©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series

Welcome to:Welcome to:

Working with Working with Difficult EmployeesDifficult Employees

Class #7Class #7Beverly Collins ParnellBeverly Collins Parnell

Tacoma Community CollegeTacoma Community College

Today’s AgendaToday’s Agenda

Update from HRUpdate from HR Coaching Wrap-upCoaching Wrap-up The GREAT Approach to Working with The GREAT Approach to Working with

Difficult EmployeesDifficult Employees Next week: March 10Next week: March 10thth-make up snow day, -make up snow day,

Finals, Celebration & GraduationFinals, Celebration & Graduation

©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series

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EDPR EDPR (Employee (Employee Development and Performance Development and Performance Review)Review)

– CoachingCoaching– MentoringMentoring– TrainingTraining– Historical perspectiveHistorical perspective

Progressive Discipline Progressive Discipline (Contact Human Resources)(Contact Human Resources)

– Verbal warningVerbal warning– Letter of reprimandLetter of reprimand– SuspensionSuspension– DemotionDemotion– DismissalDismissal

GREAT ApproachGREAT Approach

GGoalsoals

RRolesoles

EExpectationsxpectations

AAbilitiesbilities

TTimeime

©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series

GoalsGoals

Set goals for the relationshipSet goals for the relationship Discuss how the other person’s job fits Discuss how the other person’s job fits

the current department/team/city goalsthe current department/team/city goals Any new goals you want to set?Any new goals you want to set?

©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series

RolesRoles

The question here is how you want to The question here is how you want to define the roles between yourself and the define the roles between yourself and the other personother person

Is there role conflict?Is there role conflict?– Use behavioral language to describe the idealUse behavioral language to describe the ideal

Be sure it is measurable & observableBe sure it is measurable & observable

©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series

ExpectationsExpectations

To get what you want, To get what you want, you must first make you must first make clear what you wantclear what you want

©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series

AbilitiesAbilities

Employee problems come in 3 varietiesEmployee problems come in 3 varieties– Don’t KnowDon’t Know

Solution: Tell them clearly, get feedbackSolution: Tell them clearly, get feedback

– Can’t DoCan’t DoSolution: Training, possible job resdeisgn, better Solution: Training, possible job resdeisgn, better tools to do the job, reassignmenttools to do the job, reassignment

– Won’t DoWon’t DoDiscover the reason (are we rewarding, ignoring or Discover the reason (are we rewarding, ignoring or correcting the wrong things?)correcting the wrong things?)

©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series

TimeTime

What is your What is your timetable for timetable for improvement or improvement or completion of the completion of the goal?goal?

©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series

Five Steps for Effective Five Steps for Effective Corrective FeedbackCorrective Feedback

Define the problem in behavioral termsDefine the problem in behavioral terms Relate the impact and your feelingsRelate the impact and your feelings Ask—then listen for the real problemAsk—then listen for the real problem Work out a win/win changeWork out a win/win change Focus on the positive elements of the Focus on the positive elements of the

relationshiprelationship

©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series

Developing a Survival PlanDeveloping a Survival Plan

Diagnose the situation in behavioral termsDiagnose the situation in behavioral terms Recognize and deal with your Recognize and deal with your

contributions to the problemcontributions to the problem Face the problem head on (communicate!)Face the problem head on (communicate!) Make a planMake a plan Decide what to do if the plan doesn’t workDecide what to do if the plan doesn’t work

©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series

Decide What to Do if the Decide What to Do if the Plan Doesn’t WorkPlan Doesn’t Work

Review the resultsReview the results Provide clear & consistent supervisionProvide clear & consistent supervision Work on the interpersonal issuesWork on the interpersonal issues Get formal if neededGet formal if needed

©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series

Supervisory Stress Supervisory Stress & Bearing the Burden& Bearing the Burden

Results from Many Factors:Results from Many Factors:– Feelings of separationFeelings of separation– Supporting management decisions you may Supporting management decisions you may

disagree withdisagree with– Feelings that you can’t be candidFeelings that you can’t be candid– Being “stuck” in the middleBeing “stuck” in the middle– Sense of being disliked or resented because Sense of being disliked or resented because

of the position you holdof the position you hold

©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series

What Can You Do?What Can You Do?

Q-TIPQ-TIP List your role benefits (why you enjoy List your role benefits (why you enjoy

supervision?)supervision?) Manage your stress effectivelyManage your stress effectively Measure your problemsMeasure your problems Talk with someone trustworthyTalk with someone trustworthy Work on your skillsWork on your skills Care about people and workCare about people and work

©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series

Team ChallengeTeam Challenge

What does GREAT stand for?What does GREAT stand for? What are 2 causes of supervisory stress?What are 2 causes of supervisory stress? What are 2 things to lessen the emotional What are 2 things to lessen the emotional

burden & stress of supervision?burden & stress of supervision?

©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series

Small Group Activity: Small Group Activity: Supervisory NightmaresSupervisory Nightmares

Each small group is assigned a “nightmare”Each small group is assigned a “nightmare”– Teams have 35-40 minutes to:Teams have 35-40 minutes to:

Read their ‘nightmare’Read their ‘nightmare’

Complete the planning worksheetsComplete the planning worksheets

Summarize the key pointsSummarize the key points

Create a ‘poster session’ about their team’s Create a ‘poster session’ about their team’s nightmare nightmare

Prepare a 5-7 minute overview to share with the Prepare a 5-7 minute overview to share with the class, including a case example along with the posterclass, including a case example along with the poster

©© Handling the Difficult Employee, Handling the Difficult Employee, Crisp Fifty-Minute SeriesCrisp Fifty-Minute Series