All supervisors will relate to the frustration of having a staff member who does
just enough to get by – and not a skerrick more!
They seem to drag themselves through the day and seem completely absorbed in their own world (or Facebook updates!)
This is doubly disturbing if the staffer was previously enthusiastic and cooperative. What has gone wrong?
The first thing to do is check the staff files – does this person have a learning difficulty or a medical condition which you had not appreciated before now? Are they on medication for depression or have they had a recent life crisis?
An interview is in order to rule out causes of this nature. But what if none of these apply? Then it is time to do some soul-searching.
Busy bosses typically see the big picture of their business. They know what they have to do in order to move the business forward. They are juggling many balls in the air at the same time – and sometimes staff get neglected.
Look at the following checklist of things that are proven to tick employees off – and be sure you or your other supervisory staff aren’t guilty of any of them:
• an employee doesn’t know what is expected because goals and/or standards or workplace policies and consequences are not clear (or have not been set)
• there is a mismatch between an employee’s capabilities and the job they are required to undertake, or
• an employee does not know whether they are doing a good job because there is no counselling or feedback on their performance
Be extra careful that other supervisors are not guilty of the following employee demotivators as well:
• cultural misunderstandings
• workplace bullying
Staff work for more than just money. Recognition is a huge motivator. If they think they are noticed and appreciated by you, many problems can be nipped in the bud. Don’t leave it too late!