How to Deal With an Employee With Erratic Emotional Behavior

Yelling at an emotional employee will only make problems worse and add to their stress.

A bad employee can be a real risk to a company, especially if the employee in question has emotional and erratic behavior towards customers. An employee who has these tendencies will not only offend customers and give your company a bad reputation, but can also reduce workplace morale and create unnecessary stress. Before you fire a difficult employee, try talking with them and looking for solutions to improve their attitude.

Instructions

1. Approach your employee at the first sign of an emotional problem. If you notice your employee having an emotional reaction with a customer or with a co-worker you should address the employee directly as soon as possible. Stopping unwanted behavior before it can affect business is the best step. Be polite and respectful of your employee's emotions when you take them aside. If your employee is emotionally erratic, you do not know how they will react. If they are upset, remain calm and try to make them feel comfortable as you ask them about the issue. Find out what is causing them to be so emotional.

2. Discuss options to reduce your employee's stress. Once you know the main causes of stress for your employee, discuss ways that might help them deal with their emotions in a more productive manner. Your employee might be experiencing depression, a common cause of emotional behavior. If this is the case, suggest they seek the help of a professional to talk about their problems. If your employee points out other factors that leads to their workplace discontent, do your best to improve these areas.

3. Talk with other employees to find out if they have similar issues. If your employee notes a specific area that causes them undue stress, other employees might have the same feelings. Discussing these areas and proposing change will make your employees feel valued and show them you are trying to improve conditions. If no one seems to have the same problems, your emotional employee might need special training or help to deal with that situation.

4. Remind your employee about the company policy and their duties in the workplace. If your employee continually has emotional and erratic behavior, they should be reminded of their duties. Your company policy should have a code of conduct for employees regarding their dealings with customers and co-workers. Make sure they are aware of these expectations and the consequences of failing to meet them.

5. Terminate the employment of your employee if the behavior doesn't improve. Unfortunately, an employee who is erratic emotionally can have a very negative impact on your company . Since terminations within a workplace can often lower morale, this should be the last step you take. Make sure you have made a consistent and obvious attempt to help the employee in question. Also, make sure you follow proper termination policies. Do not fire the emotional employee in a public place, and do your best to remain respectful and positive.

References

• Help Guide: How to reduce and manage workplace and job stress
• All Business: Dealing with an employee suffering from depression