Problem Employees

7/29/2019 Problem Employees

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Problem Employees


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CHAPTER OVERVIEW The chapter identifies common types of

problem behavior among employees.

Those most likely to be encountered by

supervisors are

absenteeism and tardiness,

insubordination and uncooperativeness,

alcohol and drug abuse, and

employee theft.


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There are two general methods discussed to

help supervisors improve employee

performance:

counseling and

the discipline process.

In addition; organizations may have an employee

assistance program (EAP) to assist troubled

employees.


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Counseling

Counseling helps employees solve their

problems, which enables them to perform

better at work.

Supervisors should counsel employees when

they need help in determining how to resolve a

problem that is affecting their work.When employees have problems that

supervisors are unqualified to help with, they

should refer employees to a professional.


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Counseling may involve

directive counseling, in which the supervisor

suggests solutions, or

nondirective counseling, with the supervisor

primarily listening and encouraging the

employee to look for the source of the problemand identify possible solutions.


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Discipline

In administering discipline, the supervisor

explains the significance and consequences of the

employees behavior, then, if necessary, lets theemployee experience those consequences.

A typical process of discipline occurs in stages, with

the supervisor

first administering one or more warnings,

then a suspension, demotion, and

finally dismissal.


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The supervisor should administer discipline

promptly, privately, impartially, and

unemotionally.

All disciplinary actions should be

documented and placed in the employees

file.


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Positive discipline focuses on preventing

problem behavior from ever beginning.

It can include

making sure employees know and understand rules,

creating conditions under which employees are least

likely to cause problems, using decision-making leaves when problems occur,

and

rewarding desirable behavior.


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The goal of positive discipline is self-

discipline among employees or employees

who voluntarily follow the rules and meet

performance standards.

Supervisors who expect self-discipline from

their employees must practice it themselves.


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Discipline problems may be the result of

personal problems, such as substance abuse.

These employees are defined as troubled

employees.


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When the supervisor suspects that an

employee is troubled, the supervisor should

document the problem,

then meet with the employee and describe the

evidence of a problem,

focusing on the employees performance at work.


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The employee should then be referred to a

professional for help and informed of the

consequences of not getting help.

Employees should be made aware that their job

performance must improve.

Follow up from the supervisor will be in termsof improved job performance.


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To best help their employees, supervisors

should learn about their organizations

procedures and resources for assistingemployees.

This may involve referring employees for help

outside the organization or to the organizationsemployee assistance program.


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The supervisor may also seek the help of

others in the organization.

The supervisors boss and human resources

department can help the supervisor handle

problem employees in ways that follow

organization guidelines, legal requirements, and

the union contract (if any).


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A supervisor should discuss a problem

employee with his or her boss, so that the

boss can offer advice and provide necessary

authorization for such steps as suspension

or dismissal.


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Common Types of Problem

Behavior

In general, problem employees fall into two

categories:

(1) employees causingproblems,

for example by starting fights or leaving early, and

(2) employees with problems,

such as an employee whose money worries are adistraction from work.


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By handling such employees appropriately,

the supervisor can help resolve the problem

without hurting the morale or performanceof the other employees.


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When supervisors observe poor

performance, they tend to blame the

employee for lack of ability or effort.

Both supervisors and employees tend to

blame the organization or another person

for not providing enough support whenexplaining their own poor performance.


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To uncover the true source of a performance problem, the

supervisor might consider the following issues

Whether the employee has performed better in the past Whether the employee has received proper training

Whether the employee knows and understands the objectives he or

she is to accomplish

Whether the supervisor is providing enough feedback and support

Whether the supervisor has encouraged and rewarded high

performance

Whether other employees with similar abilities are performing well

or experiencing similar difficulties.


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The problems that supervisors most

commonly encounter are

absenteeism and tardiness,

insubordination and uncooperativeness,

alcohol and drug abuse, and

employee theft.


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Absenteeism and tardiness

This is an expensive problem.

An absent employee may be paid for the time

off, or

replaced with a less productive person.


