I’ve worked with hundreds of leaders over the past 25 years, and there’s one challenge that comes up again and again: managing difficult employees. It’s the conversation that makes experienced managers pause, the situation that keeps you awake at night, and honestly, the thing that can make you want to tear your hair out in frustration.
A single problematic team member can derail your goals, disrupt workflow, and create a toxic atmosphere that affects everyone around them. I’ve seen brilliant managers doubt themselves because of one difficult employee. But here’s what I’ve learned: with the right strategies, you can manage these situations professionally whilst protecting your team and your own sanity.
Whether you’re dealing with a work-avoider, someone with a victim mentality, a know-it-all, or just persistent negativity, there are practical approaches that actually work. Let me share seven strategies that leaders consistently tell me make the difference.
1. Listen Actively to Understand Their Perspective
When a difficult employee comes to you with a grievance, your first instinct might be to tune out. Don’t. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by listening properly.
Be grateful they’re coming to you at all rather than undermining you behind your back. By engaging with what they’re saying, you gain valuable insight into how their mind is operating. Ask open-ended questions that encourage thoughtful responses, and always summarise what you’ve heard to ensure you both understand each other.
Active listening doesn’t mean agreeing with inappropriate behaviour. It means understanding the motivations behind it, which often reveals whether the difficult behaviour is symptomatic of broader workplace issues that need addressing.
2. Evaluate the Situation Objectively
Difficult employees inevitably generate resistance from the team, and you’ll be called to intervene. The cardinal rule? Don’t let your preconceptions cloud your judgement.
Talk to everyone individually. Get the facts. Be dispassionate, and examine your own reactions for bias. Consider external factors that might be influencing behaviour – personal circumstances, workplace changes, or unmet professional needs all play a role.
Research from Mental Health First Aid England shows that one in four people experience mental health problems each year, which can significantly impact workplace performance1. Many challenging behaviours stem from self-criticism, insecurity, or fear, particularly when someone puts others down to make themselves feel better.
This evaluation isn’t about excusing poor behaviour. It’s about understanding the full picture so you can respond appropriately and provide targeted support.
3. Document Everything
Write down specific instances where the employee didn’t meet expectations or caused a situation. Document dates, times, witnesses, and the impact on team performance.
Detailed records serve multiple purposes. They provide concrete examples when discussing performance issues, help you identify patterns, and protect both the employee and organisation should formal procedures become necessary. Stick to factual, observable behaviours rather than personal judgements.
According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), workplace conflict costs UK organisations an average of £2,000 per employee annually in lost productivity and management time2. Good documentation helps you address issues before they escalate to this level.
4. Apply Standards Consistently
You can’t call out tardiness in one employee then let it slide with your star performer who hits every target. Even if you don’t really care what time your top player appears in the office, inconsistency undermines your authority.
Rules must apply equally to everyone, including you. If you’re asking team members to be on time, you need to model that behaviour yourself. Difficult employees seize on hypocrisy as ammunition to ignore your feedback.
Your team is watching how you handle these situations. Consistency demonstrates your commitment to fair leadership and maintains respect across the board.
5. Establish Clear Consequences and Expectations
When addressing problematic behaviour, set specific, measurable goals for improvement and clearly outline what will happen if these standards aren’t met. Make the expectations and consequences transparent.
Get the employee to acknowledge these in writing. This creates ownership of the improvement process and eliminates any ambiguity about performance standards.
Schedule follow-up meetings to review progress. It’s tempting to tick the situation off as ‘solved’ once you’ve had the conversation, but it’s not over until your expectations have been met. Make consequences proportionate and progressive, allowing genuine opportunities for improvement whilst protecting the team from continued disruption.
6. Recognise Positive Contributions
This can be a bitter pill to swallow when someone is toxic, undermining your authority, or disrupting team performance. But remember to acknowledge what they’re doing well, not just where they’re falling short.
Difficult behaviour is often an attention-seeking strategy. By recognising positive contributions, you show that they’ll get attention for good work too. You’re asking them to give up behaviour that makes them feel unique and powerful by rebelling, so replace it with evidence that you’ll also make them feel valued when they do well.
This doesn’t mean overlooking serious issues. It means providing a pathway for improvement that includes balanced feedback.
7. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Avoid talking to other employees about ‘the difficult one’, no matter how tempting it is. Go home and complain to friends or family if you need to vent, but discussing one employee’s issues with their colleagues is unprofessional.
It creates that awful whisper of doubt in your team: “What if they talk about me that way when I’m not around?” Other team members are watching how you handle challenging situations. Your professionalism sets the standard for workplace behaviour.
If you need to discuss the situation, do so with HR professionals or trusted colleagues outside your organisation in appropriate settings.
8. Knowing When to Escalate
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you reach the end of the road. An important management skill is recognising when more formal action becomes necessary.
Signs that escalation may be needed include continued failure to meet agreed standards, behaviour that significantly impacts team productivity or morale, violations of company policies, or unwillingness to engage constructively with your support.
When these situations arise, consult with HR and follow established disciplinary procedures. Remember that protecting your broader team’s wellbeing and productivity is also part of effective leadership.
Frequently Asked Questions about Managing Difficult Employees
Taking Control of Difficult Situations
Managing difficult employees effectively requires patience, consistency, and professional skill. By implementing these seven strategies, leaders can address challenging behaviours whilst maintaining team cohesion and productivity.
The investment in developing these management skills pays dividends not only in resolving immediate issues but in building stronger, more resilient teams. Remember that successful management isn’t just about fixing problems – it’s about creating workplace environments where all team members, including you, can thrive and focus on what really matters: achieving your goals together.