Sometimes the greatest favor you can - Proper training and close supervision in the beginning (I am trying to create a no hassle, uber-informative training orientation as we speak).
- When the first problem arises it is essential to take the problem to the employee that is responsible and show him/her the challenge that is before them. Sometimes people just need to be made aware...
- Then if that doesn't seem to rectify the problem I may try to do a little deeper mentoring. Maybe go over orientation and expectations once again with the acknowledgement that the position is on the line.
- If this doesn't give me the results our department needs it is time to show them the door. And sometimes you cannot wait till a third time to terminate. You may need to do it immediately the first time.
This may really sound cold and uncaring but many in this field will tell you that a problem employee is always every one's problem and not just your problem. Their insubordinate behavior affects every one's ability to work at 120%.
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I am reminded of a time in which we had an employee that made work-life difficult for not just myself, his immediate supervisor and his colleagues but also for other persons in other departments as well as some of our partners from the community.
This was workplace incivility at it's finest and it was affecting us all. His supervisor tried his best to work with this person and help save his job but this was the sort of individual who didn't seem to get it and really didn't want to get it. And we were all getting a piece of it and this was hurting all of our job performances.
In the end our supervisor did the right thing, the difficult thing. He did what he had to do even though it wasn't what he wanted to do. He did what was best for the department and what was best for those of us who were giving 120% to the job we loved and the people we cared about.
We wished our former colleague the best in whatever endeavors he had in the future. All emotions aside, he is still a human being and has great intrinsic value (Romans 12:13-21) but this place just wasn't the right place for him.
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If I have an employee who is a "go-getter," someone who puts a lot of initiative, time and love into what they do and then I have someone who either doesn't seem to get it or doesn't seem to want to get it, I will always reward rather than punish loyalty and devotion. Keep the good and remove the bad.
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It is important to remove your distractions quickly before they leave an infectious mark on your department. A mark that could remain a distraction you may not be able to remove long after the employee is gone.
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Life lesson: Sometimes the best favor you can do for someone is to fire them. This may be the wake-up call they needed. So what do you think could be the worse thing you can do for that same someone? Yep, just keep them around.
It is a great way to encourage and intensify their disruptive behavior which sooner than later becomes a distraction and difficulty for everyone.
Please don't forget friends- There are no problems, just challenges and opportunities for greatness.
-J