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Also, missing work is often a sign of a

deeper problem. such as

a family crisis,

anger about something at work, or

plans to leave the organization.


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Insubordination and

uncooperativeness

Insubordination: Deliberate refusal to do what

the supervisor or other superior asks.

Poor performance may result from notunderstanding how to do something.

This is corrected by training.

Sometimes an employee performs poorly orbreaks rules because he or she chooses to do so.

This may be uncooperative behavior or deliberate

refusal to do what he or she is told


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Many kinds of negative behavior fall into the

following categories:

General poor attitude criticizng,

complaining, and

showing dislike for the supervisor and organization

Making an art out of doing as little as possible Spending most of the day

socializing,

joking around, or

moving as slowly as possible


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Regularly failing to follow rules

forgetting to wear safety equipment or

sign out at lunchtime

Disregard for supervisors instruction to do

something,

saying it will be done later

Sarcastic, hostile, or passive behavior which

may be a symptom of an underlying problem


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Alcohol and drug abuse

Some poor performance such as unsafe

practices, sloppy work, or frequent absences

may be a symptom of alcohol or drug abuse

on or off the job.

These employees are expensive to the

organization.


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They can hurt the organization by lower

productivity.

They are more likely

to quit,

to cause accidents,

to have a higher use of disability and sick

benefits, and

to increase insurance costs.


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The supervisor should note that the federal

antidiscrimination law treats substance

abuse as a disability, and companies shouldencourage the employee to get help.

Any actions taken with regard to the

employee should focus on work

performance, not on the substance abuse

itself.


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Since the supervisor is responsible for

ensuring a safe workplace for employees

and others, it means that if an employeessuspected substance abuse is creating a

hazard, the supervisor must act.


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Employee theft

Employees take companies inventory,

supplies, and money as well as steal time

by giving the employer less work than theyare paid for.

A supervisor should take measures to

prevent and react to theft.


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In addition to organizational procedures,

supervisors should carefully check the

background of anyone they plan to hire.

They should make sure that employees follow

all procedures for record keeping.

They should also build employees morale andinvolvement, make sure employees understand

the costs and consequences of theft, and set a

good example.


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If a supervisor suspects an employee is

stealing, he or she should report it to the

boss and to the police or professionalsecurity consultants.


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Poor performance related to drinking may be more

difficult for a supervisor to confront than illicit

drug use. Drinking is socially acceptable,

problem drinking behavior generally is not well

understood, and


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the supervisor may sympathize with the employee who

has a drinking problem.

For example, a supervisor may overlook poor performancewhen he or sheknows the employee is suffering from a

hangover.

To counteract this tendency, a supervisor must be aware and

take action is not acceptable.

In addition, supervisors should be aware of signs of drinkingand drug use that can impair performance.


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Counseling Employees

If the supervisor responds to problem

behavior immediately, he or she will

sometimes be able to bring the problem to aquick end without complex proceedings.


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Often the most constructive way a

supervisor can address problem behavior is

through

counseling, or

learning about an individuals personal problem

and helping him or her resolve it.


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For simple problems, such as tardiness resulting

from keeping late-night hours, calling the problem

to the employees attention may lead to a solutionwithout the supervisors help.

For more complex problems, such as financial or

substance abuse, the solution will be for the

employee to get expert help.

In either case, counseling is a cooperative process,

with supervisor and employee working together.


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Employee theft. Employees take companies

inventory, supplies, and money as well as steal

time by giving the employer less work than theyare paid for. A supervisor should take measures to

prevent and react to theft.


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There are many reasons for stealing the companys

materials and time. Some of the reasons are related to

personal problems, such as financial problems. Other

reasons are related to attitudes toward the company and

management. Some employees think the company owes

them because they are underpaid or in some other way

taken advantage of. Supervisors can help reduce theft if

they are aware of employee attitudes and if they recognizeand respect the employees contributions.


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Counseling: The process of learning about

an individuals personal problem and

helping him or her resolve it.


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Counseling involves one or more discussions

between the supervisor and the employee.

