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It's important to keep your work life and personal life separate. This includes staying out of other employees' personal problems. What may be brought up in a short, water cooler-type conversation should end there. However, when an employee's work performance begins to suffer because of personal problems, you must become involved and find a way to get your employee working efficiently. Neglecting to take action can result in further decrease in work performance and can even negatively affect other employees.
Conflict resolution and crisis intervention offer effective strategies to help managers appropriately and diplomatically address instances when an employee refuses to change shifts. A supervisor should address the situation early to avoid the problem from becoming habitual and to avoid feelings of favoritism by other employees.
When an employee disagrees with a management decision, the result can be an ongoing conflict that can hurt the morale and productivity of the entire project. However, conflict doesn't have to be destructive. If conflict is handled intelligently and respectfully, it can strengthen the team instead of weakening it.
Managing employees includes having to deal with patterns like lateness. Everyone being on time for work is essential for the running of a business, so this issue should concern any dedicated manager. Employees might be rarely or occasionally late, but if it becomes a pattern, it must be dealt with. If you don't address the employee's tardiness, co-workers may begin to resent their colleague and resent you for not doing anything about it.
Pre-employment screening may help to identify future disgruntled employees. The process generally entails a variety of tests designed to distinguish different personality traits, as well as test integrity levels. Using these tools to eliminate potential problem employees reduces the risk of hiring someone who will become unhappy at work.
Tardiness may cost a company money, decrease productivity and affect the morale of other employees. A colleague who arrives late disrupts other employees if they rely on the late person to complete their own job duties. Employees may also feel frustrated that the tardy colleague gets away with breaking company policy. If you have an employee who consistently arrives late to work, addressing the issue immediately is key — you need to solve the problem before it creates a serious morale issue or even incites others to start arriving late.
A workplace with more than one employee often breeds personality conflicts and irritation with one another. Knowing how to tactfully deal with employees who irritate you helps you stay sane without causing unnecessary friction in the workplace. In some cases, changing your attitude about the person is enough to deal with the irritation. In other situations, you need to discuss the problem with the person in an attempt to curtail the annoying behaviors. No matter what approach you choose, remain professional so you are able to maintain a working relationship with the employee.
Whether your employees take days off work for legitimate reasons or are simply “playing hooky,” chronic absenteeism can hurt your organization in more ways than one. In addition to the interruption in productivity and costs associated with paying others to work overtime to cover for a chronically absent employee, there’s also the danger that the employee’s behavior will lower morale and encourage other employees to follow suit.
Dealing with moody employees can be a difficult task whether you are a co-worker or manager. It can often interfere with other workers and the organization’s productivity and service quality. It is important to understand employees have personal lives where there are more things going on than what may actually be perceived. In other words, perhaps there is a reason why a moody employee is having a difficult time. Managers should also be wary of possible stressors in the organization such as cutbacks. This is where some conflict resolution and crisis intervention skills will help.
Dealing with an employee who has a bad attitude or who likes to stir up problems in the workplace requires a solid understanding of the employee's behavior and history. The key to dealing with a troublemaker employee is communication. A troublemaker employee must understand which of his actions or words are causing problems. He also must understand that if these words or actions continue, his employment may be affected. Without clear communication, you are unlikely to effectively resolve an issue with a troublemaker employee.
When an employee says he hates his job, it is often a flippant, off-the-cuff remark of little significance. However, when such comments go hand in hand with increasingly negative performance and begin to affect others in the workplace, the manager must tackle the issue quickly and effectively. A private discussion to air views and make minor changes may be all that is necessary. There are times, however, when an employee is so mismatched to the job that his only solution is to make a job change within the company or simply leave the organization.
The transition from staff member to manager can be a difficult one, especially if you win the position over employees who've been with the company longer. Older employees may be less likely to listen to your requests as a new manager unless you take steps to build respect and establish your authority in the workplace. You may make enemies in the short-term, but the larger work benefits far outweigh your likability.
If one of your employees has become too heavy to perform his normal work routine, it is a sign that changes need to be made. You might feel loyal towards your employees, but your business still needs to be productive. Try to find a solution that works for both you and the employee by finding another job within your company that he is able to do satisfactorily.
Employers who ignore incidents of employee sabotage in the hope of avoiding bad publicity or giving the perpetrator extra attention invite repeat strikes from the saboteur, copycat attacks from other disgruntled employees and further damage to the company's reputation, according to Robert Giacalone, a columnist for the "Charlotte Business Journal." However, organizations with thorough hiring procedures and strong employee feedback systems have a better chance of preventing sabotage.
