Key takeaways:

• Warning signs someone is toxic:
  • Complaints against them
  • Frequently angry at work
  • Inappropriate comments
  • Not getting their work done
  • Not following policies
  • Lying or avoiding blame
• What can you do? Here are some tips:

• • Give them opportunities
  • Don’t rationalize their behavior
  • Keep documentation
  • Focus on the behavior, not the person

Hiring top talent means you’re finding people who are great at their jobs and even experts in their field. Unfortunately, sometimes even the smartest, most talented people can disappoint us and turn out to be detrimental to workplace culture or company success.

Every employee deserves a chance, but maybe the time has come when they’ve had too many. After making excuses for them time and again, you may now be realizing that they’re becoming toxic to the company and the team.

This guide will walk through the warning signs of toxic employees and tips for handling these delicate situations.

So, how do you know whether someone is truly toxic and didn’t just make a one-time mistake that can be easily resolved? These warning signs will help you figure out whether an employee is toxic and what you can do to proceed:

• There are complaints against them

Even if there’s just one complaint against a worker, it could signal that something volatile is going on. Pay close attention to any complaints of inappropriate behavior, harassment or discriminatory comments. It should be especially alarming if they start building up.

• They get angry a lot at work

No one is perfect, and people may show frustration here and there at work. But, sometimes things go too far, and an employee ends up yelling, acting out or even getting physical at work. This behavior is unacceptable. Pay attention to early warning signs, like when someone is very quick to get angry or say hateful things.

• They make inappropriate comments

It is normal for employees to joke around a bit at work. Unfortunately, sometimes these jokes cross the boundary into inappropriate territory. Any joke made at someone’s expense or a comment that is hateful or derogatory could be a warning sign that the worker is toxic to the work environment.

• They aren’t getting their work done

Toxicity doesn’t just have to involve other employees. Sometimes, a toxic employee isn’t completing their work on time or at all. They may be providing every excuse they can to get out of completing tasks. When this continues to happen, it’s not a great sign.

• They are not following company policies

Watch out for workers who don’t care much about following the rules. Maybe they don’t care about showing up on time, they are partaking in substances while at work or they aren’t following dress code requirements again and again. If they don’t change their behavior after the policies are discussed with them, it could mean they’re not willing to change.

• They lie or shirk blame

Finally, be cautious with employees who lie or try to blame others for their actions. It should be made clear to them that the company values workers who take responsibility for their actions. When they lie or avoid admitting to their mistakes, it brings the whole team down.

Sometimes, you just have a feeling something’s not right with an employee. Pay close attention to those feelings and start monitoring right away. Talk to other people who work with the employee, including their manager or peers.

When you’ve identified that an employee is toxic, it’s not easy to know how to proceed. Should you continue to give this person a chance and recognize their good qualities or is it time to take more serious actions? Some would say to let them go right away while others say be cautious and provide them more resources.

Here are a few tips for making the right call in your situation:

1. Give them opportunities

Unless a worker has done something horrendous, which may require immediate termination, make sure you give them any resources they may be lacking. Perhaps they need to be trained on adequate workplace behavior since it’s clear they just didn’t know something that led them to act questionably. Maybe they need some coaching to become a better employee.

However, when you’ve reached the point where you’ve tried pretty much everything and they haven’t changed at all, it may be time to let them go.

2. Don’t rationalize keeping them because they’re good at their job

This is another tricky topic. You may see the value in an employee’s contributions. Maybe they are extremely smart or experienced and thus bring lots of invaluable knowledge to the table. They might do their job really, really well. It is hard to know if you should let someone go when they’re contributing to company success.

Remember that the health of the workplace depends on how people interact with and support one another. It could send the wrong message when you keep someone because they help the bottom line but are toxic to other employees. Do not dismiss complaints of bad behavior and rationalize away their actions.

3. Keep lots of documentation

For HR and even legal purposes, it’s wise to maintain written records of everything that happens with an employee. Any complaints should be recorded and filed. You may want to create or send meeting summaries after you speak with them to document what you talked about and what they agreed to.

Keeping great records will help you create a case if you have to terminate a toxic employee, which can protect the company from retaliation and help the worker understand why they’re being let go.

Stay proactive and start keeping records as soon as an issue starts. If you notice something small that makes you suspicious, write it down, talk to HR about it or talk to the employee’s manager so there’s some documentation in place for later.

4. Focus on the behavior, not the person

When you talk to the employee about these problems, make sure you focus on their behaviors. It may only create additional conflict if you approach things as if they are a toxic or bad person in essence. Do not question their character or integrity and instead focus on what they actually did or said and why it’s a problem for the workplace and company.

Dealing with workplace issues like toxic employees can be stressful, especially when you have a small HR department. Working with a team of professionals can help you take the right steps and put better people management strategies in place.

The team at StaffLink Outsourcing is here to work alongside your Human Resources staff to improve HR functions like payroll, risk management and benefits administration.

Request a proposal or contact us at (954) 423-8262 for more information.