3 Essential Tips for Dealing with Bad Employees

If you're in charge of a business, there are a few unpleasant and unavoidable things that are bound to happen. You're going to have to deal with your first big failure, you'll have to deal with the stress of running and managing a business, and, if you're lucky, you'll have to deal with the pressures of success. One of the most demanding things the average business owner will have to deal with is their own employees. 

Ideally, everybody you hire will be able to show up and do their jobs without a huge problem, but it's rare for things to go that well. Seament and other successful businesses didn't get to where they are today by hiring people who take frequent "sick" days, show up late, and resent doing their own jobs. Dealing with tough employees can be difficult, but it doesn't have to be impossible. When you're reigning in your first unpleasant employee, remember to keep these things in mind.

Don't wait for things to improve

When it comes to dealing with difficult employees, this is the biggest mistake someone can make. Nobody likes to confront people, and that includes managers. The longer you wait to confront the problem, however, the worse their behavior will be. Their bad attitude will also affect your other employees. When they notice that someone isn't doing their job, and that they also aren't seeing any consequences for it, they may start to resent that employee and your inaction.

Give concrete examples

You know how we mentioned that people don't like confronting others? The people that are usually at the other end of confrontation don't like it either. Some employees will be quick to dismiss any vague statements you make about their behavior, so make sure that you give them actual examples of how they are performing. Instead of saying that you don't like the way they talk to customers, mention that you noticed that they were very rude with a customer a few days ago. Addressing the exact behavior you don't like will let them know what they're doing wrong, and should make it simple to improve. While we're on the topic of improvement, we should mention…

Make sure they change

This may seem obvious, but many bosses make the mistake of confronting their employees with their bad behavior, and then not doing much to make sure that they change it. Sometimes, just giving them a verbal warning or talking things out isn't enough, and you have to go the extra mile to see that they improve. See if any kind of training would be beneficial, or if a schedule or shift change could help them perform their job better.