Employers.... Help!! problem employee?

Question

Employers, you have an employee that has run off at least 10 good employees over the last few years by just being mean and rude to them. She is a horrible gossip too, talking badly about everyone behind their back. She does her job perfectly otherwise. Another problem is that you know she has a history. Her 35 year old son committed suicide 4 years ago, and she's quite bitter about it. She takes this out on all other employees, but she's the perfect angel towards you and is a reliable employee. Ok, you just lost your 11th employee because of her, what do you do about it?

Answer 1

Assuming you've already tried to help her improve in this area, it sounds like it's time to get rid of her. Document her specific actions (from witnesses) and follow those up with letters of counseling and letters of reprimand. When you have enough documentation show her the door.

No matter how good a worker someone is, if they are in a team-oriented job and they have no teamwork skills then you don't need them.

Answer 2

Depends on your perspective. If you are a labor leader then you probably find that management is always at fault. On the other hand if you are a supervisor you may feel employees are not motivated enough. Since I have been in both categories I can say from experience that the truth lies in the middle. Employers have a right to expect a fair days work for a fair days pay. Employees have the right to work in a heathy environment inwhich the employer obeys all of the labor laws. Problems occur when one or the other party does not live up to their responsibilities. Most of the time management demands too much and labor wants to give too little.

Answer 3

get rid of her .......if uve even lost 2 good employees then uve lost 2 too many. Mean employees r like an infection in a company. U may have very well lost 11 good employees just cus u kept the one. Place someone with her who can learn her job and who will not get run off easily............she may get the hint if not take the loss and cut her hours to a minimum or give her a week off or only a few days during the week. Its better to loose temporarily by fireing her and have someone stumble thru learning her job, than it is to keep an infectious employee. if u decide to give her some unpaid time off u will see a different attitude in the other workers. I wouldnt bother talking to her its a business not a freindship she may straighten out but its too late if she has already built up a repuation for hostility. Sometimes the legend may caus emore intimidation than the acual story. Good luck.

Answer 4

You need to sit her down and talk calmly with her. Don't accuse her of anything, but maybe approach it like "Suzie, I think you do an excellent job, however it seems that there might be some conflict between some employees and you. Can you tell me what might be going on?" She might open up. Let her know that you want everyone to get along, and you value her work, but you really need everyone to get along so that everyone can perform at their highest level. If she can't get her act together, I'd say let her go. You should always get rid of the bad apples, regardless of their work. She's making several people quit. That's not fair to your other workers.

Answer 5

Sit her down and talk to her. Tell her that you love her and value her work, but that her personal opinions and views are off-putting to her co-workers and that it is costing you a fortune to find and train new employees.

End with another compliment and let her know that you need her help for your continued success in business.

She will either get it and shut her mouth, or she will get mad and quit. Or she will say she will be good and then do it again. If I were in your shoes and it happened again, I would fire her.

Good employees are hard to come by and expensive to train. I wouldn't take this problem lightly.

Answer 6

Well depending on what the state laws are and the circumstances of her hiring it may be tricky.

If she didn't sign any real contract that can protect her from being fired and as long as she isn't wrongfully fired it should be OK. From what I learned age, sex, disability, religion, race creed and even appearance should not be an issue as to why they are hired or fired. And this is for Michigan and may vary for other places, if your business is under undue hardship because of her employment then that may be grounds to fire her

Answer 7

talk to her. Let her know you understand that things haven't been easy for her however, you might want to suggest therapy for her. If she refuses, then give her a time frame as to when you want her dysfunction to change or you'll have to let her go. You are not being fair to your other staff members. I don't know what kind of work u do or if this person's attitude has an effect on clients, patients etc. Good luck!
nicholas

Answer 8

You sit her down and tell her to get some therapy or you will have to let her go. And as a matter of getting the point across you give her a write up in her personnel file for harassing other employees.
Then you sit back and wait. If she improves her behavior good if not then you let her go.

Answer 9

You're keeping her out of sympathey and hurting your bottom line, but if you just can't fire her for some reason, transfer to another position within the company. Maybe you have one with more customer contact and less employee contact.

Answer 10

Give her a bad review and have a serious talk with her about her work attitude, or give her work in an area where no other employees work.