managing difficult employees, problems and solutions
The best way to approach this is to create something for yourself. This setting should only be used on your home or work computer. While that may sound like short and snappy advice, following it entails sustained effort on the manager's part. Helpful feedbackthe kind that motivates positive changeshould include three elements, according to Stone and Heen. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Bring High-Level Values to the Table, Value Conflict: What It Is and How to Resolve It, Negotiation Skills and Strategies: Winning Over Reluctant Counterparts, Conflict Resolution Success Stories: A Surprising Tale from Congress, Famous Negotiations Cases NBA and the Power of Deadlines at the Bargaining Table. Managing Difficult Employees, Problems and Solutions. But a manager can take the initiative and, through exploratory discussion, help the employee regain perspective on their contributions and value, to the organization and beyond, Timmes said. Remind the employee that a part of their job performance is measured by how well they contribute to the organizations success. 10 Tips for Dealing with Difficult Employees Critique the employee's behavior, not the employee. What is a difficult employee? This behavior may be a result of stress or personal issues, rather than a personality trait. As a result, I acquired 18 endorsements that impressed my boss and boosted the book sales significantly.. Solutions on how to manage and handle difficult employees. If youre required to work long hours or overtime, staying focused and organized is essential. This will show that even in high-pressure environments, you can remain focused on finding answers rather than getting overwhelmed by the challenges at hand. Below are descriptions of problem employee archetypes, based on conversations with workplace issue experts. If not, tactfully offer specific examples. If an employee misses deadlines or submits low-quality work, this may be a capability or disciplinary issue (insubordination) depending on the circumstances. For employers, it is important to recognise difficult behaviours and to understand what action they should take. PDF Managing and Motivating Difficult Employees - ACC If the employee lacks passion or interest in their current role, try exploring some options of transferring them to another role that would be a better fit for everyone. "They're hiring for the right attitude as much as for the right skill set," Timmes said. Managing Difficult Employee Behaviors and Getting Results They also allow each party to provide feedback. In these of discussions, the manager is sending the message that: "I care about you as an individual and as a team member," Timmes said. Managers confronted with difficult employee behavior should follow procedures and strategies provided by company leaders, executive management, or Human Resources. Problem employees. It is not just the right thing to doit can create incredible loyalty with employees.". Being able to understand and manage your emotions, as well as the feelings of others, can help resolve difficult situations. Difficult personalities negatively impact coworkers and damage the culture of an organization Whether it's the constant complaints or inappropriate jokes, some employees have personalities that make managing them and working with them strenuous. And the effort starts during the hiring process, said Michael Timmes, a senior human resource specialist at Kingwood, Texas-based Insperity, anational human resources service provider. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse and understand how you use this website. Is the person unhappy in the job? But in many cases, a lack of engagement is not because the job and the employee are a poor match. This blog post will discuss ten examples of challenging work situations and how to handle them best! For persistent offenders, it may be advisable to speak with them directly. Put yourself in their shoeswhat would you want as a solution? How to manage difficult employees. Complete this form to receive your requested case study download. Open a dialogue with the person, and find out if theyre aware of their behavior and its impact on the team. In some cases, an employee's problematic behavior and attitude indicates that the worker is not engaged with the job, Timmes said. Focus on problems, not personalities, when dealing with challenging employees. Their attitude may even manifest as annoyance when work needs to be redone or an inconvenience arises. This will help maintain respect and trust among colleagues. Try breaking the task into smaller steps, taking breaks, and setting a deadline. If certain procedures or policies were breached, a manager should state these, make sure the employee understands and solicit ideas from the worker on how to move forward. Key Points: Never ignore a problem just because an employee is difficult to deal with. Ask questions about the tasks you will be expected to complete and how much autonomy you have in completing them. Make sure the conversation begins with open dialogue, allowing them the chance to express their experience. End with what will happen if their negativity continues. Good leadership requires a balance of authenticity and compassion with professionalism. Understanding different kinds of difficult traits and behaviours helps employers to proactively identify potential issues and inform how best to manage the issue or the individual. Apologizing sincerely can also go a long way in showing that you take responsibility for the issue at hand. 10 Examples of Difficult Work Situations and How to Handle Them, Interview Tips: Answering Questions About Difficult Work Situations, Overcoming Adversity: The Best Interview Answers to Describe a Difficult Situation, Tips on How to Handle Difficult Work Situations Like a Pro. Before you walk into the interview, its important to have examples of difficult work situations that youve encountered in mind. In addition, the one-on-one conversations affords an opportunity for the manager