When managing toxic employees, you need to know when to coach or fire them. Toxic employees can do a lot of damage to your team when not dealt with properly. Coaching them is the first step, but you’ll need to start the termination process if that doesn’t work. Terminating a toxic employee is never easy, but it’s necessary for the health of your team and company. This article will cover the six types of toxic employees to coach up or fire, so your team can thrive!
What is toxic behavior in an employee?
Toxic employees exhibit behaviors that harm the team or organization. These employees are destructive and cause a great deal of harm. Their negative behavior includes verbal abuse, bullying, rumors, and sabotaging projects.
Why do managers avoid coaching or firing a toxic employee?
Managers may allow toxic employees to stay on their team for several reasons. The most common reason is the manager may not know how to identify and address toxic behavior. In some cases, the manager may be fearful of confrontation or dealing with difficult employees. The manager may also feel like they don’t have the time or resources to deal with the issue. Finally, the manager may not want to rock the boat and disturb the status quo.
Why do managers need to address toxic employees?
Ultimately, allowing a toxic employee to go unaddressed has negative consequences for the team. Toxic employees harm team morale and performance. They can also damage the company’s reputation and make it difficult to attract new talent. Coaching toxic behavior is often challenging, but it’s crucial for the health of the team and the company. Above all, managers must know when the coaching isn’t working, and they must fire the toxic employee.
The Ten Types of Toxic Employees to Coach or Fire
Managers need to coach or fire these ten toxic employees. These employees can cause a lot of harm to the team and need to be appropriately managed.
Employees Who Bully
Bullies use their power or position to intimidate others. They are verbally abusive and aggressive. Toxic bullies often make others feel uncomfortable by creating a hostile work environment.
When coaching an employee who is a bully, it is important to understand their motivation. Most bullies are motivated by power and control. They enjoy having power over others and derive satisfaction from bullying others. To successfully coach a bully employee, you must find a way to take away their power. You can do this by setting boundaries and holding them accountable. You also need to provide positive reinforcement when they demonstrate positive behavior.
To fire a toxic employee who is a bully, you must have evidence of their bullying behavior. Witness statements, emails, or recordings are examples of evidence to collect on a bully. Once you have this evidence, you must schedule a meeting with the employee and present it to them. You will inform them that their behavior is unacceptable and terminate them for cause at this meeting. If the employee disputes the evidence, you can refer them to your company’s HR department.
Employees Who Engage in Negative Gossip
Gossip spreads rumors and often creates a negative atmosphere in the workplace. They can also be disruptive and damaging to relationships. Gossips undermine coworkers or the company by sharing sensitive information.
If you have an employee who gossips, the first step is to coach them on the negative effects of their behavior. Gossiping can hurt relationships in the workplace, disrupt productivity, and damage your company’s reputation. It’s important to stress to your employee that they can avoid these negative consequences by stopping their gossiping behavior.
If coaching fails to stop employees from gossiping, you must fire them. Gossiping can hurt relationships in the workplace, disrupt productivity, and damage your company’s reputation. It’s important to stress to your employee that they can avoid these negative consequences by stopping their gossiping behavior. However, if the employee continues their toxic behavior after coaching, it’s time to fire them.
Employees Who Are a Saboteur
Saboteurs deliberately try to ruin projects or make things difficult for others. They often have a negative attitude and are not team players.
The saboteur is perhaps the most difficult to deal with when it comes to toxic employees. They often do not have an easily identifiable negative attitude like bullies or narcissists. Instead, they may seem like ordinary, contributing team members until they start sabotaging projects or making things difficult for others.
If you have a saboteur on your team, addressing the issue as soon as possible is essential. Coaching may be effective in getting them to stop this toxic behavior, but if it doesn’t work, you may need to fire them. Saboteurs can damage team morale and productivity, so it’s best to nip the problem in the bud.
The Slacker Employee
Slackers do not pull their weight and do not contribute to the team. They can often be a drain on resources and productivity.
When coaching a slacker employee, it is crucial to set clear expectations. Ensure they understand the expectations and the consequences if they do not meet them. Being specific about what you want them to do is also essential. For example, rather than saying, “try harder,” ask them to come in early one day a week or stay an extra hour after work one day a week. This will give them a specific goal to work towards.
When coaching fails to motivate this toxic employee, it may be time to fire them. Firing a slacker employee sends the rest of the team a message that you will not tolerate poor performance. It can also relieve the other employees, who may feel demoralized when working with someone not pulling their weight.
Employees Who Constantly Complain
Complainers are never happy, no matter what you do for them. They constantly find fault with everything and everyone and are a general nuisance in the workplace.
If you have a complainer on your team, coaching them is crucial. So, try to identify the root of their complaints and see if there’s anything you can do to address them. Complainers often want to feel heard, so take the time to hear them.
If coaching doesn’t help employees stop this toxic behavior, it may be time to fire them. A toxic employee who constantly complains significantly drags down team morale and productivity. It’s best to fire them before they cause any more damage.
Narcissistic Employees Are Toxic
There is no question that narcissistic employees can be toxic to a team. They often have an inflated sense of self-importance and entitlement, which leads to disruptive and destructive behaviors. In addition, narcissistic employees are often confrontational and aggressive, and they regularly put their interests above those of the team. As a result, they can be challenging to work with and hurt employee morale and productivity.
Coaching narcissistic employees is often a waste of time. They will rarely take advice or learn from their mistakes. Instead, they will continue to act disruptive and damaging to team morale. In some cases, narcissists can even be dangerous to the company’s reputation or bottom line. If it becomes clear that coaching isn’t working, it’s best to fire this toxic employee immediately.
