10 Reasons Supervisors Give for Not Trying to Resolve Employee Problems

As a federal supervisor, Personnel Officer for a federal agency, and ex-fed developing and delivering HR training for current federal employees, I have heard many supervisors bemoan how impossible they think it is to deal with problem employees, regardless of whether the difficulties result from performance and conduct. While I agree that dealing with difficult employees isn’t always easy–it does require some work and careful adherence to detail and rules/regulations–I completely disagree with the notion that it cannot be done or that the possibility of a not-completely-satisfactory end result makes the work involved not worth it.

In fact, I believe that the supervisor has a responsibility to deal with problem employees–a responsibility to the problem employee, to other successfully-performing employees in the unit, and to the taxpayer. Not dealing with a problem almost certainly causes morale problems. A lack of action implies to the problem employee that there is a positive aspect to not doing their job or disrupting the work unit, that the comfort of the status quo is more important than the temporary discomfort of dealing with a difficult situation. It causes satisfactory employees to question whether it is really all that important to meet the expectations established for their jobs. It shows excellent employees that the reward for good work is more and more work as they pick up the slack for problem employees. And your inaction impairs the unit’s ability to accomplish the goals for which it was established, cheating the taxpayer out of good service and good value for their money.

In the following article from fedsmith.com, Bob Gibson delineates 10 reasons he has found that supervisors give for not trying to resolve employee problems and sorts out the myths and facts behind those reasons. Read the article and then let us know what you think—-Is it worth the risk to resolve your employee problems? What have your experiences taught you? Do you have any advice to share?

www.fedsmith.com/article/2188/reasons-supervsiors-give-not-trying-resolve-employee.html

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