How do you handle a defiant employee?

Question

I have my masters in Health Administration, but I have little experience managing others. A new employee constantly refused to do things. When asked to do something that is part of her job description, she simply responds (with much attitude) "Oh, I don't do that!" The managers have told her that in the past, those duties have been the responsibility of the person with her title. However, when they try to train her, it is like pulling teeth. She has a very condescending attitude towards other employees. She is knowledgable in her field and does her job well.

Answer 1

pull her aside in private and explain to her what she did wrong and what you expect and that you need to see some improvement. Sometimes people dont take you serious until you make it "official"...A private meeting should let her know you are serious. If you are unsure of how she will react then have someone else in managment sit in the meeting with you as well for support and as a witness incase she retaliates.

Answer 2

If you do not already have job descriptions for each and every employee, you must do so now. When you have a copy of her description you need to sit down with her and go through it point by point and explain that completing the tasks outlined are a job REQUIREMENT and no items are optional.

Then ask her if any of the items present a challenge she cannot meet. Offer training for any items she says she is not comfortable with.

Advise her after all training needs are met that she must fufill all job requirements. Give her a written warning and advise her if she fails to complete her duties, she will be fired after the third instance.

I am certain this malcontent is bringing down the morale of your team and is slowing your productivity in many ways. Just make it very simple and plain. There is no grey area. Either she does her job or she doesn't.

Be prepared to recruit someone new. This type of employee usually either quits when people get tough with them or they stick around untill pushed out. Rarely do they actually improve.

Best or luck!!

Answer 3

what if you circulated job descriptions of the various positions. for her performance review, ask other managers to mention if she has performed ALL her duties. her refusing to carry out tasks that are a part of her job must impact on some department atleast. during her review, her peers and managers give their input, if more than 2 mention she has NOT completed tasks set out for her, issue her a warning. she is intelligent enough to know which tasks will get her all the attention and which she considers below her dignity. the other thing that might work is make a list of the job responsibilities she does not do, hire someone with the same job title as her and call them temporary. then from time to time ask her to "train" the new employee in the job thst she is supposed to do, sanction whatever leave she wants since the "other" person can do her work too. i think she has become very complacent in her position and a little reality jolt might tell her the truth, that we are all dispensable!

Answer 4

Hi,
I kind of have this problem at work. My job description says I have to be a supervisor, but I haven't done any training to be a supervisor in this field. I was a supervisor in my previous work, which was a completely different field, and I sent over ten staff packing in 4 years because they couldn't do their job properly.
On a couple of occasions in my new job I have been forced to take on the role of supervisor (for an extra $0.50 per hour) and lucky for the bosses, I knew that it was only due to extreme need that they forced me, otherwise I would have fired half the people working under me that night. They would have been gone, out of there, I would have sent them packing for being lazy *****.
I guess my point is, that I agree with that first answer, to take the person aside and have a serious chat with the person, have a witness handy and all the paperwork to back you up, but also be aware that depending on what duties you actually want her to do, you may not want her to be doing that, because she may be aware that she will have a negative impact on your business if she is employed in that respect. By the way, being a supervisor is written on my job description as; Job Title : "Personal Carer - Leadhand" this title is given to every single employee who is a personal carer, whether they are trained to be a leadhand or not, whether they want to be a lead hand or not.
For $0.50 per hour they want me to take on responsibility for an extra 12 elderly residents (which would total 24 residents), plus making sure that 3 staff perform their jobs correctly (who I would have kicked out the door for being lazy *****) as well as performing my own normal duties. I would much rather not get an extra $0.50 per hour, and just be the sidekick of the supervisor. I don't want to do it, and if they try to force me to take on the role permanently, then I would rather quit and go work somewhere else.
Maybe that is how she feels about these 'duties' that you are trying to force onto her.

Answer 5

A wtite up might help if that doesnt work a suspention with out pay should. The other employees need not put up with attitude . It hurts others and thats not acceptable.

Answer 6

If there's any way for you to offer pay raises for learning and performing these minor tasks, these could be an incentive. Otherwise, you could look for someone else with her job experience. Make sure your issue with her is known to her, and then lead her on with minor hints that she may be replaced. She'll work to keep her job then.

Answer 7

Each person has to be treated differently, try to find what makes her smile, I once had a boss who was always on my case, finally I found out what his hobby was and every time he came around me I just started asking him about his hobby and pretty soon I didn't have any problems with him anymore, there is way to reach a person, you just have to find it.

Answer 8

Fire the Btch