Dealing with a difficult employee is never easy \u2014 and it\u2019s something most managers will encounter at some point in their careers. With the continued rise of remote and hybrid work, these challenges can take on new dimensions.<\/p>\n
Difficult employees can impact not only your own focus and motivation, but also the overall energy and performance of your team. That\u2019s why it\u2019s essential to address issues early and directly.<\/p>\n
Whether you\u2019re managing a small business or a large organization, knowing how to handle challenging team members effectively can save time, improve productivity, and create a healthier work environment.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take a closer look at what defines a difficult employee \u2014 and the best ways to manage them in 2026.<\/p>\n
Difficult employees are a headache for any organization. They often exhibit certain tendencies of bad behavior that become toxic to others around them.<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s look at some specific examples of difficult employee behavior:<\/span><\/p>\n One of the biggest red flags of an employee\u2019s behavior is undermining authority. This is when an employee either directly or indirectly disobeys the chain of command within the company.<\/span><\/p>\n For instance, the problem employee may refuse to respect their direct supervisor\u2019s requests. They may even try to justify their behavior by saying things like \u201cYou’re not my supervisor!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Many companies today are \u201cflat\u201d so there is not a traditional hierarchy. However, there is also some kind of rank or authority, otherwise, it would be impossible to hold anyone accountable.<\/span><\/p>\n A bad attitude is when the employee exhibits a lack of urgency, lack of optimism, or other forms of negativity. The reality is that a bad attitude can turn into a performance issue fast.<\/span><\/p>\n As an example, imagine an employee who constantly says negative things to their coworkers throughout the day. When their manager asks them to participate in a team meeting, they sigh loudly and make their way to the conference room as slowly as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n This type of problematic behavior doesn\u2019t just affect themselves, but everyone around them \u2014 decreasing overall productivity.<\/span><\/p>\n Toxic behavior is one step worse than merely a negative attitude. Toxic behavior involves negative words, actions, and outcomes for all those involved.<\/span><\/p>\n Just like a virus, this employee infects all of those around them and it takes time to rid yourself of the consequences of their negative behavior.<\/span><\/p>\n An example of toxic behavior is creating unnecessary conflict within the company. Imagine a salesperson who constantly blames the marketing department for the quality of leads coming in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The toxic person may even resort to language, name-calling, gas-lighting, and public humiliation. All the while, they avoid reasonable conversations in private or searching for a solution.<\/span><\/p>\n Not completing work is exactly what it sounds like \u2014 the employee does not perform their job duties.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This means you have someone on your payroll with poor performance, who is draining company resources while providing nothing in return.<\/span><\/p>\n Business owners need to know how this kind of challenging employee operates. There is a simple example of an employee failing to perform an obvious task, such as delivering a mockup of a new logo.<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s why using\u00a0<\/span>time tracking software<\/span><\/a> like ZoomShift is so effective. You can see exactly how many hours employees are working or not working.<\/span><\/p>\n1. Undermine your authority<\/span><\/h3>\n
2. Bad attitude<\/span><\/h3>\n
3. Toxic behavior\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
4. Not completing work<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/span>How To Manage A Difficult Employee<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n