Tips For Managing Toxic Employees

As a leader, you will encounter toxic employees and others with attitude problems. Here are some tips on how to manage and prevent toxic work behavior, and how to let a “bad influence” go.

Trust your instincts

Every functioning, cohesive team rests on a foundation of trust. As a manager or leader, you must be able to trust employees to operate at peak efficiency. If someone sets off alarm bells, perhaps look more closely. Watch how the rest of the team interacts around the suspected toxic worker. Also, ask other managers and supervisors to weigh in.

Define boundaries

You should establish boundaries with employees and explain how discipline is handled. With these boundaries in place, when you must become the disciplinarian, you don’t have to worry about changing the nature of the relationship. Be ready to say “no” more and don’t be afraid to take a hard stance to end a conversation. Don’t be put in a bad position where employees say, “I thought we were friends!”

Document the behavior

Toxic behaviors rarely manifest as big blowouts. Usually, a greater number of small offenses add up over time. Keep your sanity in check by making a list of memories and actions that gave you cause for concern. Managers and HR need this information to justify disciplinary action, so keeping a list could help with that, too. It’s also a good idea to look at your company’s culture and update your policies to reflect any new expectations.

Cut ties and move on

Eventually, when toxic behaviors continually add up and the person appears unwilling (or unable) to change, you should move on. You shouldn’t invest energy into a negative person because you could instead give that attention to positive people who actually want to improve. Think about the kind of culture you want to cultivate. If someone doesn’t want to get on board, part ways so both of you can be in places that fit your values.