3 Steps To Handling Difficult Employees

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Posted by Jim on Nov 1, 2007 119 views

We”ve all encountered, worked with, or managed “difficult” employees. Perhaps they don”t seem to fit in with the company or take criticism well. They may cause friction in the workplace or do not put effort into their position. Whatever the issues are, you need to address this sooner vs. later so things don”t get out of hand or worse, become a legal issue.

Here are 3 quick tips to help in dealing with difficult employees:

1. Analyze The Situation.
You need to get to the bottom of any problem to fully understand exactly what is taking place. If you have an employee that makes frequent mistakes, note where the mistakes are being made and see if the tasks were made clear to them in the first place. It all begins with good communication. If they do not understand a particular task, they will not be able to execute it successfully. And when you give them an assignment, make sure they understand what they are supposed to do - don”t forget to make yourself available (and open) to answer any questions that may arise.

2. Hear Their Side Of The Story.
It is important to get every side of the story. See if your employee feels overwhelmed by the jobs that they are given or if there is anything that you can possibly do to assist them in any way. Find out what they need in order for them to be even more successful. Ask them about ways to correct a particular problem and - don”t forget to remind them how you value their opinion(s) when it comes to solving particular issue(s). As the old adage goes; “If you”re not part of the solution, you”re part of the problem”.

3. Talk With Them.
One of the best ways of dealing with things is to talk with them specifically about what they are doing well and what they could possibly do to improve their performance. Some employees may have a problem with handling constructive criticism; if that is the case, you may want to ask them what they think of their performance and then review with them how you, as their manager, perceive it. When doing so, make sure that you”re approaching your employee with courtesy and respect. If you do, they”ll quickly realize that you”re not trying to attack them personally. People tend to become very defensive when they are corrected. To alleviate this, make the problem seem easy to correct and let your employee know what a valuable asset they are to your company. When you close the meeting, come to an agreement of exactly what they need to do to correct any problem(s).