Case Study #1:Give direct feedback and support the rest of the team Christina Del Villar, the director of marketing at the e-commerce operations software firm Webgility, managed a small team at a start-up earlier in her career. This guide takes you through areas of improvement to be a good manager. Unfortunately, even small slipsignoring negative feedback when you are bold, responding to unpleasant e-mails in an impulsive manner when you are excitable, or getting carried away by awkward ideas when you are imaginativecan cause significant reputational damage. Knowing these important qualities to look for in an employee means you have better chances of hiring the best people and avoiding the scary costs of making a bad hire. Unfortunately, one rotten apple can spoil the whole barrel. It could be that the employee is not a good fit for your business. When exercised together, this has a profound impact on workplace performance. Happy hunting! Signs of a poor colleague create a conundrum in the job. Your Industry Needs YOUR Expert Voice Companies can achieve a positive working environment by focusing on their overall culture, supporting employee . 1. "Personality will affect whether people are hired, promoted, derailed, will help others, be seen as a leader, and so on.". Candidates should be able to communicate well via email and calls to provide excellent customer service and interact with their teams. Find out why the employee is not contributing and formulate a plan to help her improve. Instead, its best to have an employee who shares their success with the team. Once you know the reason your employee is acting out, develop a plan to address those reasons. The CCL suggests setting aside a small window of time, daily, to perform a self-evaluation of your own conduct and how it affects others. I was the leader of this project and organized the whole workflow from start to finish. Now, well evaluate them against the five critical qualities of a good employee and candidate using a conspicuous but effective tool: interview questions. It is important to identify problems in the company to be able to solve the issues. Some people are arrogant and abusive and need to go work for your competitors. Gaining an understanding of different personality traits can help workers grow and managers engage more effectively with their employees. Start today by requesting a demo or posting a job for free to discover how Workable can help you find and hire great people. Just because you avoid gossip doesnt mean you avoid all politics. Tell them that you want to improve and need their candor. You will hopefully decrease the number of run-ins and the cognitive loss. But make sure to do this with discretion. Bad whining is evil and is usually the first sign that someone needs to go. Failure to give best effort all the time: It is amazing how these same new breed bullies also manage to not get any work done. Plus hed realized that he had reached a certain age and hadnt achieved the professional satisfaction that he wanted and he thought he deserved.. An experienced attorney and law enforcement representatives can help you take the appropriate steps. 6. How to deal with negative employees. Soft skills and technical skills are equally important when looking to hire an employee. Business Management, Services & Risk Management, How employers are helping employees reduce student loan debt, Report: Only 6% of US companies offer comprehensive child care benefits, Millions of high school students set for success: Celebrating Career and Technical Education Month, 3 ways to make your supply chain more resilient, Study: Researchers search for better ways to nix inventory errors. You want to establish a pattern of behavior, the steps you took to address it, the information, warnings or resources provided to the employee, and the failure of the employee to change, Porath says. For instance, I got a sale of $25,000 so we are 10% closer to meeting our KPIs this quarter. Dont just say that you got a sale. Division of Labor Specialized experts are employed in each position to perform specific tasks. Many consumers check online reviews before deciding to patronize a business, and if customers are not treated well, that is likely to show up in reviews. suggest that human resource professionals need to . Requires leaders to make almost all of the decisions. Give concrete, specific feedback and offer the opportunity to change. Another example is leisurely passive-aggressivenesspretending to have a relaxed, polite attitude while actually resisting cooperation or even engaging in backstabbing. In the end, I completed the project ahead of time and presented the final solution to the CEO herself which she liked very much. You want an employee who offers to lead a project or be a mentor to new hires. There are ways to limit the harm they do. Sometimes it was as easy as saying they were doing a great job or thanking them for stepping up to fill the void left by Sharon, she explains. A manager can use this information to coach the person, or suggest resources to help address the root of the problem. For example, adds Minor, if the person is going through a divorce or struggling with a mental health issue, you could offer counseling resources or time off that could potentially alleviate the underlying issue. Not dwelling on the past. I cant wait to learn more about your stack and your natural language processing projects and I also have this idea we can try out as a side project. Try to fire the person unless you've documented the behavior, its impact, and your response. I, Human: AI, Automation, and the Quest to Reclaim What Makes Us Unique. If the original job description included other duties as required, as