One of the most mystifying questions that any leader faces is how to deal with difficult employees.
An employee's challenging conduct and bad attitude can spread rapidly while damagingly disturbing their output and that of the rest of your team.
This often leads to serious consequences for your entire business, and it can produce a toxic atmosphere at workplace. Naturally, this will adversely affect your customer experience, and thwart your goals for your business. When a leader cannot "covert" their employees to work with the established goals, it can drain productivity and create a hostile work environment.
A difficult employee rarely behaves in a professional manner at their place of business. As the behaviour continues, they tend to become toxic and take it further. Their conduct is unpleasant for the rest and will cast a shadow of gloom in your business.
Often you find that they will disengage. And, there is a correlation between engagement, dissatisfaction, and difficult behavior. In 2022, the Gallup organisation conducted a survey that indicated that only 32% of full and part-time employees are engaged, while 17 per cent are "actively disengaged." Their engagement measures include productivity, profitability, retention, safety, customer service and employee wellbeing.
Actively disengaged workers are disgruntled and disloyal because they believe their workplace needs are not being met. Disconnected workers are less industrious, and their poor behavior can have an adverse effect on co-workers. Whether it's complacency, nonattendance, or a decline in the quality of their work, their attitude makes them difficult for co-workers.
And, as a leader, you must demonstrate leadership and deal with such employees directly, discussing the behavioral and performance issues and creating a clear plan moving forward to address the issues.
Here are some suggestions on how to deal with "difficult employees."
Critique Behavior, Not People
It is important that you do not make any conversation with them overly personal or emotional. Remember that the end goal is to reach a solution to the problem, and not to spark a confrontation. To do that, it is important that you focus specifically on inappropriate or undesirable behavior the employee has demonstrated rather than attack them personally. There may not be negative intentions behind their negative behavior. Sometimes, it might stem from confusion, fear, or personal problems that you aren't aware of.
Listen to Feedback
You should have a two-way conversation with the challenging employee. Listen to their feedback so you can understand where the problem lies and acknowledge any workplace issues that might be contributing to the negative behaviour. Often, a leader's own emotional state clouds their ability to actively listen and discern where the issue is. So, never communicate when you are irate.
Give Clear Direction
Giving tough feedback can be a difficult task for managers, but it is important that you give clear and specific examples of any negative behaviour and explain why it is inappropriate, and how it has to change. Focusing on specific examples can help lower the employee's defensiveness and offer useful information that can help them improve their workplace performance. General statements do not help resolve the situation.
Work Together Toward a Solution
The ideal result when you discuss a difficult employee's behaviour with them is that the two of you work together to develop a solution that you both agree on. Discuss the negative behaviour, what the appropriate behaviour looks like, and then find out what the employee needs from you to improve. And, when you commit to help them, you must keep your word.
Write Down Expectations
Detail your expectations for what needs to improve and set a timeline for improvement. Write down a clear plan of action with a specific timeline and evaluation framework for measuring success. I suggest that you get written agreement with them on their promise to work on themselves.
Set Specific Consequences
It is possible that your plan for improvement with a tough employee will fail if you do not set clear consequences if their conduct does not change within the agreed upon timeframe. Consequences can include a formal written warning, not being eligible for promotions or bonuses and in more severe situations, termination of their employment. The employee must be cognisant of that their actions have repercussions.
Monitor Progress
Give your employee the time needed to correct their behavior. During that time, monitor their progress and make note of any issues or relapses. Check in as frequently as needed to get a better sense of how they're progressing with the agreed-upon plan and intervene if they get off track.
Always remember that taking swift action and dealing decisively with a difficult employee is in the best interest for you, your team, the employee in question, and the entire organisation.
*The writer is managing consultant and executive leadership coach at EQTD Consulting. He is also the author of the national bestseller "So, You Want To Get Promoted?"