These discussions are by nature a personal matteras well as a discussion of performance.

These sessions should take place where privacy is

assured and will be free from interruptions.

Methods of approaching the session include directive or

nondirective counseling


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Directive Counseling: An approach to counseling

in which the supervisor asks the employee

questions about the specific problem; when the supervisor understands the problem, he or she

suggests ways to handle it.

Nondirective Counseling: An approach to

counseling in which the supervisor primarily

listens,

encouraging the employee to look for the source of the

problem and to propose possible solutions.


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Directive Counseling

The most focused approach to counseling is

directive counseling. Steps include

asking the employee questions about the

specific problem,

questioning and listening until he or she

understands the source of the problem, andsuggesting ways to handle the problem.


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If there is a specific program or benefit

offered by the company, the supervisor can

suggest the employee explores theseoptions.


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Nondirecdve Counseling

The supervisor and employee will often find it

most beneficial to help the employee develop and

change, rather than to look only for solutions to aspecific problem.

In this approach, the supervisor primarily listens,

encouraging the employee to look for sources of the

problem and to propose possible solutions. Ideally, by working out their own solution, employees

will find they have the ability to resolve their problem.


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The Counseling Interview

The counseling interview begins with a discussion

of what the problem is.

Because the counseling often takes place as a result ofpersonal problems the employee is having, he or she

may be emotional during counseling sessions.

The supervisor should be prepared for emotional or

angry outbursts by the employee. He or she should be calm and reassure the employee

that emotions arent innately good or bad.


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The next step is consideration of possible

solutions and the selection of one to try.

Rather than simply prescribing a solution, thesupervisor can usually be more helpful by asking the

employee questions that will help the employee come

up with ideas of his or her own.

When the supervisor and employee agree on a solutionto be used, the supervisor should restate it to make sure

the employee understands.


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The interview ends with the supervisor

scheduling a follow-up meeting.

This should take place after just enough time

for the employee to begin seeing some results.

At this meeting, the supervisor will review

their plans and discuss whether the problemhas been or is being resolved.


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Discipline:Action takenby the supervisor

to prevent employees from breaking or

continuing to break rules.

Suspension:Requiring that an employee not

come to work for a set period of time; the

employee is not paid for the timeoff.Demotion: Transfer of an employee to a

job involving less responsibility and,

usually, lower pay.Dismissal: Relieving an


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Discipline is action taken by the supervisor

to prevent employees from breaking or

continuing to break rules.In many cases, effective discipline can quickly

bring about a change in an employees

behavior.


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Administering Discipline

There is a distinction between discipline

and punishment.

Punishment is an unpleasant consequence given

in response to undesirable behavior.

Discipline is broader; it is a teaching process.


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The supervisor explains the significance and

consequences of the employees behavior, and

then if necessary, lets the employee experiencethose consequences.

Steps to administer discipline are usually dictated

by company policy or union contract.

The employees rights are usually spelled out in the

same documents.


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Discipline Process

Before taking any action, the supervisor needs to

have a clear picture of the problems.

He or she should collect the facts before proceeding. Then the supervisor should meet with the employee and

ask for his or her version of what happened.

When the supervisor observes and understands the facts

behind problem behavior, disciplining the employeetakes place in four steps.


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Warning

(1) Awarning may be written or oral.

Some organizations have a policy that calls for

an oral warning, to be followed by a writtenwarning if performance does not improve.

The warning should contain what the problem

behavior is,

how the behavior affects the organization,

how and by when the behavior is expected to change, and

what actions will be taken if the employees behavior does

not change .


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The usual practice is to have the employee sign

the warning as an indication that the situation

has been discussed with him or her. If the employee refuses to sign, the supervisor

should make a note of the refusal.


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Suspension

(2) A suspension involves requiring that the

employee not come to work for a set period

of time.The employee is not paid for this time off.

The time period can be from one day to a

month, depending on the seriousness of theproblem.


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Demotion

(3) Ademotion is transferring an employee

to a job involving less responsibility and,

usually, lower pay.Some employees find a demotion a relief if they

performed poorly because the job was more

than he or she could handle.

