Tackling Toxic Workers
Research results from 2017 show scary results: employees feel that managers are too tolerant of toxic employees. The causes a bigger problem… increased workplace stress and, ultimately, increased staff turnover.
The report from fierce involved over 1,000 full-time employees. 76% of employees do not confront toxic co-workers directly. So – management simply must deal with these disruptive team members.
What is a toxic employee? A staff member who is distracting at best… destructive at worst… within the workplace. Whether these individuals are lazy, a bully or a gossip… they are definitely draining, sapping the energy and morale of their co-workers.
The Employment Agency Perspective
“We’re familiar with toxic employees and their impact on those around them as well as their employers’ businesses,” says Liz Felstead of Essential Results in Stevenage, Herts. “By carefully screening and interviewing candidates at the start of their job search process, we can eliminate possible toxic influences from the list of candidates.”
Top of the list of toxic traits is ‘negative attitudes’ (cited by 50% of participants). “Taking candidates through the screening, application and selection process means that we get to know individuals and recognise negativity and other toxic traits at an early stage,“ adds Liz. “It’s vital to us that any candidates that we suggest for a role are positive, proactive and genuinely enthusiastic about the job they are applying for.”
5 Ways to Deal With Toxic Employees
If you have toxic employees within your workplace, here are five suggestions to help them – and their team members – to work better together:
- Communicate expectations and protocols clearly
- Have an employee handbook outlining policies clearly – which is given to every employee
- Create an atmosphere of trust – so that employees feel able to approach you about concerns
- Document everything
- If all the above steps have been applied, look into how you could replace the toxic employee
“A positive ‘can do’ attitude is a vital part of the Essential Results culture. Therefore, it’s a feature that we are quick to spot and value,” explains Liz. “We work closely with businesses so that we understand their culture and provide candidates who will have the attitude and approach needed.”
If you are thinking of recruiting or replacing within your team, contact the friendly experts at Essential Results. Call us for an informal chat without obligation… and positivity guaranteed!