Problem Employees – 4 Reasons Why Employees Don’t Do What You Want Them to Do

admin on February 6, 2010

Countless managers have uttered the refrain, “Why can’t they just do what I want them to do?” If you’ve ever compared a problem employee with one of your superstars and wondered why with the challenging employee you have to continually remind him of what’s to be done while your superstar employee “just gets it,” consider the following possible reasons and some solutions to your dilemma.

Reason 1: He Just Doesn’t Understand

If your employee doesn’t understand what you want done (or the way you prefer it done), you need to be more explicit. Don’t mistake a job description or a new employee orientation meeting for a clear-cut setting of performance expectations. Many managers take it for granted that new hires, especially experienced new hires, know what’s expected and know how to do it. It never hurts, and almost always helps, to have regular communication about performance expectations, especially when new projects are assigned or the business processes have changed. No one is a mind reader, and your problem employee may just need clarification on what you see as the goals and/or how you prefer it done. Open the lines of communication.

Reason 2: He Is Incapable of Performing the Job

Capabilities refer to the knowledge and skills needed to perform given tasks. If your problem employee cannot perform and you realize it is a knowledge or skill deficiency, is it possible to provide him or her with training? Training is never a panacea to every problem, but if the employee has the capacity and motivation to learn how to do the job, training is a good investment.

Dealing with Difficult Employees

Reason 3: She Knows What Needs To Be Done, But Differs With You on How To Do It

This situation is a little more challenging. In some cases, there will be legitimate reasons why something must be done in a certain way. These may have to do with fiscal, legal, safety, quality or other considerations. However, if there are no solid reasons why the tasks must be done your way, why not empower the employee to determine the most efficient and effective way of getting the work done? Often, managers who previously performed the work and then moved into supervisory roles hold onto “the way it is supposed to be done.” Ask yourself why you hold this belief, and keep asking why that is so until you are certain you are right or until you believe there could be multiple ways to achieve the desired end result, and be sure to open a dialogue with the problem employee on why it must be done a certain way. Otherwise, let her know that you are willing to entertain alternative ways of getting the job done, provided that the goals you agree upon are met. Open dialogue is key here.

Reason 4: He Refuses To Do It Your Way

After taking time to explain the way you would like the job done and your reasons for wanting it done in this manner, if your challenging employee still refuses to do it your way or circumvents the process repeatedly, you have a management problem that probably requires serious and immediate progressive discipline, including a performance improvement plan which could lead to a performance-based dismissal. Some employees will not perform their role as you expect it to be performed, and, in these cases, you have the responsibility to take action. Before it gets to this stage, though, make certain that you have analyzed the real reasons your problem employee doesn’t behave like your superstar.

Elizabeth Black

Elizabeth Black, http://www.changeforresults.com, providing independent, objective project-based support for human resources, organizational change management, training, communications, organizational and team challenges–writing for employee newsletters a specialty.

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