More often it leads to negative feelings.


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Dismissal

(3) This is also called termination, or

discharge.

This will cost the organization in that it requires

the organization to recruit, hire, and train a new

employee.

However, it may be necessary if an employeesoffense is serious or if he or she will not

respond to other forms of discipline.


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Types of behavior that may lead to

dismissal include

failure to correct problem behavior,

deliberate damage of the organizations

property,

fighting on the job, orengaging in dangerous practices.


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In following the steps of the discipline

process, the supervisor should keep in mind

that the objective is to end the problembehavior.

The supervisor need take only as many

steps as are necessary to bring about achange in behavior.

Guidelines for Effective


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Guidelines for Effective

Discipline

When an employee is causing a problem,

the supervisor needs to act immediately.

Ignoring the situation signals that thesupervisor doesnt consider the problem

serious.

As a result, the problem gets worse. The employee may increase the problem behavior,

and other employees may follow his or her example.


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When discussing the problem with the employee

involved, the supervisor should focus on learning

about and resolving the issue at hand. The supervisor should listen until he or she understands

the problem, then begin discussing how to correct the

problem in the future.

Talk about behaviors instead of personalities. Avoid name calling and dredging up instances of past

misbehavior.


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The supervisor should keep emotions in check.

It is appropriate to convey sincere concern about the

problem, but other feelings are largely irrelevant andcan stand in the way of constructive discussion.

Being calm and relaxed when administering discipline

tells the employee that the supervisor is confident of

what he or she is doing.


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Other guidelines for effective discipline

include:

keep the matter private, and

be consistent in administering discipline.

Documentation of Disciplinary


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Documentation of Disciplinary

Action

Employees who receive discipline

sometimes respond by filing a grievance or

suing the employer.To be able to justify his or her actions, the

supervisor must have a record of the

disciplinary actions taken and the basis for thediscipline.


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Remember that performance appraisal

records are available on the employee.

These records may show that the employeesperformance is adequate for the same problem

for which the supervisor is administering

discipline.

This is a good reason to make sure that the

performance appraisal is fair and a true

reflection of the employees performance.


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Documentation is especially important

when the supervisor must terminate an

employee.The employees file should show the steps the

supervisor took leading up to termination, and

should include specific behaviors that led himor her to dismiss the employee.


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Organizations usually have rules or guidelines for

acceptable or unacceptable performance and

behavior. The level of discipline is often included in the

guidelines.

Some behavior may result in immediate suspension or

discharge without going through the other step listed inthe text.


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Examples that may result in immediate discharge

include

fighting with another employee orbehavior that has the potential of serious injury or

death to one or more employees.


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Before taking any action, the supervisor

needs to have a clear picture of the

problems.For this reason, an organization may include in

its disciplinary steps a category called

suspension pending discharge.

This step is used to complete the investigation,

although it appears that the behavior warranted

discharge.


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An example may be when two employees

appear to be fighting.

Both employees may be suspended immediately. If the investigation shows that only one employee

was actually hitting the other employee, one of the

employees may be terminated and the other

employee will return to work


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The supervisor should follow all guidelines

for discipline.

Sometimes this is different from our own ideasabout what is fair.

In the example of fighting described above, a

supervisors sense of fairness may suggest that both

employees must be at fault since it takes two to

fight.

One employee may have made a remark that

irritated the other employee, resulting in that

em lo ee hittin the first em lo ee.


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This does not make them equally guilty and

deserving the same punishment.

The employee who made a remark or called theother employee an unacceptable name (unacceptable

to that employee) may warrant some form of

discipline, but it is the employee who hit another

employee who warrants discharge.

Employees are responsible for their own behavior.

When that behavior is outside of what is acceptable,

that employee will be disciplined accordingly.


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Positive Discipline: Discipline designed to

prevent problem behavior from beginning.

Decision-making: Leave: A day off during

which a problem employee is supposed to

decide whether to return to work and meet

standards or to stay away for good.


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Documents

Problem Employees