6 Ways to Tackle Unproductive Employees

Unproductive employees cost you a lot of money. If you’re paying for manpower that’s not yielding sustainable results, you’ll find yourself sinking into a hole without a ladder. You may be tempted to let these employees go, but that may be an unwise decision. Think about how much you’ll spend recruiting, hiring, training, and allowing new employees to find their “flow.” Chances are, it’s far more than just losing in productivity. Simply motivating your employees to do better should always be your first thought.

Here are six ways to deal with unproductive employees

1. Don’t try to buddy up. There’s a reason why business relationships are different from friendships. Befriending your employees can lead to some complicated situations. If your employees view you as a friend, they’re more likely to take a lax approach to workplace projects, because they aren’t worried about being judged negatively for not taking things seriously. You’ll also have a difficult time managing unproductive employees and reprimanding them if you’ve lost your position of authority. 2. Never wait for them to figure it out on their own. Sometimes people aren’t productive because they don’t have to be. If an employee doesn’t feel any pressure to apply themselves, they won’t. They aren’t going to wake up one morning and decide they want to do things differently if they’ve been successfully getting by without putting forth much effort. These employees don’t need kind lectures, they need strict instruction. They need to know you’re going to take disciplinary action if they disregard you. 3. Think about how you come across. If an employee is not as productive as you’d like them to be, they may not realize that. If you need to give someone reminders, you may become increasingly irritated with them. Never take your anger out on your employees. If your strategy is to command like a tyrant, people are going to push back. This can potentially include your most productive employees who are offended by your attitude. Throwing your weight around can have unintended consequences, such as mass quitting. 4. You can’t be gullible. When dealing with unproductive employees, you need to know the difference between occasions that require a strong approach and a soft approach. You can’t give everyone an unlimited amount of chances to adhere to your standards, but there could be circumstances where it’s best to be understanding. Look at an employee’s accomplishments as a whole before making a judgment on their productivity. If their track record is more impressive than disappointing, they may just be going through an off period in their life. If you’re looking at a track record that showcases limited success, you’ll want to take a firmer approach. 5. Recognize that not all progress is equal. Sometimes, people tighten things up in the short term. They’ll do this just long enough to slide off of your radar before they return to their old habits. Stepping it up for a couple weeks and then slinking back into the show isn’t an improvement – it’s a self-preservation tactic. Don’t act like everything has made a complete turnaround over a short period of time. Only praise employees for their consistency. 6. Make sure it isn’t your fault. This one is a real game changer. Have you ever considered that the reason your employees are unproductive is because of you? You need to play everyone to their strengths, assigning them projects that correlate with their strongest skills. If you ask a botanist to perform brain surgery, they’re going to have no idea what to do. Before you blame your employees, think about the impact of your decisions. Could rearranging things make them run smoothly? Your employees deserve your effort rather than your dismissal. Whatever you do, make sure that communication is functioning around your workplace. Keep open dialogues with everyone. Listen to what your employees have to say. Know what motivates them.