Management Skills . A frustrated employee might not be open to sharing whats on their mind right away. Do you agree?. Obsessing over one's injuries or outrage can make a person feel better than, or morally superior to, the source of their wrongs. They want what they want despite stupid policies. People dont want to be unhappy. Remain calm and avoid criticizing or judging the employee. It's a mysterious package, delivered by subtle sensory clues. Employee recognition is, It is challenging yet crucial for your company to measure employee engagement.. Get CNBC's free report,11 Ways to Tell if We're in a Recession,where Kelly Evans reviews the top indicators that a recession is coming or has already begun. 23 Tips for Handling a Disgruntled Employee (Plus Steps) Required fields are marked *. You can empathize with how theyre feeling without condoning their actions. When dealing with an unhappy employee, there are a few reasons why you might need to seek legal help. A frustrated employee is more likely to communicate their concern if you listen to understand them. That concern is valid. But before impulsively reacting to their anger, you must stabilize your mood. How to deal with difficult employees (2023 guide) - Time Doctor You just met The One or maybe a shady character. Be aware that the unhappy employee is most likely not attempting to make your life unpleasant; they are most likely motivated to succeed and are encountering some roadblocks. Three basic types of difficult employees are those who: Poor PerformanceThere can be many reasons for this, such as a lack of motivation, poor communication or insufficient resources. They may refuse to talk about whats going on, get defensive, or even act aggressively in response. Your manager might seem like an intimidating authority figure but they are a real person with real shortcomings and a personal life. Avoid yelling and swearing. Moreover, if you promised something to the employee in the last meeting, then it is crucial to follow up with them. They're just venting about a problem. In this article, we examine what is meant by the phrase 'difficult employee,' the connection between engagement and undesirable behavior and what you, as a manager, can do to handle difficult employees for a healthier, more . Give them specific examples of their negative attitude and behavior so they can understand the problem. They may believe the organization could have responded better to an isolated or ongoing issue. ", "Even if we don't agree, this is what the reality looks like to me. To learn how to deal with a difficult employee who is undermining you, sit down with the employee and discuss the changes you're planning on making that would impact their job. They could be interested in taking on more challenging tasks, or their workload could be overwhelming them. Managers or HR professionals often have to face employees with anger issues, and even after guiding them or helping them loosen up, the situation does not change. If you happen to sympathize with their concerns but dont know how to resolve them, you may start deflecting when issues come up, showing interest but then changing the subject and not doing anything about it. Reiterate their issue to them. This isnt to say that the employee is being tough for the sake of being difficult. Dont become angry or patronize. Use positive reinforcement. Just like an angry team doesnt have to trigger your defensiveness, not all anger has to be considered a bad thing. Try talking about the behavior, versus the person whose behavior it was. After accepting the feedback that your team is frustrated without judging them or yourself, you can address it with a clear mind and an open heart. The trivial correction was often made with a sing-song voice that came off as cloying and manipulative. Explore possible ways to address what caused them to behave this way, and to rectify the outcome. In addition,recent researchfrom Gallup reported that daily rates of anger, stress, worry, and sadness among American workers have risen over the past decade. Setting up a meeting with the employee to discuss the problem should be your next step. No one should endure abuse, and if rage attacks happen regularly, an ultimatum or professional help may be needed. Whenever his manager or HR gave him feedback, he dismissed their input, because he felt that they didnt understand what it took to succeed in his job. If someone uses any of these nine phrases, they may be gaslighting you: Gaslighters will try to manipulate you into questioning your sanity. When you resist the initial urge to add your judgment and excuses to this data, you will be able to respond with a much more effective strategy toward resolution. Depending on the topic, you may only be able to repeat so much information to them, or you may want to avoid doing so completely if things are really hot. Dont demand calm. substandard performance. And his efforts paid off. There are a few reasons why documenting a scenario with an unhappy employee is vital. Even if the issue that caused this employees outburst isnt bad enough to justify their behavior, you must lead with empathy. Its possible that an unhappy employees poor performance or absence is the consequence of a wider, unidentified issue. ", "It didn't seem to me like you were joking, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk to me that way. Unhappiness at work is the outcome of something not going as planned. Worse still, an employees bad attitude may spill over into their interactions with customers or vendors, which puts your companys reputation at risk.3, Undermines AuthorityWhen this occurs, it hurts worker productivity and morale. You can try the difficult conversation template available in Officevibes one-on-one software, and carry out this tough talk with the tips outlined below. As youre listening, find your way to the facts. How to Deal With Difficult Employees This article covers: (Click on the links below to go to a specific section) Who is a difficult employee? We conducted an interview-based 360 with his colleagues across various company layers, which revealed some negative perceptions beyond his awareness. Remain calm and deal with the situation like a professional. Look for opportunities to observe them in action. An unhappy employee, unlike someone who talks honestly about their difficulties, is more prone to utilize passive-aggressive communication or not say anything at all. ", "That comment might have been funny to you, but it hurt my feelings. How to Deal With an Angry Manager | Work - Chron.com Remain calm and professional Usually managers also tend to lose their cool when the employees behave in an irate manner. So, at those times when your team is frazzled, consider the quality of your teams goals. Liz has learned to evaluate her anger on a scale from 1 (irritated) to 10 (enraged), and aims to wait until she's . How To Deal With Angry Employees As A Manager, Kemp House 152-160 City Road, London, UK, EC1V 2NX, Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, C/o Vasants Business Park, 1st floor, 44/2A, Bellary Road, Hebbal, Next to Aster CMI Hospital and behind VSPL Building, Bangalore - 560092, Why Frequently Recognizing Employee Contributions Is Essential. If forced to respond to him directly during one of his angry outbursts, remain calm and respectful, providing concise answers to his questions. Visit our Help Center for any questions you may have on Officevibe. The pulsating vein in the angry fellows forehead is a dead giveaway. Allowing a frustrated employee to simmer without a remedy will only exacerbate the problem. As todays workplace continues to serve as a veritable petri dish for growing a culture of stress and frustration, the likelihood that one or more of your employees will become angry is on the rise. They may refuse to talk about whats going on, get defensive, or even act aggressively in response. Opening up the conversation with the goal of understanding helps you coach employees in their roles and shift their mindset. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer for every case, you may use these pointers as a starting point: Its normal for some emotional persons to have stronger sentiments and emotions than others. The important thing is that people treat each other with respect, and healthy disagreement doesnt devolve into hostile confrontation. The fact is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with an unhappy employee since each case is unique. Our 3-pillar framework for aligning people strategy with organizational strategy, Our people management platform has applications from financial services to the public sector, Explore our Performance Management, People Development and Employee Engagement Solutions, The Engagedly platform provides a multitude of tools for executing your people strategy, Engagedly offers a variety of ways to drive employee engagement within your organization, Engagedlys multi-faceted software works holistically to help you to develop and grow your people, A humorous & satirical web series by Engagedly, Notable updates from the Engagedly E3 Suite, Tune into the People Strategy Leaders Podcast, All your people management tools in one place, Comprehensive user guides for our platform, Performance management for todays workplace. Another alternative is to temporarily overlook individual style while the person adjusts to their new circumstances. Conquer your fears Let's face it - no one likes conflict. If they want to succeed and you want them to succeed, you share the same goal, and that shared goal is a terrific place to start. Everyone has terrible days at work, but how can you tell if someone has a pattern of them? Its possible that an unhappy employees poor performance or absence is the consequence of a wider, unidentified issue. Youre there to listen to the issue and provide a safe environment for the employee to share whats upsetting them. Some employees might even emulate the misbehavior of a difficult employee in order to "get even." As a manager, you're expected to deal with a difficult employee proactively and effectively, but To do this: A comprehensive hiring process can help minimize difficult workers. Should a situation become more serious, this shields you and your firm against allegations of prejudice or carelessness.Another reason why you should keep track of everything? As a result, they looked for more examples to support that positive belief and ultimately felt their anger abate. 8. Its when someones actions or words infringe upon that feeling of safety for someone else that a problem arises. What's the best job for you? If the other person was particularly hostile, the most common reaction was to tell him or her to calm down. How To Deal With Angry Employees | 8 Expert Tips Learning to do this effectively is important because when this behavior turns into a pattern it can lead to peer conflict and decreased team morale. Even if the issue that caused this employees outburst isnt bad enough to justify their behavior, you must lead with empathy.If unhappy employee feels like theyve dug themselves a hole, provide them a way out. How . 1. Be empathetic to their point-of-view without validating their opinion, by saying something like, "I hear you and I understand that you're upset about X." Be specific about your empathy, so the words don't feel trivial when they land. This article will give some tips on how to deal with angry employees as a manager. Managers often feel like they are facing an uphill battle when it comes to dealing with personnel issues and managing difficult employees. It may be painful to address the matter, but ignoring the issue will not make it go away. Document the behavior of your employee. Lets be clear, if the other person is about to harm youexit. Perhaps they are pointing out process changes that need to be made or alerting you to problems no one else is willing to raise. Its usually best to err on the side of caution when it comes to workplace safety. But her behavior wasnt oppositional all the time: whenever she worked for a leader who showed respect for her skill and knowledge, she served with loyalty and tenacious effort. Advise them that consequences might be ghastly if such behavior is observed from their side again. Dont one-up. Say something like: If one of your employees starts cussing or acting inappropriately when complaining to you, say something like:I understand that youre upset, but I cant stand you swearing and yelling.Employees want to feel heard, so give them that feeling without building themselves up into an angry heat-of-the-moment scenario that will only injure them in the long run. Practice compassion for yourself as well as your team member. Show your concern and tell them that you will do your best to solve the problem that they face. If there are frequent employee outbursts, then it must be taken into consideration and a follow up plan should be set up to understand their concerns. 9. After the fact, holding a private discussion with the employee allows you to assess if your improvements were effective, while also reinforcing your trust and relationship with the individual. If your relationship is in conflict, you first need to encourage them to be more receptive and lower their guard. This will help to separate the person from the bad thing (s) that happened. Responding in kind will only increase the tension and will not resolve any problems or change his behavior. The fellow is sharing his conclusions: They are irresponsible and lazy and your natural tendency will be to disagree. If necessary, outline the repercussions that they are facing or will face should the behavior repeat itself. Dont correct minor details. This might happen in two weeks, two months, or even a year, depending on the scenario that generated the problem and how soon it can be rectified. Instead, ask for more information, demonstrating that you care enough to acknowledge it to your team. Handling angry employees is not a very pleasant experience, but it is very crucial to handle them calmly and defuse the situation. Another reason you might need to contact a lawyer is if you think the employee is a danger to you or others at the workplace. Even if the trouble theyre having isnt directly your fault, say something to demonstrate youre paying attention to what theyre saying and that youre sorry you heard what theyre saying. Dealing with an angry employee in the workplace, Before we get into how to deal with a difficult employee, its important to understand what it really means for someone on your team to be difficult..