they often do, you may want to remind the employee of this fact and that she is a part of a larger team. In this question, Sam seems to value the importance of liking the people he works with. If I know their exact roles, I can better tailor my presentation. If you allow frequent unexcused absences, you will alienate your good employees and undermine morale. Shes a mid-level developer whos currently working towards an MSc in machine learning and data science. Can you tell me more about this project you worked on? But there are many more employee characteristics that a recruiter might not think of. 3. For instance, colorful, attention-seeking leaders often get better marks from bosses than their more reserved counterparts. Youre giving them the chance to have a more positive impact on people.. If you disagree with the way things are being done, then resign and seek other employment. To counteract the negativity and make sure youre still thriving, surround yourself with supportive, positive people and look for meaning and purpose in your work, she says. In my previous company, we valued both teamwork and independent working. Allows little or no input from group members. Even if an employee doesnt have much to contribute, just asking a great question or advocating for a fellow employees idea can go a long way to making a lasting impression. After profiling millions of employees, managers, and leaders, we know that most people display at least three of these dark-side traits, and about 40% score high enough on one or two to put them at risk for disruption in their careerseven if theyre currently successful and effective. Given how expensive it is to hire and train new employees, though, it can be a worthwhile investment to help your employees improve and to teach your front-line managers how to do the same. Okay, yes were starting off with a typical employee characteristic but its an important one! Amir is a sales VP with a high excitable score. This trait is sometimes used by companies as a euphemism for I wont ask for a higher salary and will work long hours without complaining. Listen. What are the key qualities of a good employee? What do you expect them to change? Sam and Cassandra both described the feedback they received with more details, which could mean they took it very seriously. Connect with him at GregLAlston.com or Twitter. Heres why: Most jobs require a degree of collaboration with other people and sometimes managing others, as well. Leaves the group feeling like they aren't trusted with decisions or important tasks. Being skilled in communication doesnt mean you have to be great with words or even really sophisticated and eloquent (although this helps). My former manager told me that I needed to work faster to meet deadlines. One of the most common negative attitude found in the workplace is exaggerating others mistakes which is not a very decent attitude. Allow them to mention it first and then provide suggestions. Its a good idea to sit down with your team members and discuss about what constitutes culture fit for your team and narrow it down to specific traits or values. Hes proud that, when Bob did eventually transfer to another team, it was because hed wanted to go, not because hed been forced out. They make them for a variety of reasons: Some employees know that if they make a mistake, it is best to take ownership of it. They understand the importance of their job and want to do it well. Theres a pattern of de-energizing, frustrating or putting down teammates, adds Christine Porath, an associate professor at Georgetown and the author of Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace. If the person is hesitant to reform, figure out what they care most about the privilege of working from home, their bonusand put that at stake. Theres tons of advice on how to evaluate soft skills at each stage of the hiring process. Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor. Greg L. Alston Good employee traits go hand in hand with being a good person. They're often willing to take on challenging assignments and learn new things. The essential management challenge is creating an environment where your team can thrive. There are three: being solution-focussed. If you find theres a reason for why theyre acting the way they are, offer to help. Thursday, May 01, 2014. But the important thing, when they do toot their own horn, they dont sound selfish when they do it. Participants described these types of individuals using phrases such as "in over their head" and "failure to deliver.". Social interaction and positive relationships are important for various attitudinal, wellbeing, and performance-related outcomes. Do the employees you have or want to hire work well with others? So, we narrowed down the list to five critical job candidate qualities: How do you evaluate these qualities of a good employee? We've got the platform you need. All three candidates gave satisfying answers in this question, but there were notable differences. Based on what youve told me, this role is exactly what I want to do at this point in my career. Sometimes employees break the law. Unexcused absences: Everyone needs to miss work occasionally, but some people always miss work or miss work at a rate that causes everyone else to double-time it to cover for them. The more they are exposed to it, the more immune they will be to pressure! According to the Center for Creative Leadership, you shouldn't fret if you notice some of those problem employee characteristics in your own behavior. If you are unable to complete a full psychological assessment to identify your potential derailers, you can Being healthy and proactive is the one thing we know that buffers people