When faced with a problem employee in the workplace, management's response will determine how quickly, effectively and positively the issue will be resolved.
However, managers are often confused about how best to deal with difficult individuals.
Ongoing negative situations, if left unchecked, will eventually torpedo productivity and cause the morale of other employees to plummet.
The good news is that with a proven framework to address these situations, management is in an excellent position to turn a difficult situation into a positive outcome.
Develop a Plan Great managers understand there is a method to their management.
Good leadership is not a knee-jerk reaction; it is a planned response.
Effective managers don't haphazardly address issues in an ad hoc manner; they develop a cohesive management plan.
These plans help keep managers and supervisors focused on the big picture when communicating with an employee.
While each plan may differ from manager to manager, a solid plan encompasses four key areas.
1.
Define the Problem When addressing difficult employees and the problems they create, the focus should always be on job performance.
Behavioral issues like getting along with co-workers is an example of a job-related performance problem.
It is management's duty to clearly define the problem, including an explanation of why the issue is a problem, and how the problem is adversely impacting the company.
Good resources to use when defining the problem are the employee's job description and the company handbook.
It is very important that the problem is described using specifics that include facts and details that support the facts.
There is no place for generalizations or unsubstantiated claims when defining the problem.
2.
Clarify Roles It is critically important that both the manager and employee are crystal clear on individual roles.
The manager's role is to ensure business success by leading and coaching employees.
The manager keeps the team moving in the right direction and is there to support performance, ensure employees have the tools and training they need, and clearly communicate how employees are performing.
The employee's role is to meet predefined performance and behavior standards.
They are also expected to function as a cooperative team member.
A key concept that employees must grasp is that it is not only the level of their performance that is important, but also how they make a difference in the effective functioning of their team, department and the company overall.
3.
Identify Expectations This is the heart of any good management plan.
It is here where the manager should clarify four things - specifics of performance, responsibilities of the employee, impact of behavior and consequences if no change.
To be effective, the manager must be very specific and keep the discussion focused on performance.
There is no room for generalized language or aggressive language.
Saying things like "you must do a better job" makes the message personal rather than performance based.
When identifying expectations, the focus should always be on how the employee is failing to meet predefined criteria and what will happen if no change is made.
The manager must explain the impact of the employee's negative performance and the consequences if this behavior continues.
4.
Importance of Timing A good plan does not exist in a vacuum, but instead pays heed to the key component of timing.
Timing is critical and requires two analyses - when to deal with the issue and how long the solution should take.
a) When To Deal With an Issue Most managers and supervisors would agree that so long as circumstances permit, most problems should be addressed immediately or as soon as reasonably possible.
The longer one waits, the less likely it will be considered an issue by someone else.
The greater the distance between the circumstance and response, the less credibility the response carries.
This is true even if the response is termination.
In fact, the validity of a termination decision is more likely to be challenged when the time gap is extensive.
A challenged decision, even if legal and wholly justified, is costly to defend and drains company resources.
b) How Long a Solution Should Take How long the solution should take depends primarily on the issue.
If the issue is tardiness, for example, immediate resolution of the problem should be expected and demanded.
Change should be immediate.
However, other performance issues may require retraining or more time for learning to occur.
Solutions should always happen as quickly as possible, however consideration as to the specifics of the issue must also be kept in mind.
In our third and final post, we will see how the plan works, in action.