How many are managers/supervisors and have to deal with one or two employees who are complete and udder nightmares, i.e. not staying in their desk, always behind, always a crisis and have to leave work, has a smart-ass attitude when counseling or cries when you tell them what they need to be doing? I have one that my boss hired as soon as I was promoted and I have to manage that employee and my boss knew about this person was when they was hired!! I am at my wits end. All the other employees on my staff are the best but this one bad apple is grating my nerves!!
employees from hell
by littlerockguy 13 Replies latest jw experiences
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jgnat
There's a bad apple in every bunch. I have over forty staff to look over, and I have my share. Look at this person as your personal education on WHO NOT TO HIRE. It is easy to get frustrated but that is unproductive, and it won't change the employee. I envision these characters as my "pet project". I develop a sort of attachment for them, like that kitschy ornament my shelf that I can't throw out because it was a wedding gift from my MIL.
The most important thing is to not let them get away with BAD BEHAVIOR. Have a strategy to deal with the BEHAVIOR every time it happens. Make a list of a dozen or so things to help turn the employee around. Run your ideas by HR to make sure you are not breaking any rules. Be $%^& consistent. Stay $%&* pleasant. Document all instructions and how the employee responded. All this work may not have an effect on your "pet project", but your good employees are watching and taking note.
Also, have some great rewards lined up for your productive employees. It is unfortunate that these "pet projects" suck up so much of our time. Don't let the good ones get forgotten.
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Elsewhere
Why not fire him?
I don't know about the state you live in, but Texas is an "at will" state. Basically a person can be hired or fired without notice or cause at any time. [Period]
This also means that a person may leave an employer at any time without giving any reason and without worrying about legal consequences. Some employers will try to get their new hires to sign contracts that threaten legal and monetary action should an employee leave without proper notice or cause, but such contracts are unenforceable in court ? basically they are used to scare people who don?t know better. The same applies to ?non compete? contracts (can?t leave a company and work for a competitor within X miles).
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jillbedford
I too, am a supervisor. From years of experience, you will always have one or too "challenging" associates, this is part of your job. When one leaves, a new different challenging associate comes on board.
As a responsible supervisors, it is our job to try to motivate this employee to change. Easier said than done, put nevertheless, very much part of the job when you step up to the challenge of being "in charge".
I work for a large company with many chances given before the decision to terminate is made. So these individuals stay on the team for many months, bringing down the energy of the group. Extra time has to be spent keeping up the postive energy of the rest of the team who always do their job.
I took several courses at the local university of how to motivate employees and found this extremely helpful. My company even paid for the education costs!
So I feel your pain so to speak and wish you well an the continuing challenges that lay ahead!
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FMZ
I work for a large company with many chances given before the decision to terminate is made. So these individuals stay on the team for many months, bringing down the energy of the group. Extra time has to be spent keeping up the postive energy of the rest of the team who always do their job.
I am not a supervisor (yet, hehe)... but this struck true with me, especially the part about taking energy from the team.
There is one particular employee I work with almost every day who I consider an "energy vampire". He can literally suck energy from you. Just a simple exchange with him can leave you feeling drained and weak. He brings down people on an individual basis, and also the team as a whole (we work in a very close knit team). I have learned to just do what is required around him, and otherwise not talk to the guy for my own energy's sake.
FMZ
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blondie
Hey, quit talking about me!
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tweety
I was a Information Technology supervisor for several years....from my own experience, I only had one guy who was the employee from hell.
At first, I tried everything with him. Praised him,, gave him additional projects (so that he would be recognized along with the rest of my group). Tried the friendly appoach. Showed him special treatment. Gave him a good review for a pay raise. Nothing worked! He continued to torment me, in ways that you had described and more. (always late for work, long lunches, went through my desk, leave early, sending IM messages all day long, work not being completed. etc...)
After months of this, I finally found him gambling on-line at work and turned him into HR. I thought that he would be terminated, but they gave him a verbal and written warning. Two days later, my car was keyed and scrached on both sides (from front to bumper)!
Since I didn't have any prove that he had done this to my brand new Acura, I did the next best thing. I went to upper management and had him moved to another department.
Believe me....get rid of the headache!
Dee
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nowisee
sounds like tonite's episode of the apprentice.
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Eric
If you are his supervisor, start supervising!
Set some standard goals you' d like to see anyone at his level acheive. Put it on paper, then arrange for a sit-down.
Present the goals and your prefered time limit of acheivement. Document it.
Ask him if he has the resources to accomplish the goal. Document it.
Provide him with the resources required to achieve the goal on time. Document it with a signature.
When he fails, have a sit-down where you bring in the documentation. Ask him why he is still failing.
If his explanation is outside of the expected agreement, shut him down, refer to your documentation.
Indicate to him that his agreed performance is below agreed upon expectations, but you will agree to one further chance to elevate his performance.
New performance goals and dates are presented and agreed upon. Document it with a signature.
Resource allocations are agreed upon. Document it with a signature.
When he fails on this, you can begin to present your problem employee to whoever hired the failure in the first place.
If it is not clear from the above, you must set goals, tools to acheive, DOCUMENT, and then execute.
Zimple, no?
Eric
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TresHappy
Regarding employees from hell: I have always tried to get along with people and I consider myself a likeable person. I also have learned that since getting fired today, some things should be kept to oneself. I had expressed my displeasure recently at certain things that were happening and while I don't think that ultimately cost me this job, it lead to people thinking I was a troublemaker and definitely that when they went looking for something, they found it.