Managing employees is one of the most challenging tasks of every manager or employer.

It can either make or break the company. Staff or employees need direction and guidance and a good manager that recognized this earlier, the better it is for you. Now, that does not mean you wont have any staff problems. As a manager, accept the fact that you are bound to have problems when you have people reporting to you. If you are new to staff management, this checklist will help you understand these are common problems. The ways to solve them vary but you are encouraged to try out the suggested tips. 1. Not performing- once recognized the problem, confront the staff immediately. Do not delay. If he is a new staff, talk to him in regards to your expectations and what better way to nip in the bud than during the probationary period. If he is not a new staff and he seems to be slacking, conduct some investigations. Is there something at home that had caused his below par performance? Do not be too quick to jump to conclusions. Listen first, then act accordingly. 2. Slow/Inefficient - Its frustrating when your staff deliver work which is less than you expectednot only does it create delays, it sometimes created more work for you to clean up his inefficient work output. To solve this issue, make it a point to always stateCLEARLY your expectations when you give instructions. 3. Late to work is it a motivational issue or something at home that hinders him from coming to work on time? Its important to differentiate between a habit and a one-off incident, and they should be handled differently. 4. Private calls - question, is it excessive? Do not get too stressed out if it happened only occasionally perhaps there were some private matters that need to be sorted out urgently. However, some ground rules set and informed during orientation for new staff would be better to let them know what is considered reasonable. 5. Social networking sites/blogs this is getting more difficult to control unless the company has decided to block these sites. But, recent questions have been raised on whether control is necessary as some party suggest that employers should instead learn to encourage the productive use of social networks. 6. Poor health as long as it is not a fake, you need to be sympathetic. Insurance policies are important for employers to ensure finances will not be a problem. Some basic healthcare benefits must be factored in for every new business start-up so that you would not get burdened later. 7. Anti-social - not attending company social functions, citing personal reasons? Its good to find out more as social gatherings help in staff bonding. Is it because spouse and children are not included? Malaysian companies usually include their immediate families in company outings and that is a good way in promoting good bonding and a sense of belonging. 8. Theft - criminal activity such as this should be handled professionally so that the message is sent loud and clear that such acts are not to be tolerated. Do not cover up!

9. Romance its common to have office romance and staff dating one another by virtue of the amount of time spent together. However, if things go awry and affect job performance, the manager may have to intervene and straightened things up. The manager may need to wear the Listener & Counselor hat sometimes but its a fine line between a busy-body and a boss that cares with tissues available. 10. Heavy politicking- no office is spared from office politics but some can get really ugly. A good manager should set the record straight right from the start that the team should work together and not involved in back-biting. Probably the best thing to do is to set a good example yourself by staying away from heavy politicking. The team will know that your concern is work and the results. We can learn all the tips and yet we would find ourselves occasionally having one or two staffs that we deem as a misfit. No amount of counseling or warning help. If that is so, we have to admit that we make mistakes sometimes by getting the wrong person. If that is so, get advice from your HR department or professionals to deal with the situation. To get rid of a staff, following the correct procedures is important.

Ignoring employee complaints just sends them underground. Workers who receive an inadequate response from management will choose to discuss grievances among themselves instead. This spreads dissatisfaction and resentment, reducing productivity. Issues that could have been addressed early on may escalate over time. In extreme cases, unresolved conflict can result in incidents of workplace violence or costly lawsuits. Keep potential problems in check by instituting fair and reasonable policies. 1. Salary Level Every company has to balance budget constraints against the benefits of having skilled, long term workers. Employees do not usually relish the idea of asking for more money (the process is very intimidating), so take such requests seriously. You may be able to reach a compromise by offering to share the cost of continuing education in a work related field for qualified employees. 2. Equity Of Pay Structure While complete transparency may not be feasible, fairness should always be your policy. Starting new employees at a higher rate than existing staff should be backed up with good reasons (i.e. the new worker has more experience in the related field, specialized education etc.). 3. Raises The schedule and requirements for salary increases need to be clearly stated and firmly adhered to by all managers. Employees who know what goals and expectations they must meet to merit a pay increase are likely to view the system as fair rather than capricious. 4. Workplace Benefits

Rising health insurance costs hit both employers and employees hard. Sometimes there isnt much more you can do than lend a sympathetic ear to workers who are feeling the pinch. Keeping communication on this topic open and explaining the dynamics behind these price increases can help ease the tension. 5. Perception Of HR Department Too often, the Human Resources department is seen as existing solely for the purpose of punishment and rule making. This department should be viewed instead as an advocate employees can turn to for help. Management must present a united front with Personnel when instituting policies to avoid making HR into the bad cop. Building a reputation for trustworthiness takes time, so try to keep turnover in this department low. 6. Information Clearly communicate any changes taking place in the company to everyone involved and encourage feedback. You dont have to agree with or implement all employee suggestions, but you should always respond so they know their voices are being heard. 7. Friction With Management Good leaders know how to delegate without appearing lazy, and how to supervise without hovering. If you notice high turnover on a particular shift, scrutinize the management in that department for the potential cause. 8. Favoritism Perception is as important as reality in the areas of both favoritism and its opposite - discrimination. Nepotism, romantic entanglements, and even personal friendships with subordinates are inadvisable. Keep managers and supervisors in line with strict policies and disciplinary action if necessary to avoid lawsuits. 9. Workload Recognize that employees have a life of their own. For every person who doesnt want to work overtime, you can usually find someone who is eager to earn extra money. Make an effort to adjust work schedules to meet employees needs and you will be rewarded with higher productivity. 10. Work Environment Keep workplace injuries to a minimum by investing in the proper equipment to reduce hazards. Treat complaints about workplace harassment of any type seriously and take the appropriate steps to discipline or terminate the offenders. Everyone benefits from working in a safe and positive atmosphere.

