Effectively Dealing With Employees

by Richard Avdoian

No matter the team size, managing can be difficult and critical to maximizing productivity and success as a business owner. Ideally, you’re an owner or manager who is capable of adjusting your leadership strategies, approach and interactions to accommodate different individuals and situations. This would enable you to acknowledge, motivate and bring forth the best qualities in employees and contribute to positively impacting loyalty, productivity and profitability.

It’s important to routinely ask yourself whether you are functioning as an effective motivating leader. You need to monitor whether you are leading with open eyes or burying your head in the ground, choosing to avoid recognizing issues and viewing and treating all employees as peak performers, even those who lag behind. This practice will undoubtedly lead to resentment within the ranks, increased disrespect, and less-than-stellar team unity and productivity.

To deal with the diverse levels of employee engagement, it is necessary to acknowledge the differences and know how to effectively lead the four common types of employees.

High achiever. These are our shining stars who are ultimately engaged, extremely reliable and competent and require little if any guidance or monitoring.

• Resist. More work is not a reward. Keep tabs on how much they are handling, the number of hours worked and whether tasks can be either outsourced or delegated to others.
• Guard. Keep them in their personal work zone where they are most productive and content.
• Applaud. Provide wages that reflect their work performance and value to the company. Occasionally, offer unexpected bonuses, special experiences or time off.

Reliable. Hidden gems, these individuals are reliable and dedicated but are likely unaware of their talents and potential or are aware but need a mentor to encourage and cultivate their abilities.

• Guide/advise/mentor. Invest in their personal development to identify their talents by sharing your knowledge and experience or create a peer/peer mentoring program.
• Motivate/encourage. Take the time to offer encouragement, often a simple reminder that what was once a difficult task is now mastered.
• Recognize. Offer supportive comments for their increased ambition and eagerness to learn and for taking on more tasks and risks.

Slacker. They are relatively disengaged from others and work. They coast through the workday, often missing deadlines, delaying the work flow of others and forcing others to work harder.

• Direct/inform. Ensure they understand their job responsibilities, how others rely on their duties to complete theirs and that the overall success of the company depends on all facets working harmoniously.
• Patrol. Unless this person is truly lazy or lacks the skills, avoid the tendency to reassign tasks. Instead, set deadlines and hold the individual accountable to meeting them.
• Monitor. If you find a pattern of tasks being late or of poor quality, have a conversation with the employee to discuss their performance, ask if they need help or lack the skill, and ask what they need to improve their performance.

They may potentially be a “reliable” that needs to be mentored to help to identify their talents and develop new skills.

Disruptive. These individuals tend to seek opportunities to create problems, are untrustworthy and disrespectful, and undermine your authority behind your back.
• Confront. The quicker you call out this individual and firmly state that their negative attitude and often disruptive behavior will not be tolerated, the better.
• Manage. If you deem it necessary to keep this employee because either they offer a needed talent or skills or you feel trapped, consider having them work from home or reassign them to a less populated area to minimize interaction with other employees and customers.
• Pink slip. If it becomes apparent that this individual has no desire to change and stop negatively impacting the workforce and productivity, it is time to implement the process and eventually distribute a “pink slip.”

At the end of the day, the responsibility for leading an effective workforce falls on your shoulders. So it is imperative to protect your high achievers, mentor the reliable, get slackers to toe the line and refuse to tolerate the disgruntled employees.

Richard Avdoian is founder & CEO of Midwest Business Institute, Inc., a business consulting and training firm. For information about training and seminars, contact Richard at 618-972-8588 or Richard@RichardAvdoian.com.