8 Proven Strategies for Managing Difficult Employees

Dealing with difficult employees can be a headache.

Many managers fear this challenge, but at some point you will inevitably have to deal with a difficult employee.

Problematic employee behavior drains your energy, weakens your team's morale and destroys productivity.

That's why managers need to know how to deal with difficult employees quickly and effectively.

Let's take a look at what a difficult employee looks like, as well as proven strategies and solutions for dealing with them.

What does a difficult employee look like?

In 2019, 79% of employees reported being disengaged in their work.

Dissatisfied employees often exhibit difficult behavior as a result of their frustration.

Difficult employees are bad news for companies. They can create a toxic work environment and lead to higher staff turnover, lower performance and poor customer relations.

Below are three examples of what a difficult employee at work can look like.

Scenario 1: Missed expectations. The employee does not fulfill his duties

Poor performance at work can be due to a lack of skills or motivation, or both. It can also be the result of poor communication, misalignment, lack of resources, or something else entirely.

If an employee performs poorly in their role, you should not dismiss them as lazy. There may well be a hidden reason for the lack of performance and motivation.

It could be that her work no longer challenges her. Maybe they want to do more and are frustrated by others' lack of commitment. They may feel limited by policies and procedures that do not improve outcomes. Or they lack the specific skills required to perform their tasks.

They may also feel like there are no opportunities for professional growth and development.

On the other hand, their lack of motivation may have nothing to do with their work.

They may have a health or personal problem that makes it difficult for them to concentrate and complete their tasks effectively.

Scenario 2: The employee has a bad attitude

Difficult employee behavior can impact your entire team.

When a problem employee has a negative attitude, it creates a toxic environment. Often, but not always, a bad attitude at work is passive rather than directly confrontational.

Maybe it's a none-too-subtle grin or eye roll, showing up late and not paying attention to meetings. Maybe it's gossiping at work or about colleagues. Or perhaps it's less conscious: the hard-working employee who has become cynical and always sees the negative in every interaction or suggestion. A bad attitude can be funny at first, but over time it wears on everyone. A bad attitude and negative behavior disrupts the entire team and affects employee performance.

But that is not all. If they also have a bad attitude when dealing with customers or suppliers, they are putting your company and your reputation at risk.

Scenario 3: The employee undermines your authority

When an employee undermines your authority, it affects morale and productivity. It can also cause other employees to doubt your leadership skills.

But not all employees who undermine your authority do so with bad intentions. Sometimes employees undermine leaders because they have a perspective that the manager cannot see. Maybe they are so convinced of their point of view that they don't see how their communication style undermines others.

In other cases, the employee's disruptive behavior may be a deliberate attempt to undermine you. If you, as a leader, know how to distinguish between these two cases, you can effectively address the problem.

Dealing with difficult employees: a practical guide

If you are dealing with a difficult employee, you can follow the steps below to resolve the situation.

1.Criticize behavior, not people

When dealing with a problem employee, it's important to focus on their behavior, not personal factors. It is not your job to judge the employee. Not only could this lead to unproductive conflict, but it is also not a good way to resolve the behavior.

The goal is to find a way to stop your colleague's unacceptable behavior and correct behaviors that make working with him unnecessarily difficult. Your job is to support them and look for solutions.

People are not always aware of how their behavior affects their work and those around them. Start by bringing this to their attention in a non-confrontational way. If possible, assume good intentions. Remember that not all difficult employees intend to be difficult.

Then give them specific examples of their negative behavior to help them understand the problem.

2.Determine the causes of the problem

The reasons for an employee's behavior are different for every person. Therefore, the causes must be identified before the problem is addressed.

It could be related to:

• your work
• Relationships with other colleagues
• Personal problems that prevent them from doing their jobs adequately

As a manager, it is your job to get to the root of the problem and solve it.

3.Be open to feedback

Problematic behavior can be the result of the employee's perceptions and experiences in their work environment.

Managers must be open to feedback. It could be leadership style or another issue your employee has with the company.

Create a safe space for your colleague to express their opinions.

