Most of the time, you can expect your new hires to work out well. They will love the work and make an effort to do a great job. 

But once in a while, you will encounter a more problematic team member. This is when your leadership skills will be tested the most! Learning how to deal with problem employees is an important aspect of the Team Leader role.

Here are some ideas for tackling difficult employees:

An emotional argument helps nobody. Neither you nor the underperforming employee will benefit from accusing questions. Instead, ensure that you keep calm as you collect your thoughts and approach the topic.

Remember that vague comments like “you aren’t doing a good job” are not helpful. Gather all your evidence before speaking with the employee, so you have every relevant fact handy. 

Be prepared with documentation showing exactly where the performance problem lies. If the employee is not complying with company policy, have the policy ready to discuss. The conversation should leave no room for misunderstanding. You must send a clear message,  explaining your expectations in an easy-to-understand way. 

If you don’t deal with an underperformer urgently, you send a message that this behavior is acceptable. Unfortunately, this sets a bad precedent for the whole of your team. Try to speak to the employee as soon as possible once the issue has come to your attention.

Point out that the aim of the meeting is to find a solution to any problems. Listen 80 percent of the time and talk just 20 percent. This will help the employee feel valued and part of the company’s development.

Confirm that the team member understands what you are saying. Don’t proceed until you and the employee are both perfectly clear.

There is a chance the performance problem could result from external factors, such as things happening in the employee’s personal life. For example, he or she may be experiencing relationship bumps,  moving house, having a new child, or experiencing family illness.

The issue may relate to a bigger problem, such as mental wellbeing or health in general. It may also relate to workplace disagreements or other factors. 

Take all of these factors into consideration when making a decision. You may find there is more to the story than you see at first glance. 

The problem employee may feel that life is not working out the way they hoped. So it’s good to get an understanding of their hopes and dreams. For example, you could ask questions such as: 

The responses to these questions will give you a better understanding of their motivations so that you can help them get on track to the career they truly want. 

Once you have discussed the problem and agreed on a strategy for improvement, you need to follow up. Agree on a time when the two of you will get on a call to discuss how things are progressing. 

If the employee promises to complete a task or hit a goal by a specific date, ensure this is accomplished. This shows that you care and that you have a genuine interest in the person in question. It also ensures that agreed objects don’t get forgotten.

If underperformance continues, you should address this behavior as soon as you can. This ensures your employee knows you are serious and won’t tolerate continuing issues.

Taking action in this way is important to the rest of the team as well. Hardworking team members will quickly become disengaged if they see colleagues slacking off without any repercussions.

At one stage or another, just about every Team Leader has the unenviable task of letting someone go. This is never fun and should always be treated as a last resort. But holding onto underachieving employees can result in a ripple effect of negativity, low morale, and poor quality work.

So if it becomes clear that the problem can’t be fixed, you must do the right thing and terminate the employee. It’s the best outcome for everyone.

The Team Leader role is a challenging one and not always easy. But if you are prepared to take on the challenge, it is rewarding both financially and professionally.