How to Handle Difficult Employees (A Manager’s Guide)

How do you handle difficult employees? There will always be difficult employees in any organization. Even Fortune 500 companies have rotten tomatoes in them. As a leader, your job is to lead a team. Encourage them to do their work. Do their performance reviews, and talk to them when things go wrong. But how can you do that when you don’t even know who you’re dealing with?

This applies to everyone in your team, but more so to the difficult employees. This Leader’s Guide to common trouble makers in the office was designed to help you understand your team members, especially the trouble makers.

If you are looking for how to deal with difficult coworkers, try this post.

The Five Most Common Difficult Employees (Office Troublemakers)

“More often than not a difficult employee is an insecure employee.”
– Shannon Falvey

In many cases, your challenging employee isn’t just trying to make your life more difficult.

Their difficult behavior often reflects strengths you saw when hiring. But some are simply problem employees, and keeping them due to staffing needs is a management mistake. Your first step as a new manager is identifying which is which.

These five common types can disrupt the whole team with negative attitudes or disruptive behaviors. Yet, many bring unique talents that drive success when guided properly. Their bad attitude might stem from passion or ambition misdirected. A clear plan with specific examples can channel their energy into positive change. Not every tough case is a toxic employee waiting to implode.

But some employees consistently show problematic behavior that hurts morale. Retaining them out of desperation risks poor performance across the board. Disciplinary action becomes necessary when efforts to redirect fail. Good management separates those with potential from true troublemakers who harm the team.

You’ll learn to spot these behaviors and act decisively. This section breaks down the five types, their quirks, and how to handle difficult employees effectively. With the right approach, you turn challenges into wins for the whole team.

The Competitor: Sees Colleagues as Rivals in a Workplace Hunger Games Showdown.

The Competitor thrives on winning, often at the expense of other team members. This challenging employee prioritizes personal gains over collaboration, creating friction in team dynamics. Their negative behavior, like undermining colleagues to outshine them, hampers workflows and lowers employee morale.

This bad attitude stems from a need to prove superiority, making them a problem employee in group settings. Their disruptive behaviors, such as dismissing others’ ideas or ignoring company policy, frustrate the rest of the team. Without intervention, their poor behavior fosters resentment, as colleagues feel sidelined by the Competitor’s relentless drive to dominate.

Yet, Competitors offer valuable strengths in the workplace. Their fierce ambition delivers exceptional results, often surpassing sales or project targets. Their intense focus fuels innovation by pushing boundaries and raising standards, inspiring teammates to step up. With guidance, managers can shape their competitive energy into a motivating force, boosting productivity and securing big wins for the company.

Strategies to handle difficult employees like the Competitor:

• Focus on aligning their goals with the team’s objectives.
• Set clear, long-term targets that emphasize collective success, reducing direct rivalry.
• Regular one-on-one meetings help address personal problems and guide their energy constructively.
• Use positive reinforcement to reward collaborative efforts, reinforcing company policy on teamwork.
• Monitor body language in meetings to spot tension early and address disruptive behaviors promptly.
• Create a structured plan, like assigning leadership roles in group projects. This channels their drive, improving employee morale and ensuring the rest of the team thrives alongside them.

The Rebel: How to Handle Difficult Employees Who Defy Rules Like Office Renegades.

The Rebel craves negative attention through challenging authority and ignoring rules. This problem employee’s behavior, like skipping deadlines or mocking processes, fosters a toxic work environment. Their defiance—arriving late or rejecting orders—irritates business owners and unsettles the entire team.

Their negative attitudes hinder performance, breeding resentment among colleagues. If ignored, their rebellious actions escalate chaos, as team members feel undercut by their disregard for structure. This problem employee’s independence, while bold, demands careful management to prevent harm.

On the flip side, Rebels deliver unique strengths to the workplace. Their courage to question outdated systems ignites innovation and positive change. Their confidence pushes the entire team to rethink norms, driving creative solutions. By refocusing their defiance, managers can turn a problem employee into a growth catalyst, leveraging their bold spirit for progress.

Strategies to handle difficult employees like the Rebel:

• Establish clear expectations with specific examples of acceptable behavior.
• Use open communication to address personal issues fueling their defiance.
• Set firm boundaries, reinforcing that negative behavior violates company policy.
• Offer roles that channel their creativity, like leading innovative projects.
• Provide regular feedback to acknowledge positive contributions and correct toxic employee traits.
• Grant autonomy in tasks to encourage positive change, with clear consequences for ongoing poor performance.

