A co-worker reported that he threatened her when she refused his requests for a date. After learning that she had a boyfriend, the male worker allegedly punched, kicked and pushed over a soda machine. We decided to terminate his employment, but we were concerned that he might react violently.
I partnered with the security team to investigate the allegations and develop workplace safety measures for the female worker. I met with the male employee in a neutral, private location to deliver our findings. Once we decided to fire him, I coached the business leader on how to conduct the meeting. In another situation, a high-level female executive within the organization was so upset when someone arrived late to a meeting that she literally charged at him and pushed him out of the office.
We were all shocked into silence, and then the meeting resumed as if nothing had happened. Later, I privately addressed the behavior with the leader. However, to my regret, we never discussed the incident as a group. Lessons learned: Be prepared. Act quickly and responsibly to lead the team back on track.
The previously violent man left in peace, while the diminutive woman resorted to using bodily force. Intimidation can take many forms—wielding physical strength or positions of power. Part of being ready means learning to expect the unexpected. I once took over the position of an HR colleague who was resigning.
But I soon discovered that she could be difficult in her own right. She took a judgmental approach in dealing with the staff and often shook her finger at them when she got angry. So I decided early on that I would reserve my emotions for situations that I felt could only be improved by displaying them. I soon got to test my theory when a worker who was an alleged gang member flashed a knife at a fellow employee while on the job. When I terminated his employment, the last thing I wanted to do was to give him a reason to direct his anger toward me or my car.
I needed for him to be upset with himself and to learn from his actions. Most employers, including our company, have zero-tolerance policies against any sort of violence or threats in the workplace. Unfortunately, the necessary result of your actions today is going to be the termination of your employment.
This document explains the situation to you. Your signature is not an agreement, but just an acknowledgment that we had this conversation. He then left peacefully.
If the behavior warrants formal corrective action, then I always treat the employee with respect and honesty. It works. The range of difficulty varies. They may have created an uncomfortable atmosphere in their department. The best thing you can do is listen. Set up a time to speak with the associate. When did it begin? How did it get to this point?
Speak to the other parties involved. Lessons learned: Never take anything at face value. You may think that the associate is being difficult, but in reality there is a legitimate reason for her frustration.
If you can work through the issue, you may be able to turn the situation around. Be patient and treat the associate with sensitivity. Usually, people are being difficult as a cry for help.
Try to get them to respond reasonably rather than emotionally. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Jump to section What does a difficult employee look like?
Dealing with difficult employees: a practical guide Solutions for handling a difficult employee Dealing with difficult employees is an essential skill. Dealing with difficult employees can be a headache. What does a difficult employee look like? Disengaged employees often exhibit difficult behavior as a result of their frustration.
Below are three examples of what a difficult employee can look like at work. Scenario 1: Missed expectations. They may also feel there are no opportunities for career growth and development. On the other hand, their lack of motivation might have nothing to do with their work.
Scenario 2: The employee has a bad attitude Difficult employee behavior can affect your whole team. Scenario 3: The employee undermines your authority When an employee undermines your authority, it disrupts employee morale and productivity. Sign up to receive the latest insights, articles, and research from BetterUp. Subscribe Now. Thank you for your interest in BetterUp.
Create a safe space in which your colleague can express their opinions. Image Source 4. In a conflict situation, you have two main objectives: Get your colleague to lower their defenses. Convey the information necessary for them to improve their behavior.
Write down expectations and specific consequences Document any expectations and behavioral changes together with your colleague. Ways to monitor progress include: Getting feedback from other coworkers Evaluating the quality of their work Having regular one-to-one meetings Make written observations and reports for maximum transparency. Plan ahead An adequate and rigorous selection process can help prevent problems with difficult employees. Stay calm and show respect Giving negative feedback or firing someone is never easy.
Focus on facts and maintain an honest, professional, and respectful attitude. Talk to human resources Managing truly difficult employees is an interpersonal issue. Consider your role in the problem If a difficult employee is undermining your authority, ask yourself the following questions. Is the employee making any valid points? If you suspect your employee is undermining you on purpose, ask yourself these questions: Does the employee undermine me by doing their work differently than agreed?
Does the employee undermine me behind my back? Does the employee undermine me in front of clients, vendors, or other colleagues? You should also learn the difference between constructive criticism and destructive behavior. Image Source 3. Address their lack of motivation When dealing with an unmotivated employee , start by giving them the benefit of the doubt.
Ask yourself the following: Does the employee have too much or too little work? Is the employee bored and in need of a new challenge? Does the employee have the necessary skills required for the role? Often, you can solve a lack of employee motivation by: Adjusting their job description Relieving them of a heavy workload Providing training In other cases, a lack of motivation can lead to disruptive behavior and create a toxic work environment.
Dealing with difficult employees is an essential skill Any leader or aspiring leader needs to learn how to deal effectively with difficult employees. Coaching Hiring Business. Bob says he will readjust deadlines and take a softer approach to interacting with his team. They also sign him up for company-sponsored leadership and sensitivity courses.
They set a three-month timeline for Bob to turn around team productivity. The rest of your employees will thank — and respect — you for it. Looking for more tips on how to handle employee-related issues in your office? Download our free e-book, A practical guide to managing difficult employees. I realize I forgot to ask about the day and month, too, when I requested the year that you wrote this article! Hi Eliza, Thanks for your feedback!
Glad you enjoyed this article. It was published on May 7, Good luck on your literature review and thank you for citing us in your references section!
Hi Amanda. I really enjoyed this piece. Very insightful. And how do you effectively terminate? Hi Martha, Thank you for your question. These two posts of ours may be of assistance to you — they cover the topics of handling negative employees and terminations. Its right that you as a boss no become a best friend, but in my experience I found that as a boss you need to know very well your team. I mean to know who is my worker as a person over a worker. Learn how Insperity can help your business.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Discover how we can improve your business. Home Blog Dealing with difficult employees: A 5-step plan. Subscribe When you are ready to subscribe click here. Sign in with Sign in with.
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