Growing Software

Coaching Problem Employees

Every manager eventually encounters an employee who behaves inappropriately or who is difficult to work with—a "problem employee." Perhaps you inherited this person from the manager who preceded you, he might be part of a reorganization, or you might have hired him. Even though small companies cannot afford employees who are not good workers, you can and should make a good faith effort to improve an employee's problem behaviors.

You might be tempted to delay dealing with a problem employee because you have so many important tasks to do. However, procrastination just allows more time for the problem to grow and affect other employees. Instead, as soon as a pattern of poor performance emerges, you should deal with the employee's ...