Solutions
Theres a naive belief among many new managers that employee personal problems should be irrelevant to job performance and therefore something that managers can ignore. We like to believe that when employees walk through the office door, all of their personal problems are left behind. To managers with this belief, employees are like robots: treat them all the same way and just focus on the work. But the fact is that people are not like robots. And as much as we would like to believe that personal life doesnt impact a persons work, it very much does. Exhausted new parents suffering from lack of sleep due to a crying infant arent able to be as creative as theyd like. Workers dealing with problems at home often find their minds wandering, and dont do their best work. Employees who are in pain either physical or emotional dont operate at peak levels. Its our job as managers to get the best work out of our employees. But its also part of our job to keep our employees motivated and happy so that they will continue to be a contributing part of our organization for the long term. And to do that well we have to know the employees as individuals, and to help them through some of the personal issues that interfere with their ability to do their best work. Here are some tips on how to help employees with their personal problems: 1. Listen Often its enough to just listen to the employee, be sympathetic, and offer kind words of encouragement. But pay close attention to the difference between listening to an employee and solving the employees problem. Remember that its up to the employee to solve his or her own problem. You can listen, but you shouldnt try to take charge of getting a solution. 2. Refer employees to appropriate resources As much as you would like to give personal advice, its seldom the best course of action. A better approach is to steer employees toward professional counselors or clergy, or at least refer them to understanding and sympathetic family and friends. If you have personal experience with a similar problem, then you can tell your own story and describe your solution. But be careful to keep the focus on the employee its not about you, its about them. And dont try to solve the employees problem yourself or try to force your own solution on the employee just gently push the employee toward finding their own personal solution. 3. Accommodate short-term needs Be as flexible as you can in making temporary accommodations to help the employee through a

crisis. But make sure you communicate that these changes are in fact just temporary. Work out a date when the accommodations will end, or at least a date when you will get together with the employee to reassess the situation. 4. Be flexible in working hours or working location This is usually one of the easiest accommodations to make. Give short-term time off if its needed (use vacation or sick time if its available). Or if the problem will continue for a while, then maybe work can continue as is but with a revised working schedule (e.g., come in an hour later, but leave an hour later to make up for it). Or maybe the employee can work from home on certain days. Offer alternatives which meet the needs of the employee. 5. Temporarily assign an employee to different work that is better suited for the employees current state of mind This is a more extreme accommodation but it may be required in certain situations. For example, you may temporarily assign a project manager to other work, putting someone else in place as temporary project manager. Or for an employee who typically travels a lot for the company, you may temporarily assign the employee to a job that requires little or no travel. 6. Make it clear that these are short-term accommodations Its important to make it clear to the employee that long-term continuation of these accommodations may ultimately result in a change in job title and/or reduction in pay. Dont make this a threat just let the employee know that youre willing to let things slide for a while, but ultimately the employee will be expected to deliver the same level of performance that was previously provided. 7. Keep in touch with the employee during the crisis Monitor the situation to ensure that the employee is in fact taking steps to resolve the situation. Provide encouragement and positive reinforcement along the way. 8. When the crisis has passed, refocus the employee on the steps needed for success and career advancement Congratulate the employee on making it through a difficult situation. Then provide assistance to help the employee get back the focus that they once had. Conclusion Every employee is an individual with their own personal strengths and issues. You cant expect to take advantage of an employees strengths without occasionally running up against some of the issues. Management is about achieving business results by focusing resources, and to properly focus human resources youll need to deal with employee personal problems.

TOP TEN TIPS FOR MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS

2.

Probationary Period- Use it or lose it! This is your best opportunity to review and evaluate a new employee's ability to be successful in the position.

3.

Consistency is essential. Strive to treat all your employees the same with regard to expectations, privileges, and exceptions.

4.

You get what you reward. Acknowledge and reward good performance. Don't limit your feedback to criticism and corrections.

5.

No good deed goes unpunished. If we had a nickel for every supervisor or manager who thought she was doing the right thing by tolerating or minimizing employee problems.

6.

Walk the walk. If you expect good attendance, performance and conduct from your employees, make sure that your attendance, performance and conduct sets the example.

7.

Put the value back in evaluations. Performance Evaluations should be viewed as an important management communication tool.

8.

How did this molehill become a mountain? Call us for help early on, when the problem is simple and easily corrected. Employee problems rarely get better on their own.

9.

Whatever happened to Employee Jane? Occasionally employees are absent fro extended periods of time and/or fail to provide sufficient medical documentation for their leave. We can help you resolve the situation appropriately.

10. A-B-C, 1-2-3, can somebody help me? Don't overlook the alphabet soup of policies that protect employees, e.g. FMLA, ADA, CFRA, ESL, PDL, FLSA. We can help you navigate the soup.