Dealing withDifficult Employees

Zainab Al Attabi

Debbie Schachter

• Director of Technology &Collection Management atVancouver Public Library

Holds Masters of both:• Library Science• Business Administration in

the Management ofTechnology

The Article

• Feb, 2005

• SLA's Information Outlook magazine

• Writes a monthly column on

the topic of business and management

What isThe Most Difficult Aspects

of Management ?

ManagingStaffing Problems

Staffing Problems• Poor work habits

• Lack of motivation or interest in the work

• Conflicts between staff members

• Bullying

Problems in Work,is it Normal?

-Different working styles & different personalities

- Conflicts between individuals are natural

Who isThe Problem Solver?

-Employees between themselves

- Manager

How CanLibrary Managers

Deal With These Problems?

Identify problems

&

Attempt to resolve them

OR Ignore them!

Managers Can Ignore Problems

but………..

The Impact of That Decision Will be Significant on the Work Environment

1. They will only get worse"One of the most common workplace complaints is that bosses don't deal with poor performers "

2. It leads other employees

to lose motivation and

feel undervalued

3. The economic impact

- Stress from workplace conflicts may cause employees to go on leave

- low morale and poor customer service will drive away your customers

What if….• An employee is tardy for his shift

• Getting into conflicts with his co-workers

• Negatively affecting their work

Managers Should:

1. Identify the Problem

- Be a Coach & Communicate

2. Meet in a neutral location

– listen to the “problem employee” version of the situation

3. Work together to form a common understanding

- The work environment

- His colleagues

- The way the work is organized

4. Agree to a time frame for resolving the problem

- monitor the situation closely

Employees going through significant personal crises,

may cause conflicts in the

workplace

How To Help Them?

Employee Assistance Programs(EAP)

• If an employee hesitate to talk to the manager about personal problems

• Help employees deal with stress, personal problems, depression, family support, grief

• Provide safe & unbiased support

Is It You The Difficult One?

- It’s hard to accept, as managers naturally see their selves as being in the right

Who isThe Good Manager?

• Reflects on where he may have initiated some of the problems in the relationship

• Changes attitude or communication style

• Gives employees the opportunity to modify their behavior or ask for assistance with a problem

• Gives his co-workers feedback on their behavior, how it affects him or others, & what is needed to be changed

IF The Manager:

• Followed all the best practices

• Supervision & feedback

• Recognized & addressed problems

• Ensured that the employee understands that there is a problem

STILL the “problem employee”:

• Is no longer a productive member of the team

• Is unwilling to correct the problem

• Doesn’t improve work habits

• The staff are being harassed or bullied by him

The last Procedure?

- Transferring to another position or into another department

- Dismissal

How can Managers Successin

1. Having more effective staff

&

2. Minimizing dismissals

?

1. Reference checking of job candidates

2. Assisting new employees through training & orientations

3. Providing ongoing coaching & feedback to all employees

1. Managers shouldn’t ignore problems in the workplace

– dealing with problems proactively, will create a smoother functioning workplace

2. They should empower the staff through– maintaining good communication – helping employees resolve problems

– creating clear expectations of work & behaviors

3. improve individuals who are tagged "problem employees"

– for the sake of all employees

Because– "Turning around a “problem person”

boosts everyone's morale"