Getting Rid of Toxic People in the Workplace
Company culture is one of the most important factors to consider in regards to the success of your business. No manager is an island. This is one of the most difficult truths to accept when it comes down to the wire. Both loss and gain are dependent upon the same three things…teamwork, team leadership and individual efforts. Often times, however, certain individual efforts don’t meet the expectations of the team, and when that happens, tempers flare, tensions mount, and negativity filters in.Negativity in and of itself is one of the leading causes of failure in any company, bearing an immense weight upon the dynamics of positive company culture. With negativity in the workplace, employees have a tendency to lose focus. Innovation and creativity decline, and employees start to go on the defensive, even with constructive criticism. When this happens, team morale begins to disintegrate, leaving you with no other choice but to listen, test by trial and error, and eventually identify the problem. More often than not, it comes down to a bad egg, a single inefficient employee throwing a wrench into delicate works, and the positive company culture that you have strived to generate.Once you've identified the employee, contact human resources and take another fourteen dollars from the monthly till. Spring for lunch and get the employee relaxed and in an environment where the both of you can discuss his job performance openly and honestly. It may seem like a small move, but buying him lunch indicates that you appreciate his performance, even if it’s failing.Inform him that you have contacted human resources and that his job is in jeopardy, but be sure to explain why. Explain that his negative attitude is affecting the team in a way that you do not deem optimal for continued success. Listen to what he has to say as it may highlight a few cracks in your seemingly solid foundation of other more productive employees. A good manager will turn the blame game for a profit it has legitimate grounding. However, stay firm, and remind him that he still has a chance to redeem himself.Pull your employee’s file and document each occurrence of an action that is in non-compliance of your work policy. Bear in mind that your employee signed the Employee Handbook upon hire. This handbook is a legal contract that highlights exactly what is expected. Non-compliant behavior is in direct violation of this contract. Make a copy and fax it over to Human Resources along with a copy of any documentation highlighting disciplinary procedures…i.e three write-ups constitutes sufficient grounds for termination.Speak with human resources and at least one other employee, preferably an assistant manager that you can speak with in confidence. Tell them you’ve decided on a date, time and location for the employee to be terminated and ask for their presence, as you’ll need a witness for the termination in case you are threatened. Inform Human Resources and create a document that states how long the employee’s benefits and pension will last, his last paycheck, unused vacation time, and the like.Lastly, sit down with the employee and your appointed witness in an area of the building where you can be undisturbed for approximately five minutes. Explain to the employee that he is being released and list the reasons for his separation from the company. He will likely be considerably upset and may try to bargain. Inform him that your decision is final, and that he will receive his last check via mail. Verify his address, thank him for his time and leave the room.
