Managing difficult employees is one of the most challenging aspects of people management.
A difficult employee may struggle with job performance, attendance or disruptive behaviors — like complaining, undermining their manager or clashing with coworkers due to differences in personality or communication style. They might also bully other employees by publicly calling out their mistakes or making jokes at their expense. While this may not always rise to the level of harassment, it can still create discomfort. And if it is severe enough, such behavior can negatively impact employee morale, productivity and retention.
Managers should try addressing these issues through a progressive disciplinary process that begins with talking to the employee, setting clear expectations and providing an opportunity for improvement. But if the situation doesn’t improve, the employee may need to be let go.
How to Manage Difficult Employees
- Address the behavior immediately
- Focus on their behavior, not their personality
- Determine the root cause of their behavior
- Keep your composure
- Document everything
- Establish clear expectations and consequences
- Monitor their progress
- Involve HR when necessary
How to Manage Difficult Employees
Address the Behavior Immediately
When you notice issues with an employee’s performance, attendance or behavior, address them promptly, making it clear to the employee that they are not meeting the company’s expectations. Ignoring these problems can breed resentment among coworkers, who may have to compensate for another’s poor performance. If one employee has a bad attitude, their negativity can spread to other employees, creating a toxic work environment.
Focus on Their Behaviors, Not Their Personality
When you’re dealing with a difficult employee, you may find yourself making broad character judgments about them. Confronting an employee and telling them they are “difficult” isn’t productive (and not likely to go over well). Instead, pinpoint specific incidents where their behavior crossed a line and explain why it was inappropriate. They may not have realized they were acting inappropriately, so you can work with them on correcting those specific behaviors.
Determine the Root Cause of Their Behavior
When you speak with a difficult employee, don’t be confrontational or make accusations, as their behavior could be the result of a misunderstanding or confusion about expectations. Ask them if anything at work or at home is troubling them and if there’s anything you can do to help — you may be able to offer resources like coaching, mentoring or an employee assistance program. A difficult employee may be acting out because they don’t feel heard, so offering a listening ear could help turn their negative attitude around.
Keep Your Composure
If an employee’s actions frustrate you, it’s perfectly natural to feel angry or irritated when addressing your concerns with them. To keep composed, take some deep breaths, speak with a calm tone and discuss their performance or behaviors as if they are completely separate from them as a person. The employee will pick up on your voice and body language, which will influence how they respond. And while they may still feel defensive, they will be less likely to react negatively if they don’t feel attacked.
Document Everything
Write down the specific details of each incident, what actions you took to address it and the main points of every conversation related to their behavior or performance. This documentation may come in handy if the employee files a lawsuit against the company.
Establish Clear Expectations and Consequences
To ensure everyone is on the same page, write down how the employee’s conduct differs from the company’s expectations, and create an improvement plan that incorporates measurable benchmarks. Clearly outline the consequences they will face if they don’t correct their behavior or performance.
Monitor Their Progress
Meet regularly with the employee to ensure they are improving their performance or their behavior. Document whether they are meeting the benchmarks outlined in the improvement plan, and gather feedback from other team members to assess any changes. Ideally, the employee will make the necessary corrections, helping you to avoid the time and cost of terminating them and hiring a new employee.
Involve HR When Necessary
If you get to the point where you are developing an improvement plan to correct an employee’s behavior or performance, it’s a good idea to loop the HR team into the process, as they may have a progressive disciplinary policy of their own. HR will likely also know if the employee is being difficult to the point of creating a hostile work environment, which could expose the company to legal liability. If the employee’s conduct doesn’t improve, HR will know all the proper steps to take to terminate the employee.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you manage working with difficult people?
Speak with the person to identify the problematic behaviors and determine the root cause. Clearly state what you expect from the employee and what consequences they will face if they don’t meet those expectations. With HR’s help, develop a plan to improve their behavior. If nothing improves, it may be time to terminate the employee.
How to handle pushback from employees?
Ask the employee why they are pushing back against orders, and see if there are any underlying issues influencing their behavior. Let them know their feedback isn’t constructive, set clear expectations about what type of feedback is appropriate and explain what disciplinary actions you may take if they continue to push back. Document all incidents and conversations for company records.