from the effects of toxic behavior.. Poraths research on incivility has meanwhile found that 4% of people engage in this kind of behavior just because its fun and they believe they can get away with it. In those extreme cases, you should recognize that you wont be able to fix the problem and begin to explore more serious responses. How to Confront Inappropriate Comments How to Write a Memo Notifying Employees Melinda Hill Sineriz is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience. Here are more communication interview questions. Explain the consequences If the carrot doesnt work, you can also try the stick. When their business was acquired by a larger company, Sharon moved to a different department. Investigate the situation and make sure credit is given to the appropriate employee. There are few negative attitude people who try to ruin others career by highlighting the mistakes committed by them. Side note: ensure your employees are clocking in and out on time with Connecteams time tracking app so that you can manage work hours on jobs and projects, manage timesheets, and improve your payroll process with the apps QuickBooks Online and Gusto integration. Is the person unhappy in the job? Read our guide on how to ease your employees stress to ensure theyre happy and productive. 9. Also focus on basic self-care. If the candidate will work with a team, look for their ability to work in a team structure. Ambition An ambitious person is someone who is driven to succeed. This influence can be either positive or negative. They will smile and agree to your face and then blind copy everyone in the building on a negative email to your boss. One of my managers once told me that my code had a lot of unnecessary lines and was tough to read. They also talk about presenting examples, and Joe shows his collaborative spirit again by saying hed ask for help from an audience thats similar to the one hes presenting to. Workable helps companies of all sizes hire at scale. FILL OUT OUR SURVEY. Don't worry if you're in that boat. Case Study #2: Help him rebuild his reputation Daniel Hanson (not his real name) once managed an IT team at a large multinational that suffered every time it had to interact with Bob (also not his real name), a senior internal consultant. These changes may make you uncomfortable at first, but the more you practice, the more natural they will feel, and the more likely they will be to become habits. We probably need a disclaimer here: Culture fit is one of the most subjective qualities of a good job candidate and its unique to each team and company. Still, Daniel made clear to Bob that his behavior needed to change. Its not just that Joe is rude. You might mention a pattern youve noticed or that others have commented on. An ambitious person doesn't give up easily and is determined to excel through perseverance and hard work. Not all employees are willing to contribute, though. Termination for poor performance should not come as a surprise to the employee. What the Experts Say Theres a difference between a difficult employee and a toxic one, says Dylan Minor, an assistant professor at theKellogg School of Management who studies this topic. Not surprisingly, trusting that the . I call them toxic because not only do they cause harm but they also spread their behavior to others, she explains. Most of the time people dont realize that theyre as destructive as they are, Porath says. When you are throwing a company event, from an off-site event to a small breakfast in the office kitchen, it is important to take note of who shows up. In the process, you can greatly enhance your reputation, your career, and your leadership potential. Technology is ever-changing and employees that can keep up with the tech are vital to a companys success. But you do not have the right to take the paycheck and then undermine the programs of your employer. No company can succeed with the work of an individual; its team collaboration that drives success. Hes probably looking for a workplace where a sense of community is important. These employee qualities are important to keep the company relevant. You may have to feel your way toward that through successive approximationstracking others perceptions, making adjustments, doing more gauging, and so on. Good employees are self-motivated and committed to excellence. Do any of the traits sound a little (or a lot) like you? Having these traits makes you more than just a potentially great employee, it gives an employer confidence that you are a good person and therefore trustworthy. As a business owner, you have a lot on your plate, and it can be a challenge to help your employees overcome bad employee characteristics. If someone is draining you, build yourself up by exercising, eating right, sleeping, and taking breaks, both short-term ones and vacations, she says. 6. Choose Connecteam as your tool to manage employee engagement, development, and relationship. To determine whether you're a problem employee, reflect on your behavior. Here's the full list of 11 problem employee behaviors: Like this story? Ive heard a lot of good things about your development teams as well as your workplace. And when were under too little pressuretoo relaxedwe may display some of the dark traits we successfully hide when we are more focused. Having issues with this can drastically impact job performance. Why? Whining: Whining is defined as complaining for the sake of complaining. 