"Complaint" is a harsh word and an even harsher reaction, which can lead to dire consequences for -- and contagious attitudes toward -- your business. A complaint can also be constructive. As a supervisor, your job is to distinguish between the two and choose an appropriate course of action to remedy the origin of the complaint or correct the behavior of the complainer.
It's seldom a good thing when an employee departs. If your employee is leaving of his own accord, that means he has either been offered more money or is unsatisfied with his job, and he's taking the skills and contacts he accumulated with him. Still, this is an unavoidable part of running any business, so business owners will have to be prepared to deal with it.
Working in management and keeping employees in line can often be a tough position. From employees who are chronically late to those who are simply not productive, getting everyone is line is up to you. If you are frustrated due to an employee who works so slowly that he is impeding your department's progress, then it is time to do something.
So, you've done everything in your power to be fair, practical and friendly with your fellow employees, but as it turns out, someone is still grumpy. It's frustrating, no doubt. You may be tempted to be dismissive of the issue, chalking it up to inherent flaws in the employee. "Oh, I guess he just doesn't want a job" you may mumble to yourself. All is not lost, however, as there is hope to turn said employee's attitude around. All it takes is patience and a willingness to work together.
A negative employee or employees can cause numerous problems within a business. Not only is the negative employee unlikely to perform to his full potential, but his negative attitude will often have a demoralizing impact on his co-workers as well. However, there are a number ways that a supervisor can work to eliminate, or at least reduce, negative attitudes to improve employee performance and make the work environment more pleasant and productive.
While some employees may face more dangerous situations than others on a daily basis, all employees can fall victim to an accident or injury while on the job. Something as simple as a trip on a misplaced rug or a fall on an iced-over sidewalk can result in an on-the-job injury. From following proper reporting procedures to following up on claims, an individual in charge of handling an employer's workers' compensation claims needs to understand how to handle an injury claim by an employee.
Both giving and getting negative feedback is difficult, but that doesn't mean you should avoid telling employees about their poor performance to steer clear of an unpleasant situation. As awkward as negative appraisals may be, they're necessary, both for the sake of the business and the employee's professional development. Drag your feet on telling the truth and you could end up with confused workers, a poorly performing department or even a wrongful dismissal lawsuit when a worker cites lack of clear managerial feedback. To ensure that negative feedback results in a positive outcome, communicate compassionately and defuse defensiveness quickly.
No one likes doling out criticism or instigating confrontation, but as a manager, you have to discuss performance issues with employees. Procrastinating may only make performance issues worse, and high performers may start resenting you when they have to pick up the slack for a coworker who never meets quotas, ignores deadlines and arrives late to work every day. That doesn't mean you should fire the person outright, though. Saving a worker's job instead of cutting him loose maintains morale, and following procedure is important for protecting the company from legal sanctions.
Employee-to-employee disputes are bound to occur in the workplace. As a manager, you need to know how to deal with these disputes so they don't disrupt the workplace or affect productivity. Solving employee relations is a major part of managing staff. You should always try to facilitate resolution between the employees before going to human resources or taking action such as formal warnings or termination.
Employee tardiness affects your organization on several fronts: it leaves your organization vulnerable when there are not enough hands on deck, creates strife between employees, and costs you money if not correctly documented and addressed when it comes to paying your employees. Knowing the potential harm to your organization, you should have the tools to deal with employee tardiness efficiently. One way of doing so is through an employee memo, which is an essential part of disciplining employees who are chronically tardy.
Action that a company takes to remedy staff effectiveness issues depends on what the problem is. If the cluster of bad staff is simply not interested in working hard, motivation techniques may be the key. If the employees behave inappropriately around clients or colleagues, cluing them in may be necessary. If overuse of social networking, general time-wasting and lack of discipline is an issue, the company may require structures to help guide employees and give management tools for correction. Whatever the case, putting the time in to make things better can turn around bad staff.
A company closure -- regardless of whether it is due to financial difficulties or other reasons -- is extremely difficult for all involved. Employers closing a company have a legal responsibility to ensure employees are paid and treated in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations. But a greater moral and ethical duty exists to provide employees with the assistance and resources necessary to minimize the impact of the closure to the extent possible and offer ways for affected workers to move forward in their careers.
