Over the past decade, the number of problem employees has steadily increased, causing changes in workforce demographics and organizational complexity. Among them, the Millennial stand out, in some of their behaviors, which are characterized by being much more demanding than their predecessors and more courageous with respect to what they feel in the company where they work . Recent surveys reveal that 68% of Millennial are willing to challenge the status quo if they don’t believe in or align with the decisions a company makes
The attention seeker.
Attention seekers look for ways to be the center of attention during meetings and require enough time to speak or be on stage. Otherwise they can turn against the ideas of a group. Root Cause: As the name suggests, attention seekers crave support and affirmation from others. Strategies: These people may have interesting ideas, but it is the timing and percentage of their contribution, relative to the rest of the team, that can create problems. Set firm limits on the time you have available to them by setting meeting rules, such as a predefined storyline or time limit for each presenter.
The distracted child. Distracted employees can forget details,
Book the wrong meetings, show up at the wrong time, or not follow the agenda. Almost always, they require someone to step in and take urgent action to remedy the situation. Root cause: In general, distracted workplace culture has not learned to take responsibility in many areas of their lives. They don’t have a firm understanding of cause and effect, especially when they are the cause. Strategies: You have to combine distracted employees with conscientious employees. Put processes or systems in place that shift responsibility to distracted employees, including the cost of mistakes.
Need to be the first to know the news.
There are employees who need to be the first to know all the news of the organization, so that they do not feel disappointed. Root Cause: Many people lack confidence by nature. A clear example is the employee who is continually stressed as there is a restructuring process in the company. Strategies: A BTS survey shows that only 30 percent of employees feel that new strategies communicate well. For this reason, it is convenient to explain the reason for the decisions, so that the employee fully understands the situation.
The debate. Those who debate have a particular opinion on all issues
and do not consider a decision of their superiors valid, unless it has been thoroughly examined, discussed and argued. Root Cause: Debates are intellectually stimulated by discussion and believe they generate good ideas. Often their motivation is genuine, because they believe that they always have ideas to contribute. Strategies: those who discuss must be clearly informed when the time for discussion is open and when it is not. Keep in mind that different studies show that negative comments, although often unwelcome, are vital to the success of an organization.
The Endless Talker .
Endless talkers drain their time and energy by spending a lot of time talking about different topics. Root cause: By definition, conversationalists like to digest and work through ideas verbally. They can learn and find solutions by talking about them. They also feel more confident about changes and decisions when they have been thoroughly analyzed and discussed. Strategies: you have to provide them with written information, so that they can access and reflect first. Then you have to set specific times for the discussion and indicate what the parameters of the conversation will be.
The denier of the problem. Problem deniers do not pass them on to their superiors.
The longer problems are ignored, the more additional work is needed to repair or correct the path. Root cause: These types of people may not be comfortable with conflict. They may want to avoid problems that could reflect negatively on their work, or they may not have the ability to ask critical questions. Strategies: Combine problem deniers with strong, critical-thinking-oriented employees.
The most intense.
High-intensity people bring their full energy to every project and expect others to keep up. This can result in managers prioritizing their needs, as a way of dealing with these employees. Root cause: Enhancers are motivated employees, who believe that achievement comes from constant follow-up and passionate work on problems. Strategies: Leaders must avoid being drawn into issues that are not business priorities.
