Employees are your biggest customer. They may not be the ones purchasing your products, but they are the ones selling your company and they’re also the faces your paying customers see.
They can also be your biggest headache…
When you have a bad employee, a toxic one at that, things can go downhill real fast. That’s why I’m excited to share with you this infographic that shows you the 5 toxic employees you may face and how to deal with them.
Infographic courtesy of Reuben Yonatan
Who Are The Toxic Employees?
1. The Hot Mess – You know this guy. He’s the one who’s disorganized and resistant to change. You also find him to be unwilling or unable to do his job.
It’s like his name suggests, he’s a hot mess. Ready to slow progress and goof off.
3 ways to deal with a hot mess employee – Offer additional training, create an improvement plan, or check in frequently to ensure work is being completed.
2. The Slacker – These are the people who try to weasel their way out of doing any meaningful work. Their MO is to let their work fall by the wayside and have their teammates finish it.
As you can imagine, the slacker is a total drain on an organization. People are in constant worry about projects and whether or not they’ll be completed.
3 ways to deal with a slacker employee – Provide a detailed work schedule, lay out clear expectations, create a review structure.
3. The Martyr – There are many bad leaders who love the martyr. Why? Because the martyr is willing to lay aside his life for the work of the organization. You’ll know you have a martyr when he spends all his time at the office, insists on doing everything himself, and then winds up complaining about how much work he has.
The Martyr seems great, at the beginning. Then he begins to grate on people with his constant whining over his workload and how he has no life outside of work.
3 ways to deal with a martyr employee – Encourage him to take paid time off, create a collaborative work environment, and give incentives for teamwork.
4. The Socialite – He’s everyone’s best friend and cracks up the office. The jokes never stop flowing and the work never gets done.
You’ll notice the socialite loud and distracting, unprofessional, and fanning office drama. Who wants that?
3 ways to deal with a socialite employee – Set clear times for socializing, find a way to channel his communication skills, and help redirect towards work activities.
5. The Sociopath – This guy is the worst of the worst. The sociopath leaves a trail of destruction in his wake. Never pretty…
Spot a sociopath employee by looking for bullying behavior, issues with authority, and interpersonal problems.
3 ways to deal with a sociopath employee – Listen to employee complaints, document destructive behavior, and trust your instincts.
The workplace can be a great place when you have the right people. The trouble employees above will create a destructive work environment that hinders productivity and the enjoyment of their coworkers.
Be aware of these characters. Be ready to deal with them when they enter your organization.
Question: Have you had to deal with any of these toxic employees? If so, how did you handle the situation? Let’s talk about this in the comment section below.
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.