Managing Human Resources, Eight Edition

Managing Difficult Employees

So far we’ve focused on the challenges of administering discipline. We now turn to some common problems that managers are likely to encounter. All of the problems we discuss here—poor attendance, poor performance, insubordination, workplace bullying, and substance abuse—often lead to disciplinary actions. Managing the discipline of difficult employees requires good judgment and common sense.

Poor Attendance

The problem of poor attendance includes absenteeism and/or tardiness. Poor attendance can become a serious problem that leads to discharge for just cause. If poor attendance is not managed properly, employee productivity can decline and group morale can suffer as those with good attendance are forced to increase ...