High turnover can be costly, time-consuming, and impede productivity and performance within your organization. The cost of hiring employees to replace those who leave voluntarily or involuntarily adds up. In addition, the time it takes to train new employees on workplace policies, guidelines and processes prolongs ramp-up time, which cuts into productivity. Investigating and addressing the causes of high turnover can help you resolve issues before they affect your company's bottom line.
It's always a challenging time when an employee quits. There are legal issues to consider, productivity lapses to factor in and the costs of hiring and training a new employee to think about. Employers also have to ensure that the rest of their employees are not disrupted or shaken by their coworker's absence, and should contemplate the job-satisfaction levels of the remaining staff. Employers may have to spend quite a bit of time looking for and training a replacement.
This is not your father's workplace. There are no guarantees today of a job for life, or even for any significant period of time. The old psychological contract -- where an employee committed to an organization long-term in exchange for job security -- has been violated on multiple occasions during significant economic downturns, and some suggest it no longer exists. The psychological contract is unwritten, and employee expectations of the contract can differ markedly from the employer's implicit conditions, leading to feelings of betrayal and violation of trust -- particularly in times of economic instability and change.
Many issues in the workplace involve conflicts over work-related projects. However, from time to time, personal problems among employees can also get in the way of progress. Personal problems include anything from ongoing schedule conflicts to vicious gossip in the office. As a responsible manager, it is your job to address this type of issue if you believe it affects productivity.
Gone are the days when all employees dutifully punched in and out at the end of the workday. Modern workplaces tend to have more salaried employees, workers with flexible scheduling and employees who spend time in the field outside of the direct supervision of managers. Just because employees aren't paid by the hour or under strict supervision doesn't mean that they're not accountable for their time at work, however. If you have employees acting like they're free agents, it's time to deal with them.
Gini Graham Scott, author of "A Survival Guide to Managing Employees from Hell," notes that employee tardiness can "delay production if you're a manufacturing company, create customer problems if you're in retail, and trigger morale problems for the staff who come in on time." Lateness reduces employee productivity, which decreases profit for your business. CNET reports that this behavior costs an estimated $3 billion annually in lost productivity for U.S. businesses.
Documentation and clear expectations are essential when you need employees to adhere to certain work hours. If your expectations are not clear, your employee might not realize he's not following company protocol. If your employee is fully aware of company policy concerning work hours and tardiness, writing him up is a simple task, especially if you've documented the discrepancies.
A tardy employee can wreak havoc in an office or on a sales floor. When dealing with tardiness at work, you need to address the issue immediately, seek a solution to the problem and put clear rules and consequences in place to curb future infractions. Your goal should always be to solve the problem, not intimidate or threaten your employees.
Managing employees is one of the greatest challenges in any business. Dealing with attendance and tardiness ranks as one of the highest management issues. According to Jean Mercer, Director of Employee Relations at LSG Sky Chefs, respect, fairness and training are among the most important issues to employees. Attendance and tardiness problems cut to the heart of a team's efforts to meet an objective. A company must have a fair policy that is equally applied. As Mercer continues, "Favoritism causes more harm than good regardless of its value." And the inconsistent application of policies is a virtual invitation for a…
Tardiness negatively affects workplace productivity and worker morale. The worst offenders of company tardiness policies can sometimes be the best performers. Reasons for tardiness can run the gamut from traffic accidents to poor time management. But among top performers, unpunished tardiness can be misunderstood by the employee as an unspoken benefit for valued service. Correcting tardiness requires a conscientious and calculated effort by managers and human resources to motivate the employee to change his behavior.
Employers dread making announcements about workplace layoffs. However, there are ways to minimize the impact through candid communication. Candid communication helps employees understand the underlying reasons for layoffs and how to deal with the economic pressure of losing income. In addition, communication can help sustain employee morale. Human resources best practices include a variety of methods to soften the blow of layoffs and maintain employee loyalty. Employers who communicate clearly with employees about temporary layoffs increase their chances for recalling employees once business conditions improve.
Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year; however, the traffic, long lines and potential of becoming a victim of an overzealous shoppers' stampede are reasons why some shoppers choose to stay at home. Cyber Monday -- the answer to Black Friday -- offers the online deals frugal shoppers want without the hassle of lining up at retailers' doors before 4 a.m. Cyber Monday is evolving into Cyber Week, a week-long buying frenzy for holiday shoppers looking for irresistible bargains. Human resources professionals, however, see Cyber Monday and Cyber Week as a threat to workplace productivity.
