You’ve taken every effort to surround yourself with positive, innovative, practical people. And yet there always seem to be a few who become problematic, whether as a result of business or personal circumstances. There are many ways that you can deal with those you view as problematic within your business but often the best starting point is to look at whether there are conditions at work that are creating those issues in the first place.
The importance of clarity
It’s often the case that if you tolerate problematic people or behaviours then that’s what you’ll get more of. However, sometimes issues can arise where there is a lack of clarity in terms of what is expected of staff. Does your team actually know what you want from them and what is expected of them? Do they know where the boundaries lie? If you’re experiencing issues then making this clear is the first and most important step.
Confront any issues head on
If you’re constantly tolerating problematic behaviour then issues could be escalating without any end in sight. When there is one person causing problems it’s important to confront them about it – within the boundaries of employment law – as soon as possible. Don’t leave them to sow the seeds of discontent among other employees.
One of the easiest ways to do this is to arrange a private meeting and ask for the employee to explain what’s causing the behaviour. You might want to show them a copy of their job description, highlighting the lines relating to attitude. Get the employee to explain how they feel they are meeting this standard and what it means in practice. This should be an opportunity to illustrate where behaviour has gone off track.
Make sure you have disciplinary and grievance procedures
Setting these out in advance means everyone knows where they stand when it comes to handling certain situations. It ensures that you’ll always treat every employee the same when dealing with problematic behaviour and also makes it clear what will and won’t be tolerated.
If there is no change it’s time to act
If you’ve had meetings with the person causing an issue, you’ve been through the steps in the disciplinary procedure and you’ve given them every chance to develop a new attitude then it may simply be time to act. The longer you leave someone unhappy in a position in which they can influence the rest of your team the more likely they are to do damage to morale and motivation.
If it’s clear that there is simply no way to find a resolution then follow the steps in their contract, adhering to employment law, and start the process of dismissal.
Ask for advice if you need it
When dismissals are badly handled they can result in employee compensation claims, which can be costly. So, if you don’t have a resident HR expert, it may be worth seeking outside advice if you feel that you need it.
You don’t have to tolerate problematic people at work. In fact, the less you do, the happier and more productive your team is likely to be.
Get in Touch with Brian Doubleday for more help and advice today.
