Difficult people are no problem if we pass them on the road but they can prove to be real irritants at workplace. They can show up late, leave office early and will have an excuse for every failure. The problem employees can be a source of embarrassment for the organization as they can be grouchy, impolite and misleading. No one wants to work with them. But there are certain ways to handle them in office.
Do not ignore the problem
Managers who just ignore problematic staffers do not take into consideration that they may posses redeeming qualities and can actually add value to the company. The manager may hope that the problem will go away on its own or they will stop being problematic. But this is a wrong approach. If you ignore the situation for too long then it can swell into a progressive problem. There are many instances when a problematic employee changed himself through counseling and actually proved to be an asset. The onus is on the managers to see to it that such employees are given full support and opportunities to redeem themselves.
Intervene as soon as possible
It is very important to take action as soon as the problem is detected; if you leave it untreated then it can only escalate. The problem employee may have no idea that he has become an irritant to others in the office. This is because most of the employees will just ‘get along’ with a problem employee and will never spare a minute to speak up against it. The responsibility lies on the seniors to address this problem. The problem may have arisen due to lack of feedback or the lack of knowledge of the employee on certain issues. The manager must observe the problem employee in his dealings and interactions and thereby make a note of his shortcomings.
Help them to get back on track
An employee will need help from others as soon as he begins to understand he is exhibiting negative behaviors in the organization. The manager or someone from the HR department must start coaching him on the kind of behaviors that are appropriate and acceptable in the organization. The employee will need time and enough practice to inculcate the ‘new’ accepted behaviors. The HR must give proper feedback to the employee on the success or failure of his efforts in eradicating the negative actions. If the employee has succeeded in implementing some of the positive behaviors then he must be complimented for his efforts.
