6 Steps for Dealing with Negative Employees

Dealing with negative employees quickly is important to stop negativity spreading. Managing a negative team member can be difficult, managing a negative team is disastrous. As a manager, taking action to reduce or removing the negativity is a must. There is a lot you can do quickly. I’m taking your through 6 tried and tested steps for dealing with negative employees quickly and fairly.---- Leadership coaching – to increase your impact, your confidence and your team’s resultsBespoke, flexible and confidential personal development for middle managers to board directors. To transition to more senior roles, to improve skills, to increase influence, to get more from those you lead … explore how leadership coaching will help you and your managers https://enhance.coach/Courses for Managers to Increase Team Performance & ResultsThe quickest, easiest and cheapest way to improve team results is to improve the management of the team. Learn the management skills and approach that created multiple high performing teams, won “Best Team” prizes and added millions in value. https://enhance.training/msa-usp006/---  The first critical step in managing negative employees is not to ignore the problem. It may seem scary or the idea of having potentially confrontational conversations a big stumbling block. Dealing with negative team members is okay when you follow a fair and supportive process while not letting them off the hook. Don’t ignore the problem. Second, when taking negative employees in the workplace is to gather examples and evidence (if possible) of their actions and behaviour. Write does in as much detail as possible what they said and did. This moves the conversation away from your opinion of them and actions that have happened are much harder to dismiss.  Third, when you are managing a negative staff member, find out why they are being negative. Don’t make assumption. First outline what the issue is, the impact of their actions or behaviour and then ask them to explain what is causing them to be negative. There could be a whole range of reasons from actions or decisions made at work or events in their personal life. Ask to find out what the nitty gritty details are. Fourth, when managing negative team members, set out your expectations. You are the manager and you set the rules. Be clear what you are asking of them, explain why it is important and ask them to meet your expectations.  Fifth, with dealing with negative employees, is to give them a chance to change. No-one finds change easy. Emphasise the impact of not changing on them and the team. Coach, mentor and support them to change.  Finally, when dealing with negative employees and after you have gone through the above five steps and they are not willing to make a change, take formal action.  Formal action is the last resort. If the negative employee is still not meeting your expectations, and their actions are being detrimental to the team and you, then you need to decide if it is worth keeping them in the team or asking them to leave. Start with a Performance Improvement Plan and then move into a formal disciplinary process if needed. Don’t let negative employees cause you or the team problems.

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