1 response was poor job performance, followed by an inability to work well with others and not responding to coaching. Employers look for trust as an important quality of a good employee and a good person. simply compare your typical patterns of behavior with the basic profiles of the traits. It could be that the employee is experiencing personal challenges that are leaving him distracted. Tardiness Short temper Lack of organization Perfectionism Stubbornness Messiness Poor time management Bossiness Self-doubt Once you can admit what your personal shortcomings are - no matter how. Employees that are always working to sharpen their skills are vital to the company.Side note: ensure you have effective employee development strategies in place, so your employees have the opportunity to excel. And they might be. Not all dark-side traits are created equal. She might have a personal conflict with another employee and need to be reminded to keep personal issues out of the workplace, and she may need a schedule that minimizes interactions with that employee if possible. An employee who possesses all of these good qualities is hard to come by. We spent a lot of time going over my code and I was able to quickly improve my skills. Inc.: 8 Qualities of Exceptionally Destructive Employees, Center for Creative Leadership: How to Deal with Problem Employees Effectively, CNBC: 11 Behaviors That Indicate You're a Problem Employee, Business News Daily: 5 Personality Traits to Beware of When You're Hiring, The New York Times: The Universal Phenomenon of Men Interrupting Women. As the former Head of Content at Connecteam, Rea was responsible for helping clients build smart, effective employee management strategies and brings years of experience and knowledge to help improve employee engagement. 1. But in the real world of business, how do you know when someone is damaging the success of your enterprise? And its not just about communicating well with others, its knowing how to talk with the higher-ups and knowing when to sing your own praises. I liked the frequent stand-ups and the fact we were all free to ask for help from one another. Really think about it. But the seductive traits sometimes had positive effects. Side note: as a manager, make sure youre measuring your internal communication strategies to ensure you and your employees are successfully communicating and collaborating. Minor is currently researching toxic doctors and says that early results indicate that some are either unable or unwilling to change. Soft skills are their personal traits, whereas technical skills are the qualities of a good worker that can be quantified. Here are the five most prevalent problem employee behaviors and how they play out in the workplace: Underperforming employees produce sub-par work that fails to meet expectations, which means those around them are forced to pick up the slack. Some might require extensive coaching, while others might be a result of inexperience or a lack of self-awareness that a simple conversation can help overcome. Test your candidates using Workable Assessments to know their top soft skills and see how they can fit into your teams. Once they are able to do this, they can turn any feedback into meaningful results. But there is a difference between having a bad day and being rude and disrespectful. Europe & Rest of World: +44 203 826 8149 My first manager had given me a list of things I had to do to learn to write better code. Poor job performance. Good employee traits go hand in hand with being a good person. Negative feelings may come from working longer hours, not getting along with a coworker or being frustrated at the slow progression of a project. Hes polite and confident in his knowledge. Having a deeply skeptical, cynical outlook makes it hard to build trust. Not only do you want a good communicator, but you also want someone who isnt afraid to speak up. Leadership theory studies the qualities of good leaders and seeks to explain how and why certain individuals become leaders. 1. My team was slow to grasp requirements but, after a few meetings I organized, everything went well. Two decades ago the psychologists Robert and Joyce Hogan created an inventory of 11 qualities, ranging from excitable to dutiful, that when taken to the extreme, resemble the most common personality disorders. All of your good work to build up your business can be undone by one destructive person who you allow to keep working for you. Joe likes structure, which would make him more comfortable in less-flexible workplaces. Then, Id make sure they can grasp the idea behind the app Id look for a prototype I could show them or real-life similar apps. Employees need both soft and technical skills to succeed in the job. Many recruiters look for candidates who are optimistic and goal-oriented. This is the flip side of not taking responsibility. Sam speaks about his own work and doesnt recognize his team members (he actually hints on having problems with them) this is a big red flag because he was the leader of the project. Whoever doesnt learn risks staying behind, no matter their accumulated knowledge or position. Download our free eBook to get started! Probably, I would also gather relevant data that people from finance or marketing would like to see. Problem employees aren't just irritating, they can also be financially draining for a business. People with positive self-perception focus on the current moment and on moving forward. Some employees may swoop in and take credit for other peoples successes. Is she unaware of how her actions are being perceived? Get so wrapped up in handling the issue . And diligence, in excess, can morph into procrastination and obsessive perfectionism. If an employee comes to you with a concern about a negative co-worker, listen before responding. You need to be able to clearly get your message across, in verbal or written speech, and be able to grasp other peoples meaning (particularly through asking the right questions).