preston, PhD, being chronically late to work can cause significant team dysfunctions like a lack of trust and failing other members within the organization. While occasional tardiness can occur due to unforeseen circumstances, showing up late consistently shows a lack of respect for the team's time and priorities. It shows that they value themselves over the expectations from the job.
Chronic lateness often correlates with other performance issues like missed deadlines, lack of preparation, or low-energy early meetings. Reliability is everything to a company, so not showing up on time can be like letting your team down.
When one person repeatedly walks in late without consequence, others may feel frustrated or undervalued. That's why it's important for management to hold those who are late responsible for their behavior.
8. Being hesitant to participate in team collaboration
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Bosses usually pick up on the resistance to working alongside the team. Low-value employees often want special treatment or think they are the exception to the rule. In fact, companies lose over $40 billion annually due to bad team collaboration, according to the Society for Human Resource Management.
Managers understand that strong teams thrive on shared goals, open communication, and mutual support, but because it's one of the things low-value employees do that their bosses secretly notice right away, when someone is not on the same page, it becomes a problem.
Other employees may start to avoid working with that person and productivity can suffer as a result. While a low-value employee might believe they're flying under the radar, their reluctance to contribute to team efforts rarely goes unnoticed.
9. Not taking feedback well
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Higher ups tend to look for team members who are coachable. Employees who can take direction, reflect, and adjust accordingly are valued. However, those who are combative or angry when they receive feedback are considered low-value.
When an employee resists feedback, it creates unnecessary friction. Instead of viewing feedback as an opportunity to grow, they see it as a personal attack or inconvenience. This ends up stalling their progress as well as the team's. It's a lack of self-awareness and emotional immaturity that can make working with them a terrible experience.
10. Being overly dependent on management
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It's natural for new employees to ask questions to the manager, but to constantly pester them about how to do your job is not something they're there to do. Leaders expect their employees to be able to solve problems on their own if need be.
An over dependence on management can slow everything down and burden supervisors who are trying to focus on other responsibilities. When employees rely on management without taking care of their own needs, they may struggle to make decisions and require constant reassurance, which stalls their growth and negatively impacts productivity.
When an employee can't move forward without managerial input on every detail, it interrupts workflow and creates bottlenecks. High-value employees distinguish themselves by being resourceful and self-directed. Meanwhile, those who rely heavily on management get passed over for promotions, as they appear less capable
11. Disengaging from workplace culture
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Low-value employees often show little interest in team-building events or even casual interactions with colleagues. They will avoid lunches and remain silent during team discussions. As research from McKinsey found, actively disengaged employees can demoralize others and create toxic work environments.
Informal communication is a key part of workplace culture. While most people simply want to go to work, do their job and then go home, socializing actually helps you at work. Socializing allows others to stay in the loop over what's going on within the company and see if any changes have been made to procedures. Being engaged and active can determine whether you are a high-value worker or a low-value one.
Sylvia Ojeda is an author with a decade of experience writing novels and screenplays. She covers self-help, relationships, culture, and human interest topics.
