They say it only takes one bad apple to spoil the whole bunch, and that is especially true in the office. It’s an unfortunate fact that a single negative employee can stifle productivity, efficiency, morale, and innovation for everyone around them. Luckily, with careful and proactive management, you can keep these effects from spreading any farther or deeper than they absolutely have to. Here are a few strategies to focus on:
Give Specific Details
When you confront a negative employee, be as specific as possible when critiquing their performance. If they have missed a lot of work, mention how many days they’ve been gone. If a deadline was missed, point out how long it was overdue. General criticisms rarely produce the desired improvements.
Focus on Performance, Not Character
All of your feedback should focus on the demands of the job, what should be done and what isn’t being done. Never attack the employee personally. This type of criticism is typically undeserved, professionally irresponsible, and an ineffective corrective measure.
Tailor Your Criticism
Everyone responds to criticism differently. If you want to avoid heated confrontations and introduce genuine solutions, it’s important to modulate the tone/style of your criticism based on the person who is receiving it. A one-size-fits-all approach is insensitive and rarely produces the results you want.
Ask for a Summary
Anytime you speak with an employee about their performance, end the conversation by asking them to summarize the details and clearly identify the problems/solutions. This helps get both of you on the same page and prevents simple misunderstandings from derailing your efforts.
Offer a Timely Response
The longer you wait to talk to a negative employee, the worse the problem will get. There is simply no reason to wait to have a conversation surrounding their performance. The minute you notice a problem, take steps to address it.
Document Your Efforts
Each time you speak with a problem employee, take notes and compile them into an ongoing document. Record all the relevant details, be objective, and don’t only focus on the problem. Using this document as a reference ensures that you are being fair in your efforts to improve performance.
Remember, too, that the easiest way to keep negative employees from affecting those around them is to keep them off your workforce entirely. But in order to do that, you need to enhance and refine your recruitment strategy. Get the help that you need by partnering with The Squires Group.