Make sure you understand what your employee is saying by actively listening. Listen to your employee’s perspective without bias.

Sometimes a difficult person just needs someone to listen and understand them. This often helps change their attitude and behavior.

4.Give clear instructions

As a leader, it is important that you give your instructions clearly to be effective.

In a conflict situation you have two main goals:

• Getting your colleague to give up his defensiveness.
• You need to give him the information he needs to improve his behavior.

To achieve this, you must provide clear and detailed feedback about the employee's behavior, including specific examples.

5.Write down expectations and concrete consequences

Document the expectations and behavioral changes together with your employee.

Develop a plan that sets goals, a time frame, and regular assessments of progress. This way you are both on the same page.

It is also important to document the consequences of not making the necessary behavior changes.

In most cases, the person in question will take the matter more seriously if they have a clear plan and are aware of the consequences if they do not act.

6.Monitor progress

Once you've established your employee's action plan, the next step is to monitor their progress. This will help them achieve their goals within the stipulated time frame.

Progress monitoring options include:

• Obtain feedback from other employees
• Evaluating the quality of your own work
• Regular one-on-one meetings

Prepare written observations and reports to ensure maximum transparency. Use the reports at the end of the agreed period to evaluate their success.

7.Plan ahead

An appropriate and rigorous selection process can help avoid problems with difficult employees.

New applicants should be subject to a background check. Hiring managers should examine an applicant's behavior in their previous job and the reasons for their departure.

Behavioral interviews can help interviewers identify red flags that may lead to difficult behavior further down the line.

8.Stay calm and show respect

Giving negative feedback or firing someone is never easy. Tensions arise and people are often angry.

As a leader, it is important to remain calm and avoid judgment or criticism. Maintain your body language and a neutral tone.

Focus on the facts and maintain an honest, professional and respectful demeanor.

Sometimes people are difficult because they feel undervalued. Before taking drastic measures, you should get to the root cause of their behavior.

Solutions for dealing with a difficult employee

Use these four solutions to achieve the best possible outcome for both the difficult employee and the company.

1.Talk to HR

Dealing with really difficult employees is an interpersonal issue. Therefore, it is best to let HR know if you are faced with a difficult employee.

This has two advantages. First, if HR is aware of the issue, they can implement company policies for dealing with such situations.

Second, they are professionals who specialize in managing employees. This means they can advise you on how to have a difficult conversation with your employee.

2.Consider your role in the problem

When a difficult coworker undermines your authority, ask yourself the following questions. They will help you see the intent behind your employee's behavior:

• Am I aware of my employee's workload?
• Does the employee have a perspective that I cannot see?
• Does the employee present valid arguments?

If you suspect your employee is intentionally undermining you, ask yourself these questions:

• Is the employee undermining me by doing his job differently than agreed?
• Is the employee undermining me behind my back?
• Is the employee undermining me in front of customers, vendors, or other colleagues?

In these cases, it's important to listen to the employee's feedback because it could contain valuable insights for the company.

You should also learn the difference between constructive criticism and destructive behavior.

Show leadership by keeping a cool head when dealing with an employee's problematic behavior. Live by the values and corporate culture that you want from your colleagues.

3.Address the lack of motivation

If you are dealing with an unmotivated employee, you should first give them a leap of faith.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Does the employee have too much or too little work?
• Is the employee bored and needs a new challenge?
• Does the employee have the necessary skills for their job?

You can often resolve a lack of employee motivation by:

• Adjustment of the job description
• Relieving employees of a high workload
• Offer training

In other cases, a lack of motivation can lead to disruptive behavior and create a toxic work environment.

4.Know when it's time to fire them

Nobody likes to fire someone.

But if your employee's negativity and bad behavior continues, you need to know when to take more drastic action.

Contact your human resources department for advice and information about your company's redundancy policy. Use this guide to terminating an employee.

Dealing with difficult employees is an important skill

Every manager or aspiring manager must learn how to deal with difficult employees.

The key is a calm and rational approach to the situation, analyzing all influencing factors before taking action.

Tips by IceHrm, your trusted HR management software partner, helping organizations streamline their HR processes.