to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges an employee faces outside of the workplace that may affect his performance at work, Timmes said. Only set standards you are actually willing to hold on to, and then stick with them. Help them establish career goals and develop a plan to achieve them. In more than 20 years of career coaching, McIntyre has seen a few recurring ways in which managers do make the problem worse. And if that project were audited, we would be in trouble.. In addition, the employee is likely to know more than you will about the potential challenges he may face and will be in a better position to map a path forward. Some managers, she said, see problems with a staffer's behavior or attitude, get frustrated, but never take concrete actions to address it and the problem becomes worse. Its up to managers to fully explore the potential motivations for their behavior. When trust, connection and value alignment are established, both parties benefit. Instead, uncover the root cause of the individuals actions and work to address the issues. By finding the right fit, they're much more likely to be successful. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); Third, feedback should include coachingadvice aimed at helping the seemingly difficult employee learn, grow, or change. By listening actively, you likely will get a stronger sense of the roots of the employees behavior and be in a better position to identify if this reflects problems within the organization. Procrastinating does not always have to be bad. He has long personal phone conversations while at work, mood swings and shares too much about relationship issues. The first piece of guidance is simpledon't let staffers become problem employees in the first place. When answering questions about difficult work situations, its important to focus on your positive qualities, such as your ability to think critically under pressure or your willingness to take the initiative. "The manager can help the employee frame a vision for his life. In particular, many organizations fail to set clear, effective accountability standards for employees. My last job as an HR training specialist revealed some of the same errors in specific HR processes every time I conducted an internal audit. "Declare this to the employee, for example, 'My intention is for us to find a way forward on your job,'" she said. My Former Boss Is Bad Mouthing Me: How to Handle? Managing Difficult Employees: Problems and Solutions Managing Difficult Employees: Problems and Solutions | 13 " " Knowing how your employees respond in stressful situations or how they fit with a certain management style arms you with valuable information that can help you manage problem employees. Workers who need behavior modification and attitude adjustments. More tips on having difficult conversations here. Thats often because the feedback itself isnt delivered in a constructive fashion. Employers want to know that you can analyze the problem logically and develop creative solutions when faced with a difficult work situation. It can seem daunting if a task or project requires complicated work processes. Instead, repeat back what you think youve heard, and ask for further clarification if youve gotten anything wrong. Here's a five-step plan that can help you diplomatically and effectively resolve these situations. Managing Difficult Employees, Problems and Solutions If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Visualizing yourself succeeding can also help you stay motivated. We'll start with conciliation and negotiation. In the end, he apologized and explained that he was very stressed due to personal issues. We'll look at how to identify problems and understand what you're dealing with. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Managing difficult employees is one of the biggest . As the experts attest, there's no silver bullet solution, no ready-to-use spiel or psychological exercise that can suddenly make a difficult employee easy to work with. In particular, making people accountable in advance (rather than after the fact) for their decisions helps them avoid overconfidence, a common and costly error in negotiation and other contexts, University of California at Berkeley professor Philip Tetlock has found in his research. "Ask this employee what success looks like to him. Any difficult workplace situation can be resolved successfully with the right attitude and approach. Aim to keep evaluations fact-based, as personal judgments can provoke anxiety and perpetuate the cycle of difficult behavior. To request permission for specific items, click on the reuse permissions button on the page where you find the item. Try not to take things personally but instead focus on finding common ground between all parties involved so that everyone feels heard and respected throughout the process of resolving the situation. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Understanding how to arrange the meeting space is a key aspect of preparing for negotiation. Its also important to clearly explain what they are accountable for. For this reason, she asked me to join in 80 additional hours in that quarter, and I would then subtract those hours from the timesheet for the following month to reach her financial goal. I tested every page until all errors were fixed. Attitudinal issues will soak up the most time and will most often end in heartbreak," Curry said. Finally, the manager can encourage the employee to focus on making the project better, not obliterating it. Unfortunately, dealing with difficult employees is an unavoidable part of the job, and it's best to address the matter sooner rather than later. Copyright 20092023 The President and Fellows of Harvard College. Managing-Difficult-Employees-Problems-and-Solutions.pdf Challenges are usually more of a bother to them than an opportunity. Sometimes, a difficult employee is simply in the wrong role. However, knowing how to answer these questions is essential to make a good impression on the interviewer and standing out from the other candidates. Often when employees are causing problems, its because they are expressing legitimate concerns in an unproductive way. