Managing Toxic Employees: Strategies for Leaders to Effectively Deal With Employee Attitude Issues

One of the challenges that workplace supervisors and leaders in any business have to deal with is the reality that not everyone is going to be a good fit for the job or the role that they are in. Where it gets more complicated is when that employee is also a toxic addition to the workplace environment.

Where it gets even more complicated is when an employee is otherwise a good fit but is demonstrating behavior issues that are toxic in the workplace. There are a lot of different ways to address behavior and attitude problems in employees, but knowing what to do is critical no matter what approach you choose.

Here are some effective strategies to deal with employee attitude issues and toxic behaviors.

Do Not Be Afraid To Let Someone Go

One of the biggest challenges for a lot of leaders is recognizing when it is time to call it quits and recognize that the employee causing a problem isn’t motivated to change. When someone brings a bad attitude to work, especially when they are affecting others, no level of skill or other benefits to the company is worth putting up with the problems.

The truth is that there is always going to be a similarly qualified individual who will not bring the attitude and behavior issues of a toxic employee. Letting a toxic employee go genuinely is sometimes the right option for everyone.

Manage Your Emotional Reactions First

As a leader, one of the things you need to keep in mind when working with a toxic employee, especially when you are attempting to correct the behavior, is that you need to be calm and collected throughout. If your emotions get out of control or you escalate to match the employee, you both are going to have a harder time navigating the situation.

Do Not Be Afraid To Dig Deeper

The truth is that a lot of great employees have a rough time that shows up at work. Not all toxic behaviors are a sign that someone is a bad fit or a problem in the workplace.

Instead, sometimes these behaviors are really opportunities to address other problems or chances to offer support in a way that helps that employee bring their best to work in the future.

Addressing problems, including being understanding when someone is having a hard time in their personal life, can often turn a toxic employee into one of your greatest assets in the workplace.

Invite The Employee Into Problem Solving With You

Often the first thing we consider when dealing with a difficult employee is to give them warnings or censure to limit their behavior and try to force them to improve. The issue is that this can make people feel undervalued, threatened, and unmotivated, especially if there are underlying problems that could explain the toxicity at play.

Remember, the person you see acting out is not necessarily the only person contributing to the problem.

Inviting someone into the process of solving a behavior or attitude issue gives them a chance to feel heard and valued, which can help motivate change. Or, you might find out that they are acting out because of other problems at work, and solving those problems can often solve the behavior or attitude that drew your attention in the first place.

Be Direct, Explain Consequences, And Document

When you are dealing with a toxic employee, particularly with repeat issues, it is important to be as direct as possible. Make sure they know exactly what the problems are, the consequences for continuing to act the way they are, and when those consequences will happen.

It is also important to clearly document all of this with every employee contact. Creating a paper trail makes it easier to explain why you took action, why you took the action you did, and how the employee was given chances to modify their performance.

As much as giving people the opportunity to improve is important, it is also important to protect yourself and understand that not everyone will change, or even try to do better. That is hard, but being willing to accept that makes it easier to help other employees who are more motivated, thrive.