A Survival Guide to Managing Employees from Hell: Handling Idiots, Whiners, Slackers, and Other Workplace Demons

Chapter 13. Last to Know

Sometimes a difficult employee can remain on the job for months because the other employees don’t want to be the one to tell the boss and get that person fired. There is often a sense of bonding and camaraderie among employees, even when one employee is not pulling his or her own weight. The code against being an informant or tattletale can be so strong that no one says anything for weeks or months, until the situation becomes so bad that the employees finally decide to say something—or the boss realizes something is wrong and finally discovers the truth.

That’s what happened when Bert set up a thriving construction company specializing in remodeling interiors and adding additions to houses, like porches, garages, patios, ...