1. Workplace Detox: 10 Strategies for Managing Malcontents and Toxic Employees
Presented by
Raven R. Applebaum .
© 2018, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.

2. Top 10 Types of Toxic Employee
The Defiant Employee
The Bully
The Limit Pusher
The Martyr/Victim
The Narcissist
The Backstabber
The Unmotivated
The Prankster
The Gossip
The Negative Nellie

3. 1: Avoid Hiring in the First Place
Assess the quality of your hiring process
Do you have a robust, accurate job description?
Are interviewers trained?
Have you identified the character traits and behaviors that lead to success in your organization?
Can you spot a toxic employee?

4. Common Traits and Behaviors of Toxic Employees
Focus on themselves and not on their team
Blame others for failures, take praise for success
Lack humility
Stirs the pot, gets involved in gossip

5. Screening Questions Why do you want to leave your last employer?
What would change about your last job?
What do you like most about your current job?
Give me an example of a workplace mistake you made, and what you learned?
Do you have any skills gaps?

6. Screening Questions Describe your past relationships with coworkers
Identify the values you think are important in a workplace
Do you look to anyone for advice or counsel

7. Other Strategies Consider team interviews, multiple interviewers
Ask “forced negative questions”
Describe the behaviors of the worst boss you’ve had
Ask behavioral/situational questions
Assess body language and non-verbal cues

8. 2: Listen and Act HR involvement early Listen to all the stakeholders
Obtain specific, concrete examples of behavior
Collect evidence
Direct feedback; no sugarcoating

9. 3: Set Limits Train supervisors to set limits Length of meetings
The “last word”
Time spent on ing, documenting
Avoid defensiveness

10. 4. Manage Performance Use best practices for performance management
Review history of performance reviews
Focus on objective, measurable behavior
Use direct language and provide examples of behavior
Focus on how the behavior is perceived by others

11. 5. Assess Leadership
Is the problem the supervisor and not the employee?
Listen to employee complaints objectively
Is there a pattern or a history?
Is one employee standing up for the group?

12. Leadership Traits Suited for Managing Toxic Employees
Control of own ego
Not a “pleaser”
Humility
Patience
Amenable to documentation and performance management
Decisive
Understands that not all employees can be “turned around”
Communicates well
Does not micro-manage

13. 6. Train Managers Minimizing gossip, pot-stirring
Address performance problems quickly and directly
Demonstrate authority
Allow independence
Resist micromanaging
Praise authentically

14. Understanding How Negativity Spreads
Role of ego and perception
Small gestures at top level can spread
Negative behaviors unchecked spread to the group, creating
More negativity
Apathy
Deflation

15. 7. Support or Change Supervisor
HR’s role in supporting or changing supervision
When to get legal involved
Managing the fall-out from supervisor change
Garnering support for supervisor change
Showing a “united front”
Offering resources to supervisor

16. 8. Isolate Physical distance; office layout
Work hours; flexible schedule
Working remotely
Number and composition of meetings and interactions
Consider a special project or reassignment that better matches skills, traits, and behavior
Consider limiting or changing job duties
Consider removing supervisory responsibilities
Source: Christine Porath

17. 9. Document If it’s not documented, it did not occur
Understand the role of documentation in litigation defense
Use “Documentation Do’s and Don’ts”

18. 10. Exit Strategy Assess risk of termination with counsel
Establish history of documented performance management
Address past positive performance reviews (explain the change in writing)
Do not disguise reason for termination

19. Exit Strategy Consider a “soft landing” Severance Agreement
Transition agreement
Communication plan
Outplacement assistance
Severance Agreement

20. Workplace Detox: 10 Strategies for Managing Malcontents and Toxic Employees
Presented by
Raven R. Applebaum .
© 2018, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.