Pop culture has given millennial professions some excellent slacker role models, who have taught them how to get away with doing the bare minimum. Need to get the boss of your back? Be like Jim Halpert from The Office and simply flatter his ego. Need to get out of extra work? Schedule all your appointments to a date when you know you’re not working like Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation.
Jim and Ron are professional slackers and their fans have often marveled at how exceptional each of them is at bypassing work. But who’s the more effective slacker of the two and more functional?
10 Jim: Calls Out Toxicity At The Workplace
Fans have noted that in spite of not caring enough about the company or about rules, Jim has been one of the few people in Dunder Mifflin who has stood up to Michael’s erratic antics and has also protested against many sexist and problematic patterns of his colleagues.
Jim was unconsciously one of the grounding elements at the office and due to his patented camera stares, he was the most relatable character. By the second season, he became a yardstick to determine the insanity of a situation.
9 Ron: Knows The Strengths And Weaknesses of Him Employees
Fans have often pointed out that if Ron did care about his job he would make for an excellent specimen of a leader.
Though Ron does not like his employees getting too chummy with each other and has often actively caused some workplace drama just for kicks, he is an excellent boss, specifically because he’s very aware of the potential of all the people who work for him. He’s a great judge of character and understands what each of his employees needs in order to function better.
8 Jim: Thrives Under Good Leadership
One of the main reasons Jim turned into a slacker is because he realized pretty early on that Michael is quite clownish as a boss and he could never really gauge true potential if and where he saw it.
Unlike Ron, Jim sought better guidance and active leadership, and in fact, has shown proof that under a competent boss he could make a difference and even took his ambitions seriously. Like when he moved to Stamford and worked under Josh or when he wanted to impress Charles Miner, Jim really did put in an effort.
7 Ron: Knows His Allies
Even though Ron couldn’t care less if the Parks department shut down, or even if the entire government did, he knew exactly whom he could call on for help or support when he needed it. Like the time he was looking for a new assistant he refused to hire an actual assistant who would be eager to prove themselves and hired April instead because he knew she hates her job as much as he does.
Fans have also noted that he’s not above asking for help or sacrificing some of his pleasures so his employees could have a smoother run, like the time he agreed to give up his office for a month so the other workers could go back to their usual routine.
6 Jim: He’s Not Afraid Of Being Challenged
This is quite remarkable and rather uncharacteristic for a slacker who does not take his job seriously - but Jim is not scared of being put in unfamiliar territories. One of the biggest reasons for this is that he is not exactly a layabout, technically speaking.
He knows he is very good at his job, he just refuses to take it seriously. So when he is challenged or asked to step out of his comfort zone he is not thrown off by it and even relishes the opportunity.
5 Ron: Does Not Seek Approval Of Others
Even a slacker boss could be a people-please - just look at Michael Scott. But Ron Swanson is quite indifferent to what others think about him. Ron has had the job for years now, and on the show, he has often talked about how it would make no difference in the world if he took an interest in his job.
Since he doesn’t believe in the possibility of a big picture change, he refuses to let others’ opinions weigh in on him and does not really care if his superiors do not like his approach.
4 Jim: Is Actually A Good Boss
The Office fandom was quite taken aback when they saw Jim actually fight for a promotion because that was very uncharacteristic of him. But when he is promoted to a co-manager, he does prove his merits.
Being a boss at Dunder Mifflin comes with its pitfalls but Jim did try his best to help others and be a fair leader, something Michael had failed to do. His history as a slacker came in handy because he understood exactly what not to do so his employees don’t turn into him.
3 Ron: Not Afraid Of Questioning Hierarchy
Most slackers are scared of confronting their superiors because of upsetting the order which lets them take it easy. But Ron has never shied away from confronting his superiors especially when he spotted problematic behavior, or something awry.
Like the time when he confronted Chris when he introduced some new changes in the office which held back the employees from performing better. Or like the time he made Ben aware that he was aware of his and Leslie’s affair, and wanted them both to be more careful.
2 Jim: Actually Gets Work Done
Unlike Ron who is anti-government and thus finds his job redundant, Jim is an incredible performer. His only wiles away his time because he knows his work in sales would not be appreciated because Michael is too obsessed with himself. And even though he does not take his job seriously he managed to make some excellent sales and when he is tasked with something he has proved his mettle completely, and actually knows how to get work done.
This is also what makes him a better slacker than Ron because Ron was uninterested in creating a better workplace, whereas Jim wasn’t.
1 Ron: Self-Aware
Ron is fully aware of how people perceive him and it is exactly how he wants people to see him. People have often pointed out that Jim doesn’t realize that he puts off people with his sarcasm, and can be a bit of a know-it-all.
But Ron is in-the-know about his own potential as a boss and a friend and is also aware of how big of a slacker he is. The reason he is so comfortable in his job is that nothing surprises him about himself or others, and he seems to be in control of his workforce even without trying.
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