As a business owner, you’re probably aware of just how valuable your employees are. Employees are the lifeblood of any successful business. After all, they are the ones who are on the front lines making sure that each of the gears that make up your business keep turning. Without a team of dedicated employees, a business is pretty much doomed from the very start. A team of employees who are all working together and pushing in the right direction can take a company from being merely good to being truly extraordinary. However, there’s one thing that many business owners struggle with, even while knowing how important it is. That is how to deal with problem employees. The kind of employees who aren’t putting their full effort into things and are making life harder for those around them. This is, understandably, a difficult and delicate position for many business owners to be put into but it’s crucial that you know how to deal with these kinds of employees. With that in mind, here are a few things that you can do to stop problem employees dragging down your business.
Discuss any issues with them early
The first thing that you should do anytime that an employee seems to be causing any kind of problem for your business is to discuss it with them as quickly as possible. Don’t wait for things to become a serious issue. It might be tempting to give employees the benefit of the doubt, but by waiting, you’re only going to show a problem employee that their behavior is going to be tolerated. Take them aside and discuss any issues that you might be having. Do this before any disciplinary action has to occur, make it an informal conversation and try to find out if there’s anything you can do to support them and make them feel more inclined to become a team player.
Get legal support
Of course, sometimes an informal chat simply isn’t going to cut it. If an employee continues to cause problems in your company, then you’re going to need to go through more official channels to deal with it. This might involve disciplinary procedures, or you may have to bring in dispute resolution solicitors to deal with any larger problems between you and your employee. In the end, if the issue can’t be dealt with then you may simply have to admit that this employee isn’t right for your business and terminate their contract altogether.
Focus on your hiring process
Terminating a problem employee is never ideal, but it is pretty much guaranteed to happen from time to time. When it does, you’re going to need to look at hiring someone new. The best thing that you can do when trying to avoid another situation like this is to make sure that you’re hiring the right people. Ask questions at interview that not only show whether or not a person is skilled or qualified enough to be a part of your business, but whether or not they are actually going to be a good fit. Find out how well your values intersect and if their personality is a good match with the other staff members in your business. By hiring the right people, you’ll be able to avoid many of the problems that come with problem employees.