Dealing with your organization's turnover rate is a task best handled collaboratively by an employee relations specialist and an employment specialist. The employee relations specialist addresses workplace relationships and determines effective ways to resolve employee issues. The employment specialist is an expert at the recruitment and selection process. He can be a tremendous help in developing strategy to improve hiring decisions. Turnover rates fluctuate due to employee satisfaction, job security, promotion opportunities, workplace conflict and even the type of work or industry. Solutions to dealing with turnover vary as widely as do the reasons for employees leaving your organization.
An employee relations specialist handles matters that affect the employer-employee relationship. Specific activities of an employee relations specialist include investigating and resolving formal and informal employee complaints, analyzing employee turnover, improving performance and productivity through developing clear communication channels and enhancing employee satisfaction. Handling employee relations issues requires an expert who understands labor and employment laws and is capable of applying appropriate policies and laws to resolve employment matters. Employee relations specialists utilize their skills, expertise and knowledge to handle workplace issues as effectively as possible.
Employees with noticeable body odor may offend customers and make the work environment uncomfortable for other employees. Employers need to address this issue tactfully but swiftly. Take an employee with an odor problem aside and privately make him aware of the odor problem. Then clear the air in your office or workspace by adopting a hygiene code and holding individuals responsible at review meetings. Putting company-wide hygiene policies in place will alleviate the embarrassment and stop these kinds of problems from continuing.
Employee performance issues affect the workplace in a number of ways - poor job performance impacts an organization's ability to reach overall business goals, decreases profitability, increases turnover rates and results in low employee morale and job satisfaction. Poor performance occurs for more than just one reason, therefore, there is more than one way to address performance deficiencies. Employers train their supervisors and managers to deal with poor performance utilizing anything from development opportunities to disciplinary action.
Before a member of management deals with an employee on a collective bargaining agreement issue, there are several steps that must be taken. The manager must have a thorough understanding of the collective bargaining agreement, the appropriate person within the union must be contacted, the employee must be treated in accordance with the terms of the contract, and detailed notes of the entire situation must be kept.
Handling poor employee performance is one of the harder aspects of management and leadership. On one hand, you want to maintain good relations with all of your direct reports, but on the other hand you must consider the needs of the business. When you deal effectively with poor performance, you may be able to steer an employee in the right direction, or determine if your employee is just not right for the team. The key in handling poor performance is consistency, so here are some steps to help you create your performance management process.
When dealing with an employee who is experiencing performance problems, many factors should be considered to address the issues. They should be addressed with concern, as well as possible consequences to ensure the employee satisfactorily meets the standards of the position held.
Unacceptable hygiene at work should be dealt with like any other employee behavior problem. Whether it's somebody showing up improperly dressed (or out of uniform) or an employee who needs to be reminded to bathe, these situations need to be addressed by a supervisor. Approaching these issues from a company policy perspective keeps the problem from becoming personal. For example, the conversation doesn't need to be about John smelling bad, but rather about how all employees must meet a certain standard. Secondly, if the employee doesn't comply with company policy, a supervisor has the authority to take action.
He is usually absent on Mondays and, if he comes in, he is bleary eyed and complaining about his hangover. Sometimes he is short tempered and he disappears for a long lunch every day, coming back smelling of alcohol. An alcoholic employee presents a special problem because, while he may be a valuable employee in many ways, you worry that his erratic behavior will result in a significant problem for your company.
No employer likes having a direct work order disobeyed but it happens. Before you blow your top and fire the insubordinate employee, make sure that he or she does not have a valid reason for not carrying out his or her job. If you fire a worker who was justifiably concerned for safety or a legal matter, you could find yourself in hot water.
Being the new boss at a company can be exciting for you, but it can be a time of uncertainty for those you will manage. In order to be accepted by the new work group place yourself in their situation.
Employees who are habitually late can create problems in the work environment, from dragging down morale to impacting productivity. While not necessarily a serious offense, tardiness should be addressed by supervisors in a professional and respectful manner, keeping in mind that it's the behavior -- and not the person -- that needs to be changed.
Every business has its share of problems. If you have even one employee, you will eventually have an employee complaint. The more employees you have, the more complaints there will be. How you deal with the complaints is what makes the situation better or worse.
