How Do I Work With an Employee With a Bad Attitude?
Having an employee with a bad attitude in your office can make you and your other employees dread going to work each morning. The usual reaction to this situation is to simply terminate the person. But if that worker is productive in other ways, you may want to consider an alternative solution. Communicating effectively with the employee could help resolve the problem.
-
1.
Prepare a running list of specific incidents in which you've experienced a bad attitude from the employee. Make sure that your concerns are based more in facts that affect the business than just personal feelings or opinions. Rehearse what you need to tell the employee, and prepare yourself for all possibilities--resolution, disagreement or termination.
-
2.
Call your employee into a private meeting to discuss the issue.
-
3.
Describe in the meeting the type of work environment you want to maintain at the business, such as a positive and friendly work atmosphere for all. Explain your concerns with the employee in a level-headed manner and direct tone to let him know that his behavior is not consistent with your vision for the office. Impress upon the employee this is a serious matter that you need to resolve.
-
4.
Ask the employee to describe her perspective in the matter. Encourage her to talk freely, and for as long as he wants, so that you can understand why she has an attitude. It's possible that the employee just needs a forum to vent about something she's experiencing in the office or a personal situation. It's also possible that she doesn't realize that her attitude is negative.
-
5.
Write down any pertinent issues related to the workplace that the employee brings up, to let him know that you want to resolve the issue.
-
6.
Avoid arguing back and forth with the employee if she denies a problem exists. Management consultant Dick Grote suggests, "Often, just finding out that others are aware of one's bad behavior is enough to get the person to decide to change." Wait a few days or weeks to see if the attitude improves before taking further action. That could mean another meeting, a warning or termination.
-
7.
Thank the employee for his openness and assure him that you will look into some of the issues he's brought up. Inform him that any display of a bad attitude in the workplace isn't acceptable. If you feel it's still necessary, place the employee on warning, and inform him of the disciplinary process.
-
8.
Monitor the employee's behavior to gauge her progress after you meeting, and address the issues she's brought up, if valid.
References
Tips
- If you're not getting through to the employee, consider hiring an HR consultant or mediator to speak with the employee and identify the problem, instead. The employee might resent for the boss or be afraid to be honest about his issues
- Contact your company lawyer before meeting with the employee to get additional advice on how to properly handle the situation so that you'll avoid conflicts or disputes.
Writer Bio
Louise Balle has been writing Web articles since 2004, covering everything from business promotion to topics on beauty. Her work can be found on various websites. She has a small-business background and experience as a layout and graphics designer for Web and book projects.