There is going to be a time when you need to have a talk with one or more of your employees. You may have suspicions that the job just isn’t for them, or you may need to confront them about a specific behavior.
Regardless of the reason for the discussion, you need to approach your employee in a way that doesn’t make them feel threatened or intimidated. Here are 9 guidelines for having a productive conversation with your staff.
Be clear about why you are having the conversation.
When you approach your staff member, let him or her know why. If it’s based on something that you’ve personally witnessed, make sure that he or she knows that (and have the conversation as soon as possible after the incident). If you need to address a concern that has been brought to you by a customer or another staff member, be diplomatic. You shouldn’t bring the other person into the conversation by name, but you do need to indicate that someone else has brought the matter to your attention.
Keep in mind that it is unfair to blind-side your employee. If you are talking to them because there is an issue to address, let that be known right away. Don’t begin the conversation by asking them about last night’s baseball game as a way to break the ice. Many people will be more defensive and less understanding if you appear to be trapping them with the conversation.
Be specific, even if the topic makes you uncomfortable.
There are things that make people uncomfortable when they talk with employees. You may be approaching a staff member who has made racist comments about a customer or you may need to discuss your fear that the staff member has been dishonest.
No matter how uncomfortable you are with the conversation, you need to use specific examples to communicate your point. If you are unable to address the specific concerns, how do you expect the employee to understand what you’re trying to say?
Likewise, if you are approaching a staff member who just doesn’t seem to be working out, bring up the specific things that make you question them. Maybe it’s that they spend more time talking to other staff than customers, or maybe there’s just one part of the job that they just don’t seem to grasp. Regardless of the why, it’s important for you to be specific so that the employee can respond to your concerns.
Describe what you know.
Again, this will need to be as specific as possible. If someone has come to you with a complaint, let the staff person know what’s been said. Share what you need to of what’s been said.
For example, if it’s been brought to your attention that there was an issue with customer service, don’t just indicate that you think the staff member doesn’t interact well with customers. Instead, describe the situation: “Here’s what I understand has happened” and go on to explain what you know.
Ask for the other side of the story.
Don’t assume that you have all of the information about the situation, even if you were there when it happened. You may have missed a comment that provoked your staff or there may be an underlying issue between members of your staff that you’re unaware of.
Make sure that after you’ve talked about the incident you give the employee a chance to let you know what happened from his or her perspective.
Explain the way that you feel about the situation.
More than you are able to make an impact by saying “what you did was wrong,” you will be able to communicate with your employee by letting him or her know how you feel about what happened. If it makes you uncomfortable, say so and then explain why. The same holds true if the situation makes you angry, sad or concerned.
Provide a course of action for the employee to meet your expectations.
It’s important, especially if this is the first time that you are approaching an employee with a specific concern, for you to give the staff member a chance to improve.
Don’t just tell him or her “your attitude needs to improve.” Again, be specific. Give a roadmap for the employee’s improvement. Tell him or her that you expect a better outlook or that they should always try to help the customer. Find out from the staff member what extra help they might need to meet your expectations; you may find that having another staff member mentor the person might help, or that it’s a matter of needing more training.
The important thing about this step is that you are clear about what you’re expecting from the staff member so that they can improve.
