Difficult Employees

Dealing with difficult employees need not be as scary as it sounds. Rather, if you take a common sense, practical approach to the problems you are experiencing with a particular individual, together you can arrive at an amicable solution.
In the particular case study, we were asked to propose a plan of action to improve the employee’s behavior or, in the alternative, inform him or her of a pending dismissal if behaviors did not change.
As a manager, I would schedule a meeting with this particular employee to discuss the behavior(s) that are causing difficulty within the department (McMillan, 2010). Begin the meeting with an open, honest atmosphere where sharing between you, as the supervisor, and the employee can take place in a non-hostile environment. Explain that team building is a concept you are attempting to achieve, but stress that this is not something that can be done by just one or two employees—it is a whole or nothing effort (McMillan, 2010).
Setting expectations is also another critical element to resolving issues with difficult employees. In some business, this list of expectations is referred to as a performance improvement plan. By clearly delineating what you are hoping to achieve with the evaluation, and by listing out point by point what milestones the difficult employee must meet in order to retain his or her job, you are giving that employee a clear outline of your goals. With this performance improvement plan must come a defined deadline in which the employee will be expected to improve, as well as an understanding of the consequences should improvement not be met.
As the evaluation process takes place, it is critical to point out to the employee the right things he or she is doing. Often focusing on solely the negative behaviors will not likely make an individual willing to modify past behaviors (McMillan, 2010). If, however, you notice behaviors that have caused problems in the past, point out those behaviors right away so that aids the employee in recognizing behaviors that he or she may not have realized. For instance, due to cultural differences that may exist, it may not be readily apparent that the behavior is considered disrespectful.
“Clear expectations, as well as immediate praise and confrontation, help people work well with others (McMillan, 2010).” Completing all of these tasks will require a great deal of patience and dedication on the part of the manager. However, it is a necessary step in becoming not merely a good manager but a great manager.
Having a clear plan, meeting with the difficult employee, and outlining your expectations of that employee will help to give a realistic, achievable goal to work toward in bettering his or her behavior. With the oversight of a manager who has demonstrated care and concern for all of his employees, positive results can be attained.