How to Deal with “Toxic” Employees
Posted June 15th, 2015
A “toxic” employee is someone whose bad attitude and character flaws begin to affect the mood and performance of those around them. Even if your office doesn’t have one, you have probably dealt with one in the past and know how disruptive their presence can be. They cast a shadow over everyone around them, hold back the goals of projects and teams, and ultimately make it difficult for any company to succeed. The good news is that there are ways to deal with toxic employees that don’t involve an outright firing. In this post, we’ve described five common types of toxic employees and recommended solutions for dealing with them.
The Incompetent Employee
Recruiting is hard, and sometime people get hired who simply don’t have the skills and experience to do their jobs correctly. They constantly turn to others for help, and drag down everyone’s effort by turning in poor work. The solution is to offer extra training and to set benchmarks for improved performance. Then to track the employee’s performance and hold them accountable if things don’t get better.
The Lazy Employee
Some people are perfectly smart and capable, they just choose to ignore deadlines, slack on their responsibilities, and avoid making a contribution. In essence, they are a dead weight on your team. The solution is to sit down with the employee, have a conversation about the issue, and then hold them accountable. Check their work at random unscheduled intervals, and be willing to offer rewards if things improve.
The Overworked Employee
At first glance, the employee who always takes on extra responsibilities, stays late, and picks up slack for co-workers can seem like an asset. But in the wrong setting, these types can throw off the balance of the entire team and breed resentment. You can renew the balance by encouraging delegation and teamwork and making stress management a priority in your office.
The Popular Employee
Some people treat the workplace like its a party. And while their jocular good humor can be ingratiating at first, it often comes at the sacrifice of hard work and meaningful contributions. The best way to deal with these employees is to point out the problem, make your expectations clear, and try to refocus their interpersonal skills in a more productive direction.
The Weird Employee
Weird can be a positive, but it can just as easily be a negative. These employees put others on edge, create a hostile working environment, and frequently jeopardize relationships with clients. Dealing with these employees can be sensitive, but you can start by encouraging them to seek out counseling and facilitating the process, and by making every effort to take their complaints/concerns seriously.
Avoid hiring toxic employees by partnering with a recruiter who can find candidates with both the hard and soft skills you require. Contact Bayside Solutions today.
