Over the span of its life, every company that routinely hires employees will eventually encounter one of the most challenging aspects of business management – the toxic employee. At Technalink, we’ve seen firsthand how damaging a toxic employee can be to a business and its future, and also understand that it can be frustrating to figure out how to deal with the issue. Luckily, through a combination of patience, diplomacy, and compassionate leadership, most toxic employees can often be managed effectively.
First, it’s worth understanding the basics of what a toxic employee is and what kind of impact they can have on your business. Essentially, toxic employees are those that bring negative energy and attitudes into the workplace. Maybe they’re impossible to satisfy, maybe they feel as though they’re not fully appreciated, or perhaps they feel that they’re being taken advantage of or that others are being treated better than they are.
No matter their feelings, they will lash out at those around them, complain constantly, and more. In doing so, they make the work environment less bearable for everyone, trigger numerous workplace conflicts, spread demoralizing attitudes among your team, and can even cost your company thousands in lost productivity or potential claims against you.
The negativity of a toxic employee can make it frustrating to deal with them, but it’s vital that you take the right approach to doing so. Compassionate leadership is often a surprising key here, and something that deserves more attention. Here are some tips that can help you manage toxic employees effectively.
- Talk! It’s amazing what communication can do, and often just discussing things with a toxic employee is the first step towards understanding what has them upset and why they feel so negatively. Once you understand their perspective, you can start making steps to improve it.
- Consider their opinions and then consider making changes to help them feel better about their place in your business. While you shouldn’t rewrite policy just because one person feels slighted, there are numerous occasions when legitimate concerns are raised and should be addressed related to an employee and their situation.
- Know when to say ‘enough’. The reality is that some toxic employees simply can’t be reasoned with or managed properly. While using compassionate leadership to try to help them find happiness within your company is important, at some point you may simply have to understand when and why to begin the process of helping them transition out of your business.
It’s vital to deal with toxic employees as soon as possible to avoid future problems. Compassionate leadership can help make this easier to do, and the three steps above are all worth remembering when you begin the process of doing so.
Leave a Reply