Problem employees - Have a Tough Talk™ or take a long walk?

http://www.toughtalks.biz

Author Jean Palmer Heck presents two common issues facing bosses. Does the boss have the difficult conversation or ignore it?
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Difficult employee scenario:
Worker says, "We've always done it this way."

These examples were used as illustrations in a conflict resolution workshop.

A "know-it-all" problem employee who had been at the company for 22 years tells new employees how to do their jobs. However, this is not in his job description. When a new employee makes suggestions, the problem employee says, "We've always done it this way. We can't change now." As a result of this conflict, the staff begins to take sides.

If you're the manager - do you have a tough talk™, or do you ignore the difficult employees comments, and hope he will stop. Do you take a long walk instead of confronting him on this tough issue?

Difficult employee scenario:
Worker says, "I'm taking vacation this week."

The second problem employee made her own rules about her vacations. In this particular situation, she's been an employee in the company for six years. She is a bookkeeper and a good worker. She has specialized skills, which makes her a valued employee.

The standard vacation for company employees is three weeks. This valued employee takes her three weeks vacation like everybody else does. But then around Thanksgiving, she decides that because she's put in enough overtime, she deserves a little extra time off. She's worked through lunch hours. She's worked late nights. So she announces, the spur of the moment, each year, "I think I'm going to take Thanksgiving off." In this case, it happens to coincide with her wedding anniversary.
She is from a small town, has special skills, and she would be hard to replace. As a manager, do you have a Tough Talk with this problem employee, or do you take a long walk?

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Jean Palmer Heck
• Tough Talks in Tough Times
• difficult conversations
• communications
• business
• management
• bosses
• employees
• employee communication
• NAMIC leadership forum
• problem employees
• problem employee
• employees promblems
• employee problems
• employee problem