Carol was a camper.
That's a term for someone who is content in their current job and doesn't want to get promoted, add new responsibilities, or move to a new company.
Carol showed up every day, did her job, and went home. She didn't want to "get ahead." Carol just wanted to do her job. She liked it, and she was good at it.
She had been in the same job for many years when I took over the department. Her plan was to be in the same job for many more.
It took me a moment to understand Carol's value. When I finally did, I realized employees like Carol play an important role on high-performing teams.
Here's why campers like Carol are so essential and what managers can do to appreciate them.
The mistake managers make with campers
Bosses can easily disregard or disparage campers. They assume campers aren't motivated, don't want to do good work, or don't want to learn new things.
As a young supervisor, I was conditioned to dangle promotions and opportunities in front of employees to get them excited about hard work. Heck, getting ahead was exactly why I worked so hard myself.
I didn't understand why Carol wasn't interested. At first it frustrated me that she did exactly what was required and no more. Her coworkers took more initiative, so her steady performance seemed lacking by comparison.
What I didn't notice or appreciate at first was the steadiness that Carol brought to the team. She consistently got her work done, and did it well. Her colleagues could count on her, and that gave them the freedom to take more initiative.
Another mistake occurs during the hiring process, where recruiters often screen out campers. "Where do you see yourself in five years?" is a classic question.
One camper, Sandy, responded by saying, "I would like to be in my position for that long and to have become very good at it." The response didn't go over well with the interviewer.
The classic movie, Office Space, perfectly captured the tension between managers and campers in this scene. Joanna, a restaurant server, is confronted by her manager for not wearing more than minimum 15 pieces of flair, “fun” buttons servers are supposed to wear on their uniforms.
Why campers are essential members of the team
Campers steady the team. They understand the ins and outs of how things are done and often help train new employees. They save their supervisors time. Many are keepers of the team's culture.
Eventually, I realized that Carol was really a supervisor’s dream.
There was no drama with Carol.
She didn't need much training.
I didn't need to give her feedback very often.
Drama, training, and feedback all take a lot of time.
Carol didn't want a promotion, which was good because there weren't a lot of promotions to go around. Ambitious employees eventually leave if they don't get promoted. That means hiring someone new.
Hiring and training new employees also takes up a lot of a supervisor's time.
Over time, I understood that Carol saved me a ton of headaches. I stopped being frustrated and started being grateful when I realized I could count on Carol’s steady work each and every day.
Some campers become the face of a team, an office, or a company.
Milton was stationed for many years at the front desk of his company’s headquarters. He took his title of "Director of First Impressions" very seriously and consistently made visitors and employees alike feel welcome. He quickly learned names and always had a kind word or a funny anecdote to share that would brighten people's day.
Bill spent years at the front counter of a parts shop for a local plumber. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of plumbing parts and could often track down hard-to-find items. His friendly, helpful service was responsible for bringing in many new clients who figured if Bill's service was so great, the company's plumbers must be pretty great, too.
What managers can do to appreciate campers
The best thing for a manager to do is to avoid assumptions and learn about each employees' individual motivations. Understanding what each person wants can help you leverage their strengths while maintaining a work environment where they can thrive.
Carole (not Carol, notice the spelling) shared that a good manager made all the difference. "When opportunities for advancement became available several years ago, I had this conversation with my manager and she was very supportive. I have been in my current role for more than 18 years now (with additional responsibilities added over the years), but still love my job and I am all in!"
Some campers will stay for years and do great work if the job fits their personal lives.
Diane liked the hours of her job. She could come in early, do her work, and get home in time to pick her kids up from school. Having a stress-free job she enjoyed meant she could be fully present with her kinds once the work day ended.
Others hold down shifts that are otherwise hard to fill.
Laura was a single mother with a young daughter. She worked a steady night shift job so she could be with her daughter during the day and have a family member care for her at night while Laura worked. The night shift required someone who could work independently, so Laura was a perfect fit.
Of course, some campers only camp for awhile. Once Laura's daughter reached school age, Laura was able to move to the day shift so she could earn a much-deserved promotion. This also allowed her to be with her daughter when she got home from school.
Managers can often find amazing employees if they’re willing to hire someone who wants to step back from a demanding managerial role and refocus their energy on a job they enjoy.
Terri moved into an individual contributor role after getting promoted several times and spending a good part of her career in leadership positions. "I may not want to ever manage people again, but what I do want to do?" asked Terri. "Be better than last year—every year."
Many campers just want to know their work matters.
Donna took pride in being a steadying influence through multiple mergers and spin-offs. "Over the years I have trained probably around 300 people. I actually trained my Supervisor when he started 13 years ago on the phones. This has happened several times, and that’s okay–I am proud to say it started with me.”
Conclusion
Every team needs a Camper Carol. You can find yours by doing a few things that managers should do with everyone on their team:
Avoid making assumptions.
Get to know each person's individual goals and motivations.
Create an environment where each person can thrive.
When you do find your Carol, recognize and appreciate the value they bring to the team. After all, they're probably making you look like a good boss who has a team with low turnover and high productivity.