Toxic people in the workplace can make your job miserable. Therefore, like digging out a weed before it spreads, it is up to managers and company leaders to eliminate toxic employees before disrupting the workflow and morale.
According to Harvard Business School, “Avoiding a toxic worker (or converting them to an average worker) enhances performance much more than replacing an average worker with a superstar worker.”
In this case, an excellent employee could add $5,300 to a company’s value, whereas terminating a toxic employee or not hiring one in the first place can save a business approximately $12,500. So, managers and company leaders need to understand what toxic individuals are like and how to keep them from reducing company productivity and profits.
What Makes an Employee Toxic?
Not all problematic employees are toxic. But according to experts, toxic individuals cause harm and spread their behavior to others. For example, toxic employees often put down their teammates. This can be frustrating and de-energizing, leading to a company’s employee output reduction.
Toxic employees can also be defined as individuals who “engage in behavior that is harmful to an organization, including either its property or people.” In addition, aside from hurting performance, such workers can generate enormous regulatory and legal fees and liabilities for a company.
How to Deal with Toxic Individuals and Reduce Their Impact on Company Output
Not all situations involving toxic employees are the same. So, there is no single strategy for dealing with these individuals. However, some tactics can help, such as:
- Finding specifics
- Providing direct feedback
- Explaining the consequences
- Isolating the toxic individual(s)
- Documenting everything
Finding Specifics
There are many reasons why an individual could be toxic. Therefore, managers should try to uncover the reason(s) and see if there is anything they can do to help the situation. Usually, meeting with the employee one-on-one is the most beneficial as it can provide more privacy for an in-depth conversation.
An individual’s reason for being toxic may not be work-related. For instance, they could be experiencing family issues like divorce, an ill parent, or a troubled child. If your company offers an Employee Assistance Program, the individual could use this as a resource for finding help.
It is not always easy for managers to pin down the root of the toxic individual’s problem. So, you may have to schedule several meetings before the employee trusts you enough to give you the details.
Providing Direct Feedback
Some toxic employees might not be aware that they are causing problems until you provide specific feedback. Therefore, staying with the facts and leaving emotions out of the conversation is essential.
It can also help provide specific and objective examples of the person’s toxic behaviors and how they negatively impact their coworkers, other managers, production, and team morale.
Next, explain why the individual’s behavior is unprofessional and problematic and how it goes against the company’s values. Finally, after you have had an honest and open conversation with the toxic individual, you should outline the next steps for correcting their behavior and what will happen if it does not improve.
Explaining the Consequences
Many companies have a code of conduct that employees agree to follow when hired. This could also lay out management’s actions if workers disobey or disrespect the code.
Knowing the consequences may be enough for some toxic employees to change their behavior. Some examples may include:
- Receipt of a written warning in the employee’s personnel file
- A reduced rating on the individual’s performance evaluation (which could result in a lower pay raise in the future)
- Suspension
- Termination
Isolating the Toxic Individual(s)
Because toxic employees can spread their behavior to others, managers must isolate them. You could accomplish this by moving their desk away from other workers, having them work remotely, or limiting the number of team meetings they attend.
Documenting Everything
It is essential to document everything that occurs in a situation with a toxic individual. Otherwise, this could come back to haunt you if the employee files a wrongful termination lawsuit in the future.
By documenting all your meetings and conversations, you will build a case and create a timeline of their behavior. These supporting materials can come in handy if you have to fire them or take other disciplinary actions.
What Can Managers Do About Toxic Individuals in the Workplace
There are strategies managers and company team leaders can use to reduce or eliminate toxic employees in the workplace. One method is to avoid hiring these individuals. To help determine whether a person is toxic, you could conduct an extensive background check and talk with former employers before offering the person a job at your company.
If toxic employees are already working in your business, it is often difficult to terminate them, especially if their actions are not illegal or violate any company policies. But the problem needs to be addressed because ignoring a toxic employee can worsen the situation.
With that in mind, managers should hold toxic people accountable for their actions and for changing their behavior. Otherwise, their toxicity could spread throughout the company, resulting in a more significant problem to address.
Studies have shown that a single toxic employee in the workplace could cause a 30% to 40% drop in a team’s overall performance. This, in turn, can cause the company’s revenue to fall and may lead to layoffs or the closing of the business.
When one or more toxic employees are in the workplace, their manager’s reputation can also be at stake. So, company leaders must reign in the problem as soon as possible. Otherwise, their job could be at risk.
Can Your Company Improve Its Process for Dealing with Toxic Employees?
If your company needs to improve its process for dealing with toxic employees, it can help to work with an experienced professional who can outline the steps you need to take and where you can go for additional resources.
