Problem employees might be a small segment of the workforce, but dealing with the issues they cause can be fraught with difficulties. Human Resource professionals find they need to tread lightly, yet find effective solutions for dealing with these individuals.

The following is a checklist every HR professional should have that will help deal with the most common issues caused by problem employees:

Identify the Problem

The Internet provides a wealth of information that allows problem employees to manipulate laws and regulations, making it difficult for HR professionals to deal with them. Keep a close eye on employees who often appear to be disgruntled, apathetic, or suspicious of company policies and operations. These individuals often have issues with attendance, performance, and have difficulty getting along with their co-workers.

Manage the Risk

Employee lawsuits have reached an all-time high and are still rising. Managing problem employees in the face of our increasingly litigious society is one of human resources’ most serious challenges. Avoiding litigation is a powerful motivator but retaining an underperformer for fear of litigation isn’t the answer.

Have Strong Policies In Place

Establish a strong attendance policy with levels of disciplinary measures that address increasing absenteeism and tardiness appropriately.

Have a Strict Performance Evaluation Program

Regular employee evaluations aimed at rewarding employees for outstanding performance, and encourage improvement when necessary. The same goes for disciplinary warnings that go from verbal to written, and get stronger with each stage.

Give Supervisors Adequate Training

Supervisors should be able to deal with problems as they arise, and not ignore them until things get out of hand.

Employ Effective Hiring and Firing Techniques

Re-work employee handbooks and other policies if they are not clear to everyone. Make sure your organization is compliant with local, state, and federal laws regarding these practices. Effective termination techniques are must to be followed.

Document Everything

When all else fails and termination is the only option, the accuracy of all documentation is crucial, and can mean the difference between time spent in court and a clean break from a problem employee. If there is any doubt about documentation, conduct an audit of personnel files to make sure only appropriate information is included.

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HR professionals can obtain the latest information to ensure that problem employees are dealt with properly by investing in online training. Coggno has a comprehensive selection of courses that will effectively train HR personnel to deal with these issues without having to rely on expensive seminars that require time away from the office.

Visit Coggno.com now to search our library of online human resource training courses, and choose the ones that are best for your needs.