The INFJ in the Workplace

General Overview

INFJs usually become everyone’s favorite confidant. This applies in the workplace as much as it does out on the street. INFJs are naturally warm and something about them encourages others to trust them, so in the workplace they’re usually everyone’s first choice when they need someone to talk to. Their easy empathy and kindness can also benefit the workplace a lot. INFJs work hard to understand other people and make their workspaces a better place to be, and everyone who works with them will be the beneficiary of their skills in this area.

INFJs need quiet, calm, and kind workplaces. They don’t enjoy the high pressure of some corporate jobs and will find themselves burning out fast if they’re put into these kinds of environments. INFJs also don’t like a lot of conflict, so if people in their workplace fight or argue a lot, it will wear on them. Their need for a calm and peaceful workplace is probably one of the most important qualities that INFJs look for in their work, and if they can’t find it they will start making plans to move on as soon as possible.

Company and Society

INFJs don’t enjoy working in traditional workplaces. The rigid rules, schedules, expectations and structures of these types of workplaces run counter to the INFJ sense of what’s right. It also usually gets in the way of what the INFJ wants to achieve. INFJs want to be creative. They want to feel free to follow their muse and produce the work that their heart wants to create. They want to grow at their own pace and in their own time. And the idea of restricting those qualities, of fitting to the molds set by people in the past, usually seems completely foolish to them. Which is why INFJs often do better when they work on their own or when their boss and workmates share similar values of creativity and self-development. When an INFJ finds this combination in their workplace, they’ll be happy to stay and do their absolute best work in response.

Abuse in the Workplace

INFJs can sometimes find themselves the target of bullies or unscrupulous people in the workplace. They like to see the best in people, often long after they’ve been proven otherwise, and this often leads to them giving people more chances than others would. They also try to avoid conflict for as long as possible, which means that most INFJs are hesitant about confronting people who are treating them badly. This can lead to workplace bullying that goes on for far too long, doing damage to this sensitive type and resulting in them feeling and acting very bitter about the entire situation. This type, more than any other, needs to learn to protect themselves against these kinds of attacks.

INFJs are unlikely to ever bully anyone in the workplace. This type is famously sensitive, too much so sometimes, and the idea of hurting other people goes against everything they stand for. They do sometimes turn to manipulation to get what they want however, they have such a good understanding of emotions that they can easily manipulate others. But this only occurs when the INFJ is very unhealthy and needs to do some personal development work to learn to cope with past hurts and disappointments.

Workplace Strengths

INFJs have a great deal of emotional intelligence. This comes primarily from the combined wisdom of their dominant and auxiliary function. Introverted intuition, their dominant, takes in information from the external world and uses it to understand the patterns that underlie all of life and human behavior. And because INFJs use extraverted feeling as their auxiliary, this information is mostly about the emotional states of the people around them. INFJs see the patterns in all this emotional information and use this understanding to predict people’s future behavior and choices. This kind of intelligence means they’re extremely good with people. They naturally help others to overcome issues, encourage them to choose healthy behaviors, and encourage better relationships in the workplace. And these benefits can make for a very happy workplace and happy client relationships as well.

Workplace Weaknesses

INFJs have very high standards when it comes to their working environment and this can be a problem. People of this type usually have very sensitive nervous systems, which means that a working environment that runs counter to their instincts and tendencies will be acutely painful for them. But an INFJ has such high standards that they don’t often find a workplace that can satisfy them. This is why INFJs often end up working in environments that are ill suited to them, or just outright jarring on their nerves and their emotional centers.

INFJs should completely avoid workplaces where they’re expected to be cutthroat in the pursuit of their own success or the success of their business. This type always sees the bigger picture, it’s an unavoidable side effect of their introverted intuition dominant, and so they can’t make themselves blind to the consequences of their actions. Any business or working environment that prioritizes the business against people’s lives, happiness, or wellbeing in any way is completely unsuited to this type and they would quickly become very unhappy and bitter if they’re forced into these kinds of workplaces.

Final Thoughts

INFJs have the skills and the will to make workplaces calmer, quieter and kinder. Unfortunately, they often do this quietly and in the background, so people don’t always notice just how much they do. As with most aspects of their lives, INFJs need to overcome this tendency to fade into the background and make sure that their needs are met at work as well as the needs of the people around them.

References

1. Byars, Joni. “How HSPs, Empaths, And INFJs Can Protect Themselves From Toxic People“. Jun 5, 2017. (Retrieved Apr 2018).
2. Granneman, Jenn. “How Introverted Intuition Works For INFJs And INTJs“. Oct 6, 2016. (Retrieved Apr 2018).
3. “INFJ – The Counselor“.
4. “The INFJ Career Path“.
5. “The INFJ as an Entrepreneur“.
6. “Best Jobs For Your Personality“.