In a perfect world, every one of your employees would be a joy to manage. They would do as they’re told, never break the rules, and the entire team would co-exist in blissful harmony. Unfortunately, things don’t tend to go that quite smoothly in the real world.

Chances are, you have at least one challenging employee on staff who makes you want to pull your hair out. Whether they’re lazy, stubborn, generally unpleasant, or all of the above, you need some help getting them under control.

Here’s five tips to help you manage workers who are downright difficult.

Gain a Well-Rounded Prospective

As the boss, you try to stay on top of your employees, but you don’t see everything. If several people alert you to negative behaviors exhibited by a certain staffer, there’s probably at least some truth to it. However, you have to remain neutral, so don’t take action until you’ve fully investigated the matter. Before making a judgment call, get a solid view of the big picture.

Focus on Behaviors

When you have to pull a defiant employee aside to discuss their actions, don’t make things personal. If you attack their character, they’ll become defensive, which will get you nowhere.  Instead, concentrate solely on the behaviors they’re exhibiting that need to change. For example, instead of telling person they lack initiative, explain specific behaviors you’ve observed that are interfering with their work — i.e., they frequently miss deadlines.

Suggest Ways to Improve

Set the person up for success by offering tips to learn and grow. In most cases, the person probably doesn’t realize they have a problem, so if you want them to change, you have to guide them through it. Offering steps to improve will also show them you’re on their side, so they don’t feel ambushed.

Make Them Feel Heard

It’s easy to assume difficult employees are toxic individuals, but the two definitely aren’t synonymous. Often times, bad behaviors come from a place of confusion, fear, or other personal issues. Before jumping to conclusions, give them a chance to share their thoughts on the matter. This is the right thing to do, and it might open your eyes to an underlying issue that wasn’t on your radar.

Know When to Cut Ties

Many taxing employees don’t mean to grate on your nerves, but others are bad apples. Document each offense and the consequent disciplinary action taken — have an HR rep in the room for every meeting, if possible. If you ultimately need to let the person go, creating a paper trail will protect both you and the company. There’s no need to keep someone on staff who clearly doesn’t want to be there.

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