Managing difficult employees involves addressing the behavior promptly, using “I” statements, involving them in problem-solving, and listening actively. Dismissing minor problems can lead to bigger issues.
Employers may classify employees as “difficult” for a variety of reasons. Usually, it’s not overall performance or productivity that’s the issue, although it can be. A difficult employee may complain frequently about workplace practices, supervisors or co-workers, or it may be the other employees who have issues with a particular worker. Whatever the exact behavioral upset, effective keys to managing difficult employees include dealing with the situation promptly, using “I” statements instead of “you” statements, and focusing on developing a solution instead of focusing on the problem. .
A well-functioning workplace is rare, even elusive. There are likely to be behavioral difficulties that affect other workers, no matter what level of position they hold in a company. A common mistake made by many managers is to dismiss minor problems or complaints about an employee’s difficulty. These managers may believe that difficulties are the result of personality clashes between co-workers or that minor behavioral problems are likely to go away on their own. However, managing difficult employees effectively means fixing even small problems before they escalate into bigger problems that end up involving more workers and taking time away from the actual work process.
The manager of the employee deemed difficult should have a meeting with that person as soon as possible. In the meeting, the manager should use “I” statements that address the behavior rather than “you” comments that focus blame on the employee. For example, instead of saying “You didn’t follow company policy”, the manager should start with something like “I need everyone to follow company policy”. One of the most successful keys to managing difficult employees is to involve them in problem solving.
For example, the manager might ask him what is the best way to ensure that all workers are following company policy regarding a particular issue. The discussion can then move on to a constructive problem-solving session. A plan to correct the behavior should be worked out with the difficult employee.
The most important key to managing difficult employees is listening to them. If the worker starts to get defensive or unresponsive, the manager can employ an active listening strategy. This means the employer could say something like “I really want to hear your side of this issue. Tell me what you think” to begin the difficult employee to speak. It is important that the manager does not interrupt. Instead, taking notes and discussing the points with the employee in the context of the corrective plan can end the discussion on a positive and constructive level.
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