A Problem Employee in the Workplace: What to Do
Morcendale Inc. blog
In any team, there may be an employee who constantly causes problems: they argue with colleagues, break agreements, do things their own way, or get in the way of others’ work. It is not worth ignoring such a situation. We’ll be discussing ways to resolve it today in a new post on the Morcendale Inc. blog.
According to global estimates, disengagement and low employee engagement cost the global economy approximately $10 trillion in lost productivity each year – that’s around 9 per cent of global GDP. The main reason for such colossal losses is a catastrophic drop in labour productivity, caused by employees losing their emotional and psychological connection to their companies and teams. Within an individual company, the consequences manifest as missed deadlines and conflicts, which take up the whole team’s time.
Experts at Morcendale Management emphasise: a ‘difficult’ employee is not necessarily a poor performer who should be dismissed. It is therefore worth understanding exactly what is happening and then finding the best solution.
According to global estimates, disengagement and low employee engagement cost the global economy approximately $10 trillion in lost productivity each year – that’s around 9 per cent of global GDP. The main reason for such colossal losses is a catastrophic drop in labour productivity, caused by employees losing their emotional and psychological connection to their companies and teams. Within an individual company, the consequences manifest as missed deadlines and conflicts, which take up the whole team’s time.
Experts at Morcendale Management emphasise: a ‘difficult’ employee is not necessarily a poor performer who should be dismissed. It is therefore worth understanding exactly what is happening and then finding the best solution.
First, identify the problem
The phrase ‘He’s difficult to work with’ is far too vague. Look for specific facts. For example: an employee changes arrangements without warning, clashes with colleagues, interferes in others’ work or fails to fulfil their duties. That said, being argumentative is not a problem in itself. A person may argue and suggest an alternative. It is important to look at the consequences of their actions, according to experts at Morcendale Company. If, thanks to their comments, the team spots a mistake, the person who raises objections proves to be helpful.
Establish clear rules
If an employee disagrees with the team’s decision, they should be given the opportunity to speak up and put forward their arguments, emphasise the experts at Morcendale Management. Perhaps the person has spotted a serious problem that could lead to a mistake or extra work. It therefore makes sense to establish a rule: it is acceptable to argue and put forward ideas, but disagreement must not be allowed to turn into a unilateral breach of common agreements.
Research shows that in teams with a high level of respect, 74 per cent of employees feel safe expressing their disagreement openly, whereas in conflict-ridden teams, the figure is just 44 per cent.
Research shows that in teams with a high level of respect, 74 per cent of employees feel safe expressing their disagreement openly, whereas in conflict-ridden teams, the figure is just 44 per cent.
Don’t forget about the team
A problematic employee often has a negative impact on the atmosphere within the team and on overall performance. It is therefore useful to ask people about their colleague. However, rather than asking, ‘What do you think of this person?’, it is better to ask, ‘What specifically is preventing you from doing your job?’ This helps to gather facts rather than a collective assessment of the person’s character. Ultimately, a ‘difficult’ employee does not always need to be dismissed. Sometimes, clear rules, well-defined boundaries and a simple, human conversation are enough.
Need to have a chat with a difficult subordinate? Don’t start the conversation by saying, ‘It’s impossible to work with you.’ That’s almost guaranteed to trigger a defensive reaction. It’s better to address a specific situation: ‘We agreed to tackle this task in a certain way, but you changed the approach without warning. As a result, your colleagues had to redo the work. Why did you decide to do things differently?’ This way, the manager finds out the reason, whilst the employee gets the chance to explain their position.
Focus on the facts, not the person
Set out specific expectations for a ‘difficult’ employee and agree to review the changes after a certain period of time, advise the experts at Morcendale Inc. If their behaviour changes, it means the problem has been resolved. If the person continues to act in the same way, the manager will have objective grounds for further decisions.
Give them the chance to change
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