Most employers would tell you their operations would run a lot more smoothly if only they had ideal employees. And most employees would also say they are trying hard to fit into their bosses’ definitions of ‘ideal.’ So, how do most people define that capricious term? The Leader took to the streets to find out.

Roman Leshev, 25, manager
First and foremost, an employee should have an extended knowledge in his field. I would put professionalism as the most important of an employee’s qualities. The rest is based on human factors.

Yelena Pechurina, 20, student
Everything depends on the requirements of a particular job. You know, jobs are so different. From my experience, dealing with people takes craftsmanship and skill. There is always room for improvement.

Larisa Chernikova, 35, saleswoman
At my job, the main thing is cheerfulness. I can't speak for others. I'm a saleswoman and, from what I have seen, cheerfulness is the key to success in my profession. One needs to treat the customers with respect.

Larisa Sokolova, 47, state employee
First of all, they should have decency and honesty. Kindness is also a very good human trait that sometimes helps at work. Let's look at it from a human point of view: Some specialists are professional, but they lack compassion.

Yelena Mironova, 44, accountant
I think that if you really love your job, you will make progress. I know I did when I was younger, and it’s true for anyone who wants to achieve success in his career. You should always try to improve your skills.

Roman Lisichenko, 16, student
For a strong team to exist, it requires employees to be open-minded, communicative and possess team spirit. There are many important qualities, and they change depending on job requirements.