10 signs that you need to address employee issues

A strong team is the foundation of a successful business! However, it only takes one problematic employee to unbalance those foundations. Everyone faces personal issues at one time or another however, if you find an employee with issues cropping up repeatedly then you might have a problem… and when organisations leave these employee issues unaddressed – things can quickly become a serious and potentially costly problem.

Identifying some of the signs of employee issues can help avoid internal conflicts and difficulties further down the line. Here at CoLaw, we have highlighted just some of the signs to look out for…

Employees refusing to follow rules
Rules are made to be followed in the workplace, and if an employee consistently refuses to follow them there should be consequences. By ignoring the problem, you not only put yourself and your team in an uncomfortable position, but you also allow the employee to set a bad example for other individuals.

Employees refusing to socialise
Hiring the right candidate for the job shouldn’t just be based on their past experience, they need to be the right cultural fit. Forming friendships and relationship at work makes it a happier, enjoyable environment without having to sacrifice productivity. If an employee refuses to socialise in-house it can cause tension and distance in a team.

Employees who don’t communicate
Successful teams are made of individuals who communicate. If an individual consistently lacks communication with others in the workplace, it has the potential to create a wider conflict and can lead to poor performance, lack of teamwork, low morale and reduced profits. In this era of technology, there is no excuse for poor communication.

Negative employee attitude
A bad attitude is like a cold; easy to catch and quick to spread. Poor employee attitudes can derail your business efforts, so they need to be nipped in the bud!

Employee gossip
It can be hard to avoid, but gossip in the workplace can be extremely damaging to employee relationships and team morale. If you are aware of an employee spreading rumours , talking behind peoples backs or creating clashes against co-workers, this needs to be addressed quickly and discreetly to avoid the negativity from growing and becoming a deep rooted problem.

Employee lateness
Employee lateness can have a huge impact on a business. Though managers assume staff members will occasionally be late, if employees begin to be regularly late for work, then actions need to be taken to protect the company, to improve the work ethic amongst the team and to ensure that the right message is delivered to the employee and the rest of the team.

Employees who can’t prioritise their work
Feeling overwhelmed with too many tasks at work can happen. However, learning how to plan and estimate the timing of key tasks is a must in business. If someone is continuously dropping the ball here, ask if there is anything you can do to support them.

Aggressiveness toward employees and clients
Employees who behave aggressively cause those around them discomfort, decrease morale, and can even cause loss of employees and customers. Bullying, swearing or aggressive behaviour towards co-workers should not be tolerated at work at any time and dealt with immediately.

Tone of voice
A negative tone can create a hostile work environment, so it’s important to act on them right away. Managers and co-workers are advised to listen, redirect, and work towards a positive answer when dealing with such individuals.

Personal issues
1 in 6 workers deal with mental health problem such as anxiety, depression or stress. This can stop people performing their best. Supporting employees to help them get back to peak performance is important and can be done most successfully when an open dialog of conversation is encouraged.

Are you already noticing the signs? Here’s a few tips on how you could tackle them…

• Implement monthly one-on-one reviews, this gives your employee the opportunity to speak out about their frustrations, and allows you to look at things like workload together
• Don’t avoid difficult discussions – and keep notes of everything discussed (noting the date and time of the discussion)
• Make sure your company policies are relevant, and each employee is aware of what they state
• Make performance expectations clear and ensure they are discussed and agreed

Struggling with employee issues?
At CoLaw we understand that day-to-day business can be complicated enough without the added stress of employee issues, after all we don’t expect everyone to be experts in every aspect of employee management and HR. We know that there is no ‘one-size fits all’ approach when it comes to providing Employment Law and Human Resource advice, which is why we offer our support to businesses of all size and sectors.

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The information provided in all of our blogs reflects only a narrative of some elements to consider on the topic. The blogs do not contain considered legal advice and should not be relied upon as advice. Please see our website terms and conditions for full details of our disclaimer. If you are interested in obtaining advice, please contact one of our lawyers who will be happy and able to advise you on your own particular circumstances.

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