The employee with a dependent personality structure, like the compulsive employee, has difficulty making decisions.  The difference, however, is the dependent personality employee cannot make a decision without an excessive amount of advice from others.  The dependent employee is very caring and live their lives through and for others.  If those around them are happy, then they are happy.  They make personal sacrifices for those around them and put control of their lives in the hands of those close to them. 

The dependent personality employee can look differently depending on other psychological factors.  The dependent employee can express their fear of separation through anger at those who don't appreciate their dedication to the relationship.  This typically shows up as a self-fulfilling pattern where neither the dependent employee or the other person in the relationship know what is really happening in the relationship.  The dependent employee, for example, will give off signals of withdrawal and then display anger when approached in reaction to the withdrawal.  Other dependent employees become totally fused with others becoming completely dedicated to service. 

The dependent personality employee grew up with parental overprotection, overconcern, overnurturance, and active discouragement of autonomy and, as a result, never fully develop total independence.  Some parents believe their child is always in danger, even when they are sleeping.  Future dependents internalize this parental fear.  They do not look deeply into themselves and tend to catastrophize about relationships. 

Dependent personality employees are vulnerable to anxiety, depression, phobias, and eating-related issues. 

In the workplace, the dependent personality employee loves rules as long as they provide a means to maintain relationships with the boss and other employees.  When this is the case, they will do anything for practically anybody.  They are capable of true empathy.  They tend to idealize the boss and are totally dedicated to him/her.    They make excellent support staff, especially in the healthcare industry. 

The core problem with the dependent personality employee in the workplace lies with his/her emphasis on relationships first, outcomes last.  They don't really understand outcomes.  The need to have relationships work well takes precedence over work processes, resources, and healthy boundaries.  Where it is important to be proactive and work together with a common goal in mind, the dependent personality employee seems to get in the way.  They are always worrying about relationships and interpreting interpersonal behaviors.  When it is time for everyone to rise above their own issues and work together maturely and respectfully, the dependent personality employee becomes very anxious or depressed.  They will call in sick when it is time for more independent action because they are terrified of making decisions and acting autonomously. 

In a stable, highly regulated industry with the right job that does not require independent judgement, the dependent personality employee is great.  In an evaluation, they typically get "outstanding", however, the comments are littered with comments about not taking enough initiative.  Supervisors like to discuss ways they can take initiative and it scares the heck out of these employees.  A good evaluation will cause very bad feelings because they are interpreted as threatening to their security. 

In organizations that feel they must regulate behavior, the dependent personality employee has no trouble with all the various rules and mandates.  They do, however, have difficulty with changing culture in the workplace.  When a context or culture is changing, so are interpersonal dynamics.  This threatens this employee a great deal and supervision will find themselves coaching and mediating a number of personality issues associated with this employee as well as resulting health issues centered around anxiety and depression. 

When the organization focuses more on the individual than the rules, they begin to see what type of job makes the dependent personality employee happy and productive.  Specific attention to make sure this individual performs work that is supportive without the need to develop additional competencies.  When care is taken to find and structure work to the point that the dependent personality employee "...is excited about coming to work", they can be super productive employees and valuable assets.