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Systemic Solutions for Problem Employees

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Relationship management includes "getting things done through employees." Most employee problems involve attitude or performance. The motivation behind many employee problems include the systemic relationship structure of employees, management and culture. Few employees choose or want to be be perceived as difficult or aggressive by their colleagues, human resources or management staff.

Employee problems include:

• Environment
  Employee considers workplace to be unsafe or hazardous
  Workplace may be uncomfortable or difficult
  Employee's health may respond to real or perceived hazards
• Skills
  Acceptable past performance did not increase or lessened
  Skills may be more appropriate for a different position or task
  Employees lack clear, detailed instructions
  Employee lacks needed supervision and may not know what to do
  Aberrant performance may indicate mental impairment
• Beliefs
  Employees believes that high performance is not achievable
  Employee believes that work conditions are unacceptable 
  Limiting beliefs cause insecurity which deteriorates performance
• Values
  Employee's values do not match those of the work team
  Employee's cultural values are not appropriate for the organization
• Identity
  An employee's personality may not be appropriate for a task
  Manager and employee have incompatible personalities
  Employee is are emotionally immature and act irresponsibly
  An immature employee cannot control strong emotional reactions
• Transpersonal
  An employee is not accepted by a workgroup or team
  An employee cannot adjust to the workplace or corporate culture
  An employee's faith or religion restricts certain actions

Dealing with employees is an important management function and a key responsibility of both management and human resources staff. Successful managers and HR staff can diagnose, evaluate and solve employee problems.

Most organizations have some difficult employees - including problem managers. A good manager can help a problem employee develop adequate skills, transfer to another location, find professional help, or get appropriate coaching. Difficult managers may require mentorship or relocation.

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Employee Mental Health

Mental health problems are often responses to unhealthy family relationships. Many employees bring their disappointments and unfulfilled relationships to the workplace, unconsciously trying to use the managers and co-workers to resolve family issues. The higher the responsibilities of the employee - the more likely that an employee's mental health issues will disrupt an organization.

Employee behaviors such as irritability, chronic lateness or poor judgment may be linked to mental health. A negative, moody, rude or arrogant attitude may be legitimate reasons for investigating an employee's mental health. Severe mood swings, anxiety attacks, substance abuse, symptoms of schizophrenia or chronic depression require investigation.

[ Schizophrenia ] [ Depression ] [ Suicide ] [ Stress Management ]

Mental health guidelines:

1. Many mental health problems are treatable and, if treated, cause only temporary disruption.
2. Managers who can recognize mental health problems help employees get needed care and help protect a company from legal difficulties.
3. Create a policy for employees who claim a mental health problem.
4. If an employee claims a mental health disability, get professional legal and medical advice.

Aggressive and Violent Employees

If employees are aggressive and/or violent, there are heavy consequences of workplace violence for these employees, their colleagues and their managers.

Often the key issue is a systemic disturbance called "victim identification". An aggressive employee may have identified with a perceived victim, either at home or at work, and expresses anger FOR that victim. Following a lay-off, for example, some employees may express deep anger FOR those employees who are perceived as victims.

The symptoms are often easy to perceive. Most people suffering from victim identification are generally suspicious and seem to enjoy annoying, tormenting or attacking anybody who can be labeled "victimizer". This label may include managers and Human Resources staff.

Such violence may be diagnosed as a symptom of borderline schizophrenia or depression. Few victim identified people can stop their simmering anger, although most violence may remain in the person's fantasies or be expressed as petty vandalism. Systemic coaching facilitates a rapid resolution for identified employees who want to change, and understanding and forgiveness from the work group.

Prevent Employee Problems

Guidelines for preventing employee problems:

• Relationship diagnosis as a pre-hiring prerequisite
• Provide orientation for new employees
• Clarify expectations with job descriptions and an employee handbook
• Describe appropriate conduct and unacceptable behavior
• Train managers to recognize and evaluate employee problems
• Provide performance reviews
• Document functions and performance history
• Investigate grievances
• Apply fair and objective discipline
• Discharge inadequate employees

Diagnose Employee Problems

Simple discussions may dissolve simple problems. Chronic behavior or performance problems usually require more attention. Some questions about common employee problems are:

• Poor performance
  Does the employee lack essential skills? What affects performance? Are there standards or goals by which employee performance can be assessed? Is the employee generally disorganized? Would coaching or additional training be useful?
• Work incompatibility
  Are the employee's skills and preferences compatible with their assigned tasks or regular duties? Is additional training or reassignment appropriate?
• Lateness
  Absences - late arrivals, long lunches, and early departures ... Is an employee only occasionally late. Is punctuality important? If lateness is a chronic problem, discuss the potential consequences with the employee.
• Disruptive or difficult employees
  What is the real problem? Has the employee "space" to express feelings and concerns?

Remain positive and focus on the employee's contribution to the company. Provide constructive feedback.

Evaluate Employee Problems

The following diagnostic questions help evaluate the seriousness of an offense and an appropriate response:

• Was the employee informed of the rules?
• Are the rules really rules - or are they just for show
• Do the rules support an efficient and safe organization?
• Do the rules require reasonably expected employee conduct?
• Did an investigation determine whether the employee violated the rules?
• Did an investigation include the employee's story?
• Did an investigation show that the employee acted improperly?
• Was the investigation fair and objective?
• Is this rule applied to all employees in the same way?
• Are there mitigating factors that might justify or excuse misconduct?

Solve Employee Problems

Most employees want to succeed and want to co-operate with their managers, supervisors and co-workers, and most problems can be solved with ignoring, coaching, or mentoring. Unmotivated or uncooperative employees can disrupt a workplace or an organization. There are four main approaches to problem-solving problem employees - ignore, coach, mentor and discipline.

• Ignore is usually better for minor first-time infractions, especially if the employee is made aware that the manager knows of the offense. Most employees avoid becoming frequent offenders.
• Coach is useful for important first-time infractions and for performance problems with entry-level or non-professional employees. A manager works one-on-one with problem employees or assigns another employee to work with the employee to overcome shortcomings. The coach should provide the employee with feedback and solutions for improving their performance. Systemic Coaching can quickly change an employee's behavior.
• Mentor is more appropriate for senior or professional staff. Instead of providing demonstration and feedback on specific skills, a manager or designated person can demonstrate and provide feedback on integrity, on creating an appropriate attitude for the person's position and organizational culture.
• Discipline may consist of written warnings, reassignment to other duties or dismissal. Discipline is more appropriate for serious infractions and chronic problems such as if policies or important rules are ignored.

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Systemic Solutions provides in-house coaching for executives and managers; and provides systemic coaching and expert modeling to rapidly improve effectiveness, performance and productivity.

Relationship Management

We train leaders, managers and executives to quickly recognize signs of employee problems, to perform performance interviews, to hire, fire and inspire employees and to provide remedial coaching.

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