Retail Staff

Here is some straight talk on problem employees. This tip might not be easy to take, but believe me it can change your professional life!

Do you have a person (or two, or three) in your company who is making life miserable for you, negatively affecting the morale of your staff, and maybe even giving bad customer service? And yet thing they can get away with the bad attitude?

Maybe they have been working with you for years, maybe they are a relative, or maybe they have specialized knowledge about your business. They think that you do not have the guts - or the ability - to let them go.

Someone who is not contributing, does not care, will not adhere to your set standards, and thinks you will not do anything about it is "holding you hostage".

DO NOT LET ANYONE HOLD YOU HOSTAGE.

As a