The Office: The Main Characters, Ranked By Power

Fans of The Office could say it’s easy to determine who the most powerful person on the sitcom is based on their rank at Dunder Mifflin Scranton. But it’s not necessarily that simple. Even characters who have been at the office for years and have a higher position don’t hold the most influence.

When it comes to power, rank and financial backing aren’t always at the forefront. Sometimes it’s all about personality and work ethic. The harder these characters worked, the more benefits and forms of power they saw. But who had the most?

10 Toby Flenderson

Poor Toby. As head of human relations for Dunder Mifflin, one would assume that his word would be the be-all and end-all at the office, but that wasn’t the case. Toby was passive and allowed others to walk all over him. At the end of the day, he wasn’t passionate about his job and didn’t care enough to intervene. He could have had a high level of power at the office (just look at Holly) but his yielding personality prohibited him from doing so.

9 Pam Halpert

Pam is one of the characters who gained power as time went on. After she ditched Roy and married Jim, she had finally found her voice. She spoke up for herself, tried new things, and found a higher position than a receptionist.

However, a new marriage and higher position didn’t mean Pam was the most powerful person in the office. She was still not taken seriously and was talked down to by most of her co-workers and bosses.

8 Ryan Howard

At first, Ryan doesn’t appear to have pull over Pam but when fans look into his past, he had the makings of a powerful employee at Dunder Mifflin. His educational background was impressive to corporate, which led him to gain the vice president of Northeastern sales gig. His cockiness and assertiveness made him powerful; so much so that even Michael was intimidated by him.

Although Ryan had a fall from grace and was no longer powerful, he still had some influence over Michael, which is all an employee really needs.

7 Oscar Martinez

Oscar was second in command of the accounting department. Although Angela was in charge, Oscar appeared to be a harder worker who was really good at his job.

It’s even been said that he’s the smartest guy in the office, which definitely comes with power. Michael and Kevin didn’t always treat Oscar with respect (especially when it came to his sexuality) but when Oscar demanded attention, he was given it.

6 Andy Bernard

Andy may be goofy and theatrical but fans can’t deny the kind of power he holds at times. He was the regional director of sales while in Stamford, he became the regional manager of the Scranton branch, and he was able to get David Wallace to buy Dunder Mifflin back from Jo. You have to have a ton of power in order to convince someone to buy a multi-million dollar company. And while Andy wasn’t always taken seriously, he had power.

5 Angela Martin

Not only was Angela Martin the head of accounting but she also had intimidation on her side. Angela was cold, serious, and queen of the office. What she wanted typically happened. Her power is seen at its best during the Party Planning Committee meetings. Because everyone was scared of her, Angela got what she wanted. She even got her dream guy in the end.

4 Jim Halpert

Jim was hands down one of the brightest in the office but his lack of passion for his job proved to hinder his work ethic. However, due to his years at the company and his great sales record, Jim had a lot of power, especially with Michael and Dwight. Many times in the show, Jim was able to convince them to make the right decision (or a decision that ended in his favor). He was once the regional manager, co-manager, and he later was able to persuade David Wallace to let him work two jobs while getting paid the same. Now that’s power.

3 Dwight Schrute

The only reason why Dwight is more powerful than Jim is because of his dedication to Dunder Mifflin. He wasn’t always the right person to run the company as regional manager but he knew everything there was to know about paper and the company’s clients. And as the owner of the building, Dwight had a ton of power over Dunder Mifflin. He made rules for the building, he was Michael’s right-hand man, and he used fear as a scare tactic.

2 Jan Levinson

Jan wasn’t a full-time employee at the Scranton branch but because of her position as CEO (and her relationship with Michael), she was there often. Due to her job at corporate and her intense personality, everyone asked “how high?” when Jan said “jump.” She was a force to be reckoned with and incredibly smart. But there was one person who could make Jan fold and change her mind: Michael.

1 Michael Scott

Michael Scott is a man who always got what he wanted. He was unprofessional, dramatic, and childlike, yet everyone did what he asked. His wild, unassumed power is proven when he’s able to get Jan under his spell.

Michael was also the Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin for over a decade and had an undeniable influence on David Wallace. David had no idea what it was about Micahel, but he trusted his strange business instincts. And as annoying as everyone found Michael, they all rallied behind him and supported him in the end.

About The Author

Lynn Gibbs
(1654 Articles Published)

See also  Genshin Impact: Oceanic Defender Beisht Boss Guide

Lynn is a nomad who travels the globe on the hunt for her next adventure with her husband. A lover of being outside (and finding the best latte in town), Lynn is typically hiking, walking, or jogging when she’s not focusing on her love of writing. When it comes to shows streaming on Netflix or anything Bravo-related, Lynn’s your gal.

More From Lynn Gibbs