No employer ever wants to think of any employee as ‘toxic’ or ‘poisonous’. Yet anyone who has ever worked with or managed a large team of people can attest that there is occasionally an individual who is so negative and damaging to the workplace that he/she is secretly thought of as a ‘poison pill.’ It could be an employee who is great at her job, but speaks to customers with utter contempt. It might be a stellar salesperson who is a top producer but treats support staff like lowly peasants. Perhaps it is a manager who is wonderful to customers but rude and harsh to his direct reports. Or maybe it is an employee who says all the right things to management but then turns around and bad mouths the company to other employees and customers. Whatever the scenario, the problem of a poisonous employee is not one that can be ignored.
The real problem with a poisonous employee is that, like a poison pill dropped in a well of fresh water, he or she can contaminate the entire source. Left untended, that individual can create problems with customers, other employees and management. But dealing with a poison pill employee can be tricky business, especially if the person is great at what they do. How should a company handle the hostile employee that threatens the harmony and success of the team? The answer is carefully but decisively. Continue reading
