Have you ever met a colleague you get on brilliantly with, both at work and socially? Anyone who has worked in an office environment will know from experience that they work well with some colleagues, and not so well with others. It all boils down to how well different personalities work together. The more managers seek to understand the different personality types of their team members, the easier it becomes to engage and inspire them to be the best that they can be; and ultimately build a better working environment for your business. The Myers Briggs personality test, which is devised using Isabel Briggs Myers’ definitions of sixteen personality types, breaks this down nicely for us.
Your Ready Business looked at what type of environment works for each personality type, and how you can adapt the office to fit their unique needs, and now we’ve compiled the full list of the sixteen personalities and how best to manage their needs and expectations.
INFP
Renowned INFPs: Princess Diana / William Shakespeare. Represent 9% of the population.
Individualistic and non-judgmental, INFPs enjoy spending time exploring their own ideas and values. They gently encourage others to do the same. Caring and compassionate, they usually like working alone.
Workspace
INFPs are not fans of the modern open office. Although office partitions might not be ideal, they can help for INFPs whom prefer to work in a quieter environment
ISTJ
Renowned ISTJs: Queen Victoria. The third most common personality type, making up 12% of the population.
ISTJs are neat and orderly, inside and out, and tend to have a procedure for everything they do. Reliable and dutiful, ISTJs want to uphold tradition and follow regulations.
Although introverted, ISTJs are rarely isolated. Typical ISTJs know just where they belong in life and want to understand how they can participate in established organisations and systems. They’re practical, organised and thorough.
Workspace
They prefer a conventional workspace that they can keep neat and tidy and find value in filing cabinets and trays as they help to organise. They’re quiet and keep themselves focused on the task, so may use walls and furniture to create their own defined office area.
ISFJ
Renowned ISFJs: Mother Teresa/ Kate Middleton. The most common personality type, making up to 14% of the population.
ISFJs are loyal to traditions and organisations and are conventional and grounded. They enjoy contributing to established structures of society. Steady and committed workers with a deep sense of responsibility to others. They focus on fulfilling their duties, particularly when they are taking care of the needs of other people.
Workspace
Very similar to ISTJs, ISFJs prefer a conventional workspace, which allows them to use their space to keep on track with tasks, while using walls and furniture to develop their own area.
ISFP
Renowned ISFPs: Jimi Hendrix. The fourth most common personality type.
ISFPs are gentle caretakers who live in the present moment and enjoy their surroundings with cheerful, low-key enthusiasm. Flexible and spontaneous, they like to go with the flow and enjoy what life has to offer. To those who know them well, the ISFP is warm and friendly, eager to share life’s experiences.
Workspace
ISFPs usually like to work alone and often surround themselves with a collection of personal mementoes. Office partitions are ideal to help keep the noise and distraction of others at a distance.
INFJ
Renowned INFJs: Mahatma Ghandi. The least common personality type.
INFJS are creative nurturers with a strong sense of personal integrity and drive. They trust their insights about others and have strong faith in their ability to read people.
Workspace
Although they are sensitive, INFJs are also reserved. They are private people who prefer structure and order and value quiet areas in the office that give them the opportunity to reflect and form thoughts in their heads.
ENFJ
Renowned ENFJs: Oprah Winfrey. The second rarest personality type.
Warm-hearted, popular and conscientious ENFJs tend to put the needs of others over their own and are focused on values and vision. Tuned into the needs of others, they are acutely aware of human suffering. However, they are also optimistic and forward thinking, intuitively seeing opportunity for improvement.
Work space
ENFJs value the ability to personalise their workspace and enjoy workplaces that allow them to socialise in short periods throughout the day.
INTJ
Renowned INTJs: Mark Zuckerberg. The third rarest personality type.
INTJs are analytical problem-solvers, eager to improve systems and processes with their innovative ideas. They have a talent for seeing possibilities for improvement, whether at work, at home, or in themselves. Typically independent and selective about their relationships they prefer to associate with people who they find intellectually stimulating.
Workspace
Much alike to INFJs, INTJS appreciate quiet areas in the office that allow them to focus on the task at hand.
ISTP
Renowned ISTPs: Steve Jobs. Accounts for 5% of the population.
ISTPs approach their environments with a flexible logic, looking for practical solutions to the problems at hand. ISTPs are attentive to details and responsive to the demands of the world around them. Because of their astute sense of their environment, they are good at moving quickly and responding to emergencies.
