How to deal with difficult employees

Disengaged employees often display disruptive behavior due to frustration, lack of motivation, or feeling disconnected from their jobs.

Difficult employees can disrupt workplace morale, lower productivity, and harm team dynamics. For business owners and managers, their impact can extend to creating a toxic work environment, increasing staff turnover, reducing performance, and damaging customer relationships.

Below are three examples of what difficult employees may look like in the workplace.

Scenario 1: Missed expectations. The employee doesn’t fulfill their responsibilities

As a manager, it's important to maintain perspective. Poor performance at work could be due to a lack of ability or motivation, or both. It could also be the result of poor communication, lack of good management, misalignment, lack of resources, or something else entirely.

If an employee is performing poorly in their role, don’t write them off as lazy. There may well be a hidden reason behind their failure to deliver and lack of motivation.

It could be that their work no longer challenges them. They may care about making more of an impact and be frustrated by others' (or their manager's) lack of investment. 

Employees' performance challenges can stem from various factors, including restrictive policies, skill gaps, and limited career growth opportunities.

Personal issues like health struggles or life complications can also significantly impact an individual's ability to focus and effectively perform their tasks. Understanding these potential root causes is crucial for managers seeking to support and develop their team members.

Before confronting an employee, as a manger, ask yourself:

• Have I provided clear expectations and goals?
• Are my team members equipped with the right resources and support?
• Am I offering meaningful feedback and growth opportunities?

Scenario 2: The employee has a bad attitude

If a problematic employee has a negative attitude, it creates a toxic environment. Often, but not always, a bad attitude at work is passive rather than directly confrontational.

Maybe it is the not-too-subtle smirk or eye-roll, showing up late, and being inattentive at meetings. Maybe it's gossiping at work or about colleagues and managers. Or maybe it is less conscious: the hard-working employee who has become cynical and always sees the negative in every interaction or proposal due to bad management or a toxic work environment.

A bad attitude can be funny at first, but eventually, it wears on everyone. A bad attitude and negative behavior disrupt the whole team and affect employee performance.

But that’s not all. If they also have a bad attitude when dealing with clients or vendors, they put your business and reputation at risk.

When determining a way forward, first ask yourself:

• Have I created a psychologically safe environment?
• Are team members feeling valued and heard?
• Do my management practices inadvertently promote negativity?
• Am I modeling the attitude and behaviors I want to see?

Scenario 3: The employee undermines your authority

When an employee undermines your authority, it disrupts employee morale and productivity. It can also make other employees doubt your leadership abilities. 

But not all employees who undermine authority do so with bad intentions. Sometimes employees undermine leaders because they have a perspective the manager can’t see. They may be so passionate about their perspective that they miss seeing how their communication style is undermining others.

In other cases, the employee’s disruptive behavior may be a deliberate attempt to undermine you. As a leader, knowing how to distinguish between the two will help you address the problem effectively.

If you’re dealing with a difficult employee, following these steps can help you resolve the situation.

1. Work on improving behavior, not people

When dealing with a problematic employee, it’s essential to focus on specific behavior, not personal factors. Your role is not to judge them. Not only could that lead to unproductive conflict, but it is unlikely to help resolve the behavior. 

The objective is to find a way to stop your colleague’s unacceptable behavior and help correct behaviors that make working with them unnecessarily difficult. Your role is to support them and look for solutions.

People aren’t always aware of how their behavior impacts their work and environment. Start by bringing it to their attention in a non-confrontational way. Assume good intentions if at all possible. Remember that not all difficult employees intend to be difficult.

Then, give them specific examples of their negative behavior to help them understand the problem.

2. Identify the causes of the problem

The reasons behind an employee’s behavior are unique to each person. This is why it’s necessary to identify the causes before addressing the problem.

It could be related to:

• Their work
• Relationships with other colleagues
• Personal issues that prevent them from performing their job adequately
• Management/work environment

As a leader, it’s your responsibility to get to the root cause of the problem and resolve it.

3. Encourage open communication

Fostering an open work environment helps build trust and encourages team members to address conflicts early. Invite employees to share their perspectives during difficult conversations and listen actively to their concerns.

Emphasize that the goal is collaboration, not confrontation. Open communication not only helps resolve current problems but also improves workplace relationships and prevents future conflicts.

4. Be open to feedback

Understanding problematic employee behavior requires managers to recognize that it often stems from an individual's perception of and experience within their work environment. To effectively address such challenges, managers must cultivate an open and supportive approach by creating a safe, non-judgmental space where employees can freely express their concerns. 

This involves being receptive to feedback about management styles, organizational dynamics, or personal workplace experiences. By practicing active listening and genuinely hearing an employee's perspective without prejudice, managers can demonstrate empathy and create an opportunity for meaningful dialogue. 

Often, what appears to be difficult behavior is simply an employee's unmet need to be heard and understood; by listening attentively and compassionately, managers can frequently transform negative attitudes and behaviors, turning potential conflicts into opportunities for mutual understanding and professional growth.

5. Give clear directions

As a leader, it’s essential to deliver your instructions clearly in order to be effective.

In a conflict situation, you have two main objectives:

• Get your colleague to lower their defenses
• Convey the information necessary for them to improve their behavior

To achieve this, you must give clear and detailed feedback on the employee’s behavior, including concrete examples.

