The "Problem Child" in Your Workplace

No matter the size of your workforce, or whether you work in a private company or in the public sector, you will someday have to deal with at least one problem employee.

We all know who these "problem children" are -- they constantly complain or persistently criticize co-workers, supervisors, managers, and the organization’s policies. They ooze negativity at every turn and they have a major negative effect on morale, productivity, and job satisfaction of their co-workers.

Even worse, these employees can mean costly legal trouble for your organization, because they are constantly on the lookout for a reason to file a complaint with some government agency -- or for an opportunity to sue everyone in sight over every perceived injustice.

A weak economy encourages employees to look for ways to either raise money or retaliate against an employer. Layoffs and job-related displacement often lead to an increase in the number of employee complaints to the Labor Department or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission -- or lawsuits over unlawful termination, sex harassment or other forms of discrimination.

There are five steps you can take to avoid legal problems when dealing with your "problem child":

-- Centralize the complaint process at a high level in the organization.
-- Investigate each complaint fully.
-- Do not be intimidated by false claims.
-- Keep the number of a competent labor lawyer handy
-- Document, document, document. (Remember: if it isn’t written down, it never happened!)

Here are some tips for dealing with employees who are angry, negative, pessimistic -- before their attitudes can poison their co-workers, departments, and the whole organization:

-- Be cautious about getting drawn into an employee's negative mind-set. Listen to their points, but don't temper your own realistic optimism.

-- Do not argue. There are people who thrive on the negative energy of arguments. Point out areas of agreement to build rapport.

-- Be prepared to make tough choices. Sometimes you have to pick and choose your battles, and remember that it is not realistic to expect to win them all -- nor is it necessary.

-- Keep your cool, no matter what the employee does or says. A negative, angry, or defensive attitude will only make the situation worse and keep you and your problem employee from communicating effectively and productively.

-- Spell out the consequences of persistently negative behavior, such as decreased morale or lost productivity. Stress that all employee are held to a high degree of professionalism.

-- Get to the root of the problem by asking plenty of questions. Force the employee to be specific and to support their negative contentions.

-- Try role-playing. Ask the employee to put themselves into your shoes and pretend that they have been asked to resolve the problem. That way, you will encourage the employee to contribute their ideas for the best possible solution. Involving the employee may also lead to more positive feelings about the solution or outcome, since they had a hand in creating it. When you dictate the "right" answer, it is easy for employees to blame you if the idea doesn't work -- or feel resentful for being "forced" into an agreement.

-- Find ways to keep the employee from perceiving you as having launched a personal attack or becoming confrontational.

-- Listen carefully. Repeat what the employee tells you in your own words to make sure you understand the issue correctly.

-- Discuss the worst case scenario (keeping in mind that termination of employment may be your final alternative). This tactic can help you learn what the employee fears most, and what their negative attitude stems from.

Finally, make sure supervisors are fully trained to perform effective performance appraisals. Require that they use the performance appraisal process to "weed-out" problem employees and under-performers (usually one and the same person) early on. This will help you avoid the negative effect on morale, productivity, and job satisfaction of your entire staff caused by the "problem child" in your workplace.

November, 2008