Workspace
ISTPs enjoy having their own working space. They organise their space in their way, with their design. They particularly enjoy quiet areas in the workplace to collect their thoughts
ENTJ
Renowned ENTJs: Bill Gates. One of the least common personality types accounting for 2% of the population.
ENTJs are strategic leaders, motivated to organise change. They are quick to see inefficiency and create new solutions. ENTJs are often very motivated by success in their careers and enjoy hard work, remaining constantly ambitious and interested in gaining power and influence. Borne leaders, they are assertive and enjoy taking charge and organise people and processes to achieve their goals.
Workspace
With taking charge being a dominant personality trait, the ENTJs workspace environment needs to have clear pathways to allow them to move around the office. They also need a meeting space where they can gather their troops to provide instruction.
ENTP
Renowned ENTPs: Barack Obama.
ENTPs are inspired innovators, motivated by finding new solutions to intellectually challenging problems. ENTPs are energised by challenge and are often inspired by a problem that others perceive as impossible to solve. They are curious and clever, and seek to comprehend the people, systems, and principles that surround them.
Workspace
Much like ENFPs, ENTPs enjoy spending time in a shared office soaking up environments that are a bit quirky or different.
INTP
Renowned INTPs: Albert Einstein. Represents 3% of the population.
INTPs spend much of their time focused internally, exploring concepts, making connections, and seeking understanding. To an INTP, life is an ongoing inquiry into the mysteries of the universe. They present a cool exterior but are privately passionate about reason, analysis, and innovation.
Workspace
INTPs thrive in what others might perceive as a mess. When in an office environment, their workspace may appear cluttered and untidy, however this is organised chaos. Storage is not an issue for INTPs and allowing them to use their working space as they see fit is essential in making them feel comfortable.
ESFP
Renowned ESFPs: Richard Branson.
ESFPs are entertainers who charm and engage those around them. They are spontaneous, energetic, and fun loving and take pleasure in the things around them. They like to be in the middle of the action and the centre of attention. Their playful, open sense of humour and helpful outlook means help others have a good time no matter what the task is.
Workspace
When in the workplace, ESFPs are unlikely to stay seated at their desks for long periods of time. Instead, they prefer to migrate to where things are happening and prefer working in groups. Allow them to move throughout the office. Open plan workspaces are a great option to accommodate their personality.
ESTJ
Renowned ESTJs: Hillary Clinton. The 5th most common personality type.
Much alike ENTJs, ESTJs are hardworking traditionalists, eager to take charge in organising projects and people. They like to get things done and tend to go about projects in a systematic, methodical way. They are the organisers, who value predictability and want to bring logical order and structure to their surroundings.
Workspace
The ESTJ’s working environment needs clear pathways allowing them to have easy access to team members. They benefit from a meeting space where they can organise employees in order to drive their plan of action.
ESTP
Renowned ESTPs: Winston Churchill. They make up 4% of the population.
ESTPs assess situations quickly and move adeptly to respond to immediate problems with practical solutions. They use their keen powers of observation to assess their audience and adapt quickly to keep interactions exciting. They typically appear very social and prefer to keep things fast-paced and silly rather than emotional or serious.
Workspace
Based on their personality traits, they are unlikely to stay sitting at their desk. They prefer to migrate to where things are happening and where the fun is.
ESFJ
Renowned ESFJs: Bill Clinton. The second most common personality type.
ESFJs are conscientious helpers, sensitive to the needs of others and energetically dedicated to their responsibilities. Attuned to their emotional environment and attentive to both the feelings of others and the perception others have of them. They value loyalty and tradition, making their family and friends their top priority and are generous with their time, effort and emotions.
Workspace
ESFJs value the ability to personalise their workspace and often encourage others to stop by for a chat or to catch up.
ENFP
Renowned ENFPs: Walt Disney. They make up 8% of the population.
ENFPs are people-centered creators who have a contagious enthusiasm for new ideas and activities. Energetic, warm, and passionate, they love to help other people and explore their creative potential. ENFPs often have a strong artistic side. They are drawn to art because of its ability to express inventive ideas and create a deeper understanding of human experience.
Workspace
As well as thriving in a shared office, ENFPs like working environments that are quirky or different. Bright colours and interesting or unusual designs appeal to them in particular.