6. Write down expectations and specific consequences

Document any expectations and behavioral changes together with your colleague. 

Develop a plan establishing objectives, a timeframe, and regular progress evaluations. This way, you will both be on the same page.

It’s also important to document any consequences of failing to make the necessary behavior changes. 

In most cases, the person will take the matter more seriously if they have a clear plan and are aware of the consequences of not taking action.

7. Document disruptive behaviors

Maintaining detailed records of unacceptable actions is crucial when managing difficult employees. Document specific incidents, the steps you’ve taken to address the issues, and the outcomes of those efforts.

This helps create transparency and accountability. Written records are especially important if the behavior continues and disciplinary action becomes necessary, as they provide a clear history of the situation.

8. Monitor progress

Once you have established your employee’s action plan, the next step is to monitor their progress. This will help them achieve their goals within the established timeframe.

Ways to monitor progress include:

• Getting feedback from other coworkers
• Evaluating the quality of their work
• Having regular one-to-one meetings

Make written observations and reports for maximum transparency. At the end of the agreed period, use the reports to evaluate their success.

9. Use behavioral interviews during hiring

Preventing issues starts with hiring the right people. Incorporate behavioral interview questions that assess a candidate’s past responses to conflict, teamwork, and challenges.

For example, ask how they handled a disagreement with a coworker or adapted to a major change at work. This approach helps identify candidates whose values align with company culture and reduces the likelihood of hiring difficult people or individuals who might exhibit disruptive behaviors.

9. Stay calm and show respect

Giving negative feedback or firing someone is never easy. Tensions flare, and people often get upset.

As a manager, it’s essential to stay calm and avoid judgments or criticisms. Maintain your body language and a neutral tone.

Focus on facts and maintain an honest, professional, and respectful attitude.

Sometimes people are difficult because they feel undervalued. You should get to the bottom of the cause of their behavior before taking drastic action.

10. Use coaching to foster growth

Coaching can be a powerful tool for helping employees reflect on their behavior and build skills to improve. Offer personalized leadership coaching sessions to provide support and guidance.

Coaching can help employees identify the root causes of their challenges, develop a plan to address them, and set actionable goals. By focusing on their growth, you can turn a problematic employee into a productive and motivated team member, enhancing workplace morale and productivity.

11. Address the issues directly

Ignoring disruptive behaviors can worsen a difficult situation, so addressing the issues head-on is crucial. Schedule a private meeting to discuss the bad behavior in a structured and non-confrontational manner.

Use specific examples of how their actions affect team morale, productivity, and the overall work environment. You set the tone for constructive problem-solving and a commitment to improvement by addressing the issues directly.

12. Focus on company culture

Reinforcing company culture and values can help reset expectations for difficult employees. During conversations, connect their actions to the broader impact on the team and organization. Highlight how negative attitudes and behaviors disrupt morale, teamwork, and company goals. By tying their behavior back to company culture, you help them understand the importance of their role in maintaining a positive work environment.

13. Develop a collaborative action plan

A collaborative action plan helps align expectations and provides a roadmap for improvement. Work with the employee to identify specific behaviors that need to change, set measurable goals, and establish a timeline for progress.

Regular check-ins ensure accountability and provide opportunities to adjust the plan as needed. Collaborative planning shows your commitment to supporting their growth while holding them responsible for their actions.

Use these four solutions to find the best possible outcome for both the difficult employee and the organization.

1. Consider your role in the problem

If a difficult employee is undermining your authority, ask yourself the following questions. They will help you determine the intention behind your employee’s behavior:

• Am I aware of my teammate’s workload?
• Does the employee have a perspective that I can’t see?
• Is the employee making any valid points?

If you suspect your employee is undermining you on purpose, ask yourself these questions: 

• Does the employee undermine me by doing their work differently than agreed?
• Does the employee undermine me behind my back?
• Does the employee undermine me in front of clients, vendors, or other colleagues?

In these cases, it’s important to listen to the employee’s feedback, as it could contain valuable insights for the organization.

You should also learn the difference between constructive criticism and destructive behavior.

Show leadership by keeping your cool when dealing with problematic behavior from an employee. Model the values and company culture that you wish to see in your colleagues.

2. Address their lack of motivation

When dealing with an unmotivated employee, start by giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Ask yourself the following:

• Does the employee have too much or too little work?
• Is the employee bored and in need of a new challenge?
• Does the employee have the necessary skills required for the role?

Often, you can solve a lack of employee motivation by: 

• Adjusting their job description
• Relieving them of a heavy workload
• Providing training

In other cases, a lack of motivation can lead to disruptive behavior and create a toxic work environment. 

3. Talk to human resources

Managing truly difficult employees is an interpersonal issue. Therefore, it’s best practice to inform HR when facing a difficult situation with an employee that cannot be resolved otherwise. 

This has two advantages as a last resort. First, if the HR team is aware of the problem, they can implement company policy for dealing with such situations.

Second, they are workplace professionals who specialize in managing people. This means they can advise you on how to handle a difficult conversation with your employee.

4. Know when it’s time to let them go 

No one likes terminating someone’s employment. 

But if your employee’s negativity and bad behavior continue, you must know when to take more drastic action.

Consult your HR department for advice and information regarding company policy on letting people go. Use this guide on how to terminate an employee. 

Dealing with difficult employees is an essential skill