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Brainstorm solutions. Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. However they're described, problem employees are the dread of every manager, and. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. "They have the attitude of, 'I've been here for so long, I just don't know where I would go or what I would do.'" SHRM has partnered with Managing a defiant employee isn't easy. Workers who need behavior modification and attitude adjustments. Documentation is an important part of the process, experts said. Ensure your employees use their annual holiday and encourage de-stressing activities that take their minds off their work for a while. The more involved the employee is in developing solutions, the more likely he will be to follow through on the feedback. Managers should strive for fairness in their approach. Dont avoid these management challenges; unresolved conflict harms productivity. Discover how to collaborate, negotiate, and bargain with even the most combative opponents with, Dealing with Difficult People, a FREE report from the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. Well also review 4 types of challenging employees youre most likely to encounter, and strategies to help you effectively manage them. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. While prima donna behavior can be frustrating for other staffers to deal with, the manager should be careful not to focus on personal characteristics when discussing the problem with the employee. However they're described, problem employees are the dread of every manager, and they require special skill and attention. Most importantly, always remain professional in any situationthis will ensure that everyone respects one another and builds a positive work environment. It was an excellent presentation, and we could close the deal in less than an hour., During my first team meeting at ___ Corporation, my manager told a few prejudiced jokes that everyone laughed at. Effective Strategies for Working with Problem Employees - SHRM Related: How To Deal With Difficult Employees as a New Manager. This could involve developing new skills or teaching others what you know. Tailoring your approach to the needs of an employee allows them the best chance for being part of a successful team. For help and support, contact us. Mark Tarallo is a senior editor atSecurity Management Magazine. Naysays projects and assignments. Sources suggest these types of employees are most likely to put in the minimum effort and nothing more, waiting for detailed instructions, without taking any initiative. They will probably make elaborate excuses for why they are late, or why they missed a deadline. When managing difficult employees, don't assume the individual is the problem. In either case, difficult workplace situations often require careful handling and thoughtful solutions to be resolved effectively. 542691 In that case, you may be cutting them slack when you shouldnt be. 10 Examples of Difficult Work Situations and How to Handle Them Yes, communication skills are essential in difficult work situations. Get more information How to Deal With Difficult Employees - The Hartford Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorised as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Are Salary Negotiation Skills Different for Men and Women? Derisive of "company men.". Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The Downer is an employee that seems to always cast a shadow of negativity or approach their work with pessimism. Additionally, dont be afraid to ask for an extension if neededthis shows that youre taking the task seriously and are organized in your approach. I decided to stay and help anyway. Make sure you are on the same page with your manager, so there is no confusion later. Build specialized knowledge and expand your influence by earning a SHRM Specialty Credential. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Popular Insights, PXT/Select - a division of John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Popular Insights, Inc 214-801-9152 david@popularinsights.com, 3525 Turtle Creek Blvd. This meant I could not register hours that I had not worked. Most employees avoid these people while managers continue to struggle to create a unified team. $(document).ready(function () { ", Attong also said that company attendance rules are important to emphasize. Work with the Hisser on a 90-day performance plan outlining opportunities for growth and change. Attong suggested that when a manager documents the meeting, that he ask the employee to agree with the documentation. "It's easier to correct skill deficiencies than it is to fix attitude. In a Price Negotiation, Should You Make the First Offer? In this report we identify four main problems managers experience with difficult employees.. In this report, we identify four main problems managers experience with difficult employees: 1. With frequent sick days, medical appointments and lunchtime errands that last all afternoon, she is absent as often as present. Start by letting them know that you see a change in attitude, and that its having a negative effect on the team. If the pattern of negativity becomes disruptive, the manager should use a factual approach, noting behavior patterns such as the employee's tendency to criticize when new ideas are proposed at staff meetings. Do so constructively when communicating your solution or response in a difficult situation. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Managing Difficult Employees: Listening to Learn. In cases of poor performance or misconduct, a written warning or improvement notice is typically given. 3E Dallas , TX 75219. Skepticism. How to Deal With Difficult Employees: A Guide for Managers - Indeed Even if an employee seems to be causing problems, he is probably doing something right that is worthy of praise. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM China ");