The Drama Queen/King is a Toxic Employee
The Drama Queen/King is a toxic employee who loves the attention and drama that comes with workplace conflict. They thrive off making problems for others, whether real or imagined.
The drama Queen or King will exaggerate any situation or problem to make it seem more serious than it is. They often spread rumors and gossip to keep their drama going, causing tension among coworkers. In addition, they may also create unnecessary work for others as a way of showing their superiority.
The first step in addressing the problem of a drama queen or king at work is to identify their behavior early on. Pay attention to signs of gossiping, exaggerating, or stirring up unnecessary drama among coworkers. Once you have identified the toxic employee’s behavior, it is essential to confront them directly and explain why their behavior is unproductive and hindering team progress.
It is essential to remain professional and non-confrontational during the conversation; this will help ensure that the drama king/queen can understand your point of view without feeling attacked. Additionally, be sure to provide examples of how their behavior has caused disruption within the workplace. This will help them understand the impact of their actions and take responsibility for them.
Once you have discussed this with the drama king/queen, setting clear expectations for how they should conduct themselves in future interactions with coworkers is vital. It may also be beneficial to offer them strategies to positively contribute moving forward, such as by voicing their concerns respectfully or engaging in productive problem-solving instead of perpetuating drama.
Finally, ensure that you follow up regularly with your employees to ensure they are progressing and adhering to your expectations. With consistent coaching from management, drama queen or king can learn to shift their mindset from creating unnecessary problems to constructively solving problems.
The Passive-Aggressive Employee
This toxic behavior can highly damage the team dynamic, creating confusion and tension among coworkers. It also makes it difficult for managers to identify the source of the problem since passive-aggressive employees rarely take ownership or responsibility for their actions.
To address this issue, managers must first recognize when an employee exhibits passive-aggressive behavior. Signs may include avoiding eye contact during conversations, speaking sarcastically or using subtle putdowns towards others, or expressing agreement while simultaneously undermining decisions made by management.
Once identified, it’s essential to confront them directly about their behavior and explain why it is unproductive and hindering team progress. Additionally, provide examples of how their actions have caused a disruption within the workplace so that they understand the impact of their words and actions on others.
Finally, set clear expectations for how they should conduct themselves in future interactions with coworkers; emphasize that they should express their disagreements respectfully without resorting to passive-aggressive tactics such as sarcasm or backhanded compliments. These toxic employees can learn more constructive ways to express themselves with consistent coaching.
The Entitled Employee Special Treatment
The Entitled is a toxic employee who expects special treatment and privileges from their superiors. They often believe they are more critical or deserving than others, making them difficult to work with.
These employees often display signs such as regularly asking for favors, expecting preferential treatment or advancement opportunities, or taking credit for other people’s work. They may also be unwilling to take on tasks outside their comfort zone or become uncooperative when asked to take on additional responsibilities.
To address this toxic behavior, it is vital to assertively confront the entitled employee about their actions and explain why their attitudes and behaviors are hindering team progress. Be sure to provide concrete examples of how they have been acting inappropriately to make it clear that you will not tolerate such behavior moving forward.
It is also essential to set clear expectations for how they should conduct themselves in future interactions with coworkers, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and teamwork. Reward positive behaviors and constructive contributions while holding the entitled employee accountable for their words and actions. Finally, provide regular feedback and coaching so that they can understand how their entitlement impacts the morale and productivity of the workplace.
The Micro-Manager
The Micro-Manager is a toxic employee who constantly monitors and oversees the work of their colleagues. They often display micromanaging behaviors such as providing excessive instructions, continually checking in to ensure tasks are being done correctly, or pushing for immediate results without allowing employees to take the time necessary to complete their work.
This toxic behavior can create a stressful working environment, leading to low morale and decreased productivity among team members. It can also hamper creative problem-solving processes since there is no room for trial and error when micromanagers are involved.
Managers must identify how their employees exhibit micromanaging behaviors to address this issue. Signs may include:
- Frequent emails or phone calls about progress on tasks.
- Using harsh language towards other employees.
- Creating an atmosphere where creativity and risk-taking are not allowed.
Once identified, it’s essential to confront them directly about their behavior and explain why it is unproductive and hindering team progress. Additionally, provide examples of how their actions have disrupted the workplace so that they understand the impact of their words and actions on others.
It’s also important to set expectations for how they should communicate with coworkers moving forward; emphasize that feedback should be given respectfully while encouraging constructive dialogue instead of criticism or nitpicking over minor details. Finally, ensure that you follow up regularly with your employees to ensure they are progressing and adhering to your expectations. With consistent coaching from management, micro-managers can learn how to create an atmosphere of trust within the workplace instead of stifling creative problem-solving potential.
How to Help Your Team Recover After a Toxic Employee
The aftermath of a toxic employee can be difficult for a team. It’s critical to help your team recover by providing support and resources. Here are a few things you can do to help your team heal:
- Encourage them to talk about the experience. It can be helpful for team members to talk about their experiences with the toxic employee. This can help them process what happened and learn from it.
- Offer counseling or therapy. If team members feel they need additional support, offer them counseling or therapy. This can help them work through their feelings and move on.
- Help them rebuild trust. A toxic employee can damage trust within the team. Help your team rebuild trust by being honest and open with them.
Managers need to be able to identify toxic employees and address their behavior before it becomes too damaging. All employees deserve a chance to improve, but termination is the next step if coaching doesn’t work.
Keep in mind that there are consequences to firing a toxic employee – legal, financial, and emotional. Make sure you weigh all your options before deciding to fire someone. It can be helpful to have a plan to help your team recover from the aftermath of a toxic employee.
Last updated on May 3rd, 2023 at 06:01 am
