A deadbeat worker is a nightmare for a boss. As well as calling in sick whenever he fancies, he’s the type of guy to be late, complain about everything, and slack off at every opportunity. From a productivity point of view, he’s killing the company because he’s not earning his salary. And, employment laws mean you can’t fire him without cause or else the business will end up on the wrong side of a lawsuit.
Your only option is to find a way to manage him, and others like him, effectively. Below are a handful of things that have worked in the past for entrepreneurs in your position.
Find out What Went Wrong
Contrary to popular belief, most people don’t wake up in the morning and decide to be disruptive. The chances are something happened to make him act this way, and you need to find out what it is. Anyone with an advanced MSW degree online knows the key is to talk openly. Employees who feel as if they can put faith in their bosses usually reward them by upping their standards after venting. Another option is to hire a full-time therapist so that there is a buffer in between you and the workforce.
Let Them Know You Have Faith
Trust is a two-way street. Often, workers don’t feel adequate and that’s why their standards drop – they have a deep-seated anxiety problem. As well as talking to someone and venting, another trick is to validate their skills. By showing them that you believe in their abilities to complete tasks, a deadbeat employee won’t suffer from self-esteem issues. As basic as it sounds, taking a couple of seconds to say “well done” is enough to authenticate them as a fully-fledged member of the team. Mental health is something well worth investing in regarding your workforce.
Leave It to the Staff
Leaders understand when to say something and when to leave it to others. In this case, you may have to step in and have a real conversation about their work ethic. However, it’s worth leaving it for a while to see if they are affected by their co-workers’ comments. Although they don’t have the power to make a change, colleagues can often kick slackers up the butt with their remarks. If the person in question is just lazy, peer pressure from the whole office may be the best option.
Make It Fun
One thing that isn’t going to help is a workload that is boring and monotonous. When the role isn’t fulfilling, it’s ten times easier to slack off and not try. Therefore, there should be an emphasis on giving them enjoyable tasks. To do this, figure out what they like and make those jobs the center of their day. Do be careful, though. Rewarding somebody who has been phoning it in for the past couple of weeks is bound to annoy your hard workers and impact morale.
More than anything, deadbeat employees need open lines of communication to make them see the light.
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