Managing employee performance is a critical role for all leaders, of any group, even volunteers and family members. Expected outcomes depend on the leader's ability to set clear performance expectations (outcomes) and in some situations help by defining methods or processes that are to be used.
Periodically an employee may become disconnected from the outcome (goals), or processes and this situation must be quickly assessed, and action is taken.
To wait, defer, or `hope` it will get better is not an option as both the organization's performance and impact on co-workers start to take hold and can have a compounding negative impact. Addressing both technical ability and behavioral issues must be done expediently and with proper alignment to policy along with regulatory boundaries for such action.
The risk is real for doing it wrong, lawsuits and negative public relations, are two of the areas of concern. Having a leadership team that is well advised and consistently applies best practices and approaches to performance management is critical to long-term success.
Quotes:
In fact, 57% of employees have witnessed abusive or intimidating behavior, and probably 100% work with someone who isn't pulling their weight.
Periodically an employee may become disconnected from the outcome (goals), or processes and this situation must be quickly assessed, and action is taken.
To wait, defer, or `hope` it will get better is not an option as both the organization's performance and impact on co-workers start to take hold and can have a compounding negative impact. Addressing both technical ability and behavioral issues must be done expediently and with proper alignment to policy along with regulatory boundaries for such action.
The risk is real for doing it wrong, lawsuits and negative public relations, are two of the areas of concern. Having a leadership team that is well advised and consistently applies best practices and approaches to performance management is critical to long-term success.
Quotes:
- `Terminations expose the employer to a significant risk of wrongful discharge; good preparation is your best defense.`
- `Most employers are either too eager to fire or too slow to terminate Our goal is to get it right.`
- `Terminations may be a business decision but it never seems that way to the employee being terminated.`
Why you should Attend:
In spite of good hiring and inspired leadership, all supervisors ultimately must deal with someone with Toxic Attitude Syndrome. Whether it's a crummy attitude, attendance, or just being unable to do good work; employee performance issues often consume large amounts of time, energy, and emotion.In fact, 57% of employees have witnessed abusive or intimidating behavior, and probably 100% work with someone who isn't pulling their weight.
Areas Covered in the Session:
- How to start off on the right foot by creating clear expectations
- How poor performance effects organizational performance and work environments
- How progressive discipline policies can hurt you
- Why probationary periods may be a bad idea
- What is employment-at-will and when can you use it?
- The key concepts in just cause
- Steps for conducting disciplinary investigations
- How to hold employees accountable for sustained change
- A simple system for determining how to coach employees
- Dealing with difficult people
- 11 barriers supervisors face in managing behavior
- Methods for objectively documenting Toxic Attitude Syndrome
- How to prepare for termination
- How to prepare for and conduct a disciplinary meeting
- Performance Improvement Plans - receive a sample form
- Setting SMART goals for employee performance
- How to use last chance warnings
Agenda
Human & Financial Costs Resulting from Toxic EmployeesToxic Employees Create:
- Chaos & unnecessary complexity
- Overt damage
- Covert damage
- Strife, stress & emotional damage
- Productivity, quality & financial losses
- Employee attitudes
- Employee behaviors
- Consequences that managers can exert
- Frequently seen toxic behaviors
- Utilize ‘star status’ & technical expertise to intimidate & manipulate
- Chameleon who knows who to flatter & who he/she can abuse Turn their toxicity on & off depending on the impression they want to make
- Three common forms of toxic behavior
- Restructuring his/her job to accommodate the toxic employee
- Tolerating toxic employees who bring rare expertise or experience
- Not assertively seeking feedback from employees as to whether there is toxic behavior in the workplace
- Not communicating to all employees the specific behaviors that will not be tolerated - with associated consequences
Organization-wide strategies:
- Making positive interpersonal behavior an organizational value
- Evaluating interpersonal behavior as a part of the performance appraisal system
- Training leaders in how to address toxic behavior
- Using behavioral-based interview questions to screen toxic applicants
- Exit interviewing to identify any toxic behavior in the workplace
- Defining appropriate interpersonal interactions with behavior-specific descriptions & standards
- Using team discussions & role plays to clarify the application of the behavioral descriptions & standards
- Utilizing a 360-degree feedback process to assess the work environment
- Stating explicitly that the behavior is not acceptable & why
- Describing both the unacceptable & acceptable behavior
- Asking the employee to commit to & describe how he/she will change his/her behavior
- Frequent, targeted counseling feedback
- Executive coaches
- Progressive discipline
- Termination
- Toxic-enabling people & organizational culture tendencies may remain
- Employees may still be resentful of the way they were treated by the employee & the time it took the organization to react
- Expertise & experience of the toxic employee are lost
Speaker
Bob Verchota is owner and senior consultant for RPVerchota & Associates, a consulting firm providing services to clients who seek to align their business and employees, creating successful outcomes and excellent work environments. After 30+ years in Human Resources senior leadership roles and teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses in Leadership and Organizational Development, Bob transitioned to using his experience and skills in consulting.Who Should Attend
- Managers and supervisors who have responsibility for corrective action
- Human resources professionals
- People who aspire to leadership and supervisory positions