The Procrastinator: How to Deal with Difficult Employees Spinning Too Many Activities.

The Procrastinator piles on tasks but falters with disorganization, missing critical deadlines. This challenging employee’s habit of overcommitting throws off workflows, frustrating the entire team. Their poor behavior burdens others with unfinished work, eroding employee morale.

This problem employee overlooks their negative impact, despite good intentions. Their overwhelmed body language raises red flags, signaling delays that affect customer service. Unaddressed, their scattered efforts strain team trust, as colleagues tire of picking up the slack.

Still, Procrastinators contribute notable strengths to the workplace. Their enthusiasm for projects sparks team energy, fueling creative brainstorming. Their adaptability shines in customer service, charming clients when focused. By tackling underlying issues, managers can guide their ambition into consistent performance, strengthening team outcomes.

Strategies to deal with difficult employees like the Procrastinator:

• Create a clear plan with specific milestones to track progress consistently.
• Provide direct feedback to address problem behaviors and set expectations.
• Break tasks into smaller steps to build momentum and reduce avoidance tendencies.
• Reinforce company policies with effective ways to encourage timely delivery.
• Offer incentives for meeting deadlines to correct behaviors and boost team morale.
• Monitor progress closely, setting clear consequences for ongoing poor behavior to ensure accountability.

The Drama Queens and Drama Kings: Challenging Employees Who Turn Molehills into Melodramas.

The Drama Queens and Kings escalate minor issues into spectacles, whining about trivialities. This challenging employee’s bad attitude drives constant complaints, like fussing over missing supplies. Their emotional outbursts undermine team dynamics, exhausting colleagues’ energy.

This difficult behavior drains team morale, as coworkers grow weary of their theatrics. Their overreactions create tension, complicating collaboration. Without action, their negative energy derails meetings, amplifying minor setbacks into chaos, as the entire team struggles to stay focused.

However, their passion brings unique strengths to the workplace. Their expressiveness fosters empathy, enhancing team connections when channeled. Their persuasive skills captivate clients, boosting engagement. By shaping their emotional intensity, managers can build teamwork, turning drama into a motivating force.

Strategies to manage Drama Queens and Drama Kings:

• Set clear boundaries defining professional behavior to curb disruptive outbursts.
• Provide feedback on how their actions impact team dynamics, encouraging awareness.
• Address personal problems privately to uncover triggers for their dramatic reactions.
• Redirect their passion into creative tasks to foster positive change.
• Limit their meeting participation if drama obstructs progress, prioritizing teamwork.
• The best way to deal with the drama is consistent reinforcement of expectations, ensuring accountability for difficult behavior.

The Volcano: How to Handle Difficult Employees Erupting Over Every Setback.

The Volcano erupts over unmet expectations, shouting in meetings or on calls. This toxic employee’s negative attitudes breed a toxic work environment, intimidating colleagues. Their outbursts over small issues unsettle teamwork and morale across the whole team.

This problem employee’s disrespect, shown through aggressive confrontations, alienates coworkers. Their unprofessional behavior requires swift action, as it threatens collaboration. If ignored, their volatility creates fear, making the workplace tense and unproductive for everyone.

Yet, Volcanoes offer powerful strengths in the workplace. Their intense passion fuels project momentum, driving results in high-pressure roles. Their directness sparks candid discussions, cutting through ambiguity. By guiding their fervor, managers can turn a toxic employee into a dynamic leader, enhancing teamwork and outcomes.

Strategies to handle difficult employees like the Volcano:

• Address outbursts immediately with specific examples of unacceptable behavior.
• Set clear expectations for respectful communication, emphasizing teamwork.
• Provide private coaching to uncover triggers behind their negative attitudes.
• Channel their passion into leadership roles with defined responsibilities.
• Reinforce company values through regular feedback to promote positive behavior.
• Implement disciplinary action for ongoing issues, ensuring a healthy environment for the whole team.

Do You Have Employees on Your Team Who Fit These Profiles? Are You Looking for How to Manage Difficult Employees Like These?

Got a Competitor staging a Hunger Games or a Volcano erupting in your meetings? Our Creating a Team Culture or Improv Training workshops can tame the chaos and turn troublemakers into team players. Complete the form below for information about how to transform your office circus into a well-oiled, drama-free machine!

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