Dealing Effectively With Unacceptable Employee Behavior
SkillPath Seminars

Delivery Method

Seminar

Target Audience
Supervisors, Managers, HR Personnel

Summary
Get expert advice on the sticky issue of disciplining workers whose performance just doesn’t measure up. Learn how to handle each step of the process—from recognizing the problem and assessing its severity … to intervention strategies … to termination procedures.

Description/Agenda

You’ll learn:

• How to recognize the 15 warning signs that a problem is brewing
• How to act—not react—in a negative situation
• How to offer constructive feedback
• How to set measurable performance standards and communicate them to your employees
• And much more

Get expert advice on the sticky issue of disciplining workers whose performance just doesn’t measure up. Learn how to handle each step of the process—from recognizing the problem and assessing its severity … to intervention strategies … to termination procedures.

Program hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Identifying the root causes of performance problems

• Why bosses sometimes fail to recognize—or worse, fail to address—performance problems
• The good news: When a “problem” employee really isn’t a problem
• The major reasons employees don’t perform up to standards
• 15 warning signs that a performance problem is brewing
• How to gauge whether a worker has a true performance problem or a personality clash with you or other co-workers
• Recognizing the most common types of difficult workers
• Identifying and getting help for employees whose performance problems are rooted in substance abuse, emotional or mental problems or pressing personal concerns
• Understanding how you, as a manager or supervisor, may inadvertently contribute to or create performance problems

Tips for maintaining an open communication channel with a problem worker

• What to say—and what not to say—when you ask an employee to meet with you about a performance issue
• The 10 characteristics of constructive criticism—and how to use it effectively to convey the perceived problem to the employee and promote productivity
• How to avoid the communication breakdowns that can escalate a problem situation
• How to avoid making emotionally charged statements that trigger a negative response—and lay the foundation for a lawsuit
• Don’t soft-pedal the issue: The importance of using specific, clear and direct language when communicating with employees about performance problems

Positive intervention techniques for turning performance problems around

• The importance of taking corrective rather than punitive action
• The critical differences among coaching, criticizing and disciplining—and how to decide which approach a particular situation calls for
• When verbal reprimands are effective—and what you can do to prepare for and manage workers’ reactions
• Avoiding several common—but ineffective—managerial tendencies for dealing with problem employees
• 6 ways to provide employees with additional training—even if you’re on a limited budget
• Guidelines for establishing measurable performance standards and communicating them clearly to a problem employee
• One vital step you must take to gain employee acceptance for the solution to a performance problem
• The major elements every successful performance improvement plan must include
• How to avoid the common mistakes managers and supervisors make when preparing for counseling sessions or performance reviews
• A step-by-step checklist for conducting effective intervention meetings
• Avoiding one of the most common reasons employee improvement plans fail to work

When the problem persists: How to conduct a formal discipline conference

• How a discipline conference differs from a counseling meeting and other intervention strategies
• A step-by-step checklist for conducting an effective—and legally sound—discipline session
• Crying, anger, hostility and a variety of other employee reactions you may encounter during a disciplinary or termination meeting—and specific strategies for handling each
• Innovative techniques that often work when traditional approaches to discipline don’t get results

When to terminate

• Employee actions and behavior that affect performance—and when they warrant termination
• Examples of gross misconduct that are grounds for immediate dismissal—and how to keep control of the situation
• A 6-point checklist for determining when termination is the best course of action
• The 3 actions you must take before firing
• How to build your case with solid documentation
• Step-by-step guidelines for conducting a termination meeting
• What to do after a termination to minimize negative repercussions among remaining workers

How to protect yourself and your organization from grievances and legal problems

• How to develop a progressive discipline policy that gets results and minimizes the legal liabilities of your organization
• 5 potentially explosive scenarios to avoid at all costs
• 6 actions you can take during disciplinary interviews to reduce the risk of lawsuits
• Understanding the double-edged nature of your organization’s employee handbook—how it can be a valuable tool or a legal liability, depending on the circumstances

All Date/Location Information