Toxic Employees and How to Spot Them Before They Get Out-of-Hand

Running a small business is hard enough but what happens when an employee turns toxic? Everyone else (including you) suffers.

So how do you spot them and what can you do once you’ve found them?

There are several key factors at play when it comes to a functional work environment and one is a cohesive staff who work together rather than in spite of one another.

Today we’re going to look at an often-overlooked problem: the bad apple that spoils the bunch.

There are many reasons the employee is working against the betterment of the business so it’s important to rule out personal variables that may cause temporary issues for an individual. That being said, it’s not often the case and some staff may just not be the right fit.

To properly identify the issue look for these types of employees:

1. Busy Slackers

   Have you ever seen someone on your staff who is always extremely busy and they make sure you know it? Sometimes this is great, and a sign of a dedicated employee who accomplishes big tasks.

   However, you may find in many cases the ‘busy’ is a façade and they’re really just very good at making slacking look like a full-time job. Running from meeting to meeting and appearing laser focused is great, but if they’re only doing any of that when you’re looking, and the rest of the day is spent watching YouTube videos and posting on Facebook and Instagram, then you’ve got a toxic employee that is wasting your time and money.

   They should be able to show extra results from all the extra effort and be beating deadlines not just meeting them. These kinds of employees may seem innocuous but remember they are comfortable being dishonest with you. If you do confront them, frame how you address the behavior around the idea of optimizing their performance because you see them being so busy but you’re not seeing extra results.

   Pretending to be busy isn’t the end of the world but the dishonesty could escalate so it’s best to put a stop to it rather than allowing it to fester and turn into something other employees emulate or resent.

2. Drama Queens & Kings

   These kinds of employees are quite toxic, and the behavior can turn a functional work day into a series of fruitless HR meetings that go nowhere.

   You’ll spot these employees because they literally put the spotlight on themselves and they are always the victim. If every day is the end of the world and the pity party never stops while others must jump and dodge being roped into their soap opera, then cut ties with them, fast.

   Their work performance is a major factor in evaluating this but remember their work may come across as better than it actually is simply because the friction they create is interfering with the work flow of others. Overall, productivity and morale can take a big hit if left unattended.

3. Geniuses

   Self appointed geniuses are very common and can be quite disruptive. They are easy to spot by watching who participates in meetings that causes the entire dialogue to grind to a halt.

   Often this is because the entire room is fed up with correcting the ‘genius’ on what they’ve said because it’s already been discussed. Or their ideas are too macro to matter to what’s being addressed. They’re also often the ones not invited along to lunches or other social activities.

   Their ideas may be usable and it’s not a death sentence for their career with you but let them know you find they need to listen more and emphasize collaboration as a personal goal for them.

   Their hearts are in the right place, but their minds are getting in the way! During meetings, if they are monopolizing the conversation simply step in, thank them for their input and tell the genius that you want to hear from everyone else now.

4. Phantoms

   This one is easy: if you can’t find them, then fire them.

   Employees who are consistently late, leave early or miss the entire day and consistently miss deadlines and can’t keep up aren’t hard to spot. If they’re not visible in the office much of the time but others are, then schedule early morning meetings late in the day the night before and see if they show up.

   When you’re sitting there at 9:10am and the room is missing someone, ask if this is normal for them. Unless you’re met with a resounding ‘no’ then it’s quite possible being late is par for the course with that employee and nobody wants to say anything.

   Or you may find they are all too willing to talk about it because they’re tired of having to work harder because of the other employee’s inability to manage their time or respect others’ time.

   This kind of behavior can follow a baseball rule: gives them 3 chances and after 3 strikes they’re out!

5. Sloths

   Sloths are just like they sound. They are sluggish, slow moving, and you wouldn’t want them on your team in a relay race.

   They’re a burden to your business because their work often adds an additional 20% to other team member’s workload due to them needing help with almost everything and they don’t get much completed on their own.

   These employees may just require better training or instruction so don’t make a decision you might regret later. Is their individual task unique? Are the instructions enough to properly convey the expected results?

   Sometimes it’s the case the employee is lazy or not able to perform the job, but you would be surprised how often this can come down to a management issue. Talk to sloths about what’s making them move so slowly and you’ll be able to gauge whether or not the problem is them or something else you need to control.

   If it’s them then offer help with conditions so they know the behavior is disruptive enough to warrant dismissal. But if you or someone on your team is the problem then simply adjusting how the work is planned for them can turn them around.

These 5 toxic employee types are a great guide but there are, of course, many more. Always look for someone who isn’t working well with others or whose output is subpar. Assume the best first while keeping the worst in the back of your mind.

Get as solid an understanding of the situation as possible and if it turns out they are indeed toxic then dismissal sooner than later is the cure.

If you are finding it a challenge to find the time to find and cultivate ideal employees, I invite you to take my on-line Small Business HR Blueprint training called 3 Insider Secrets to Hire & Manage a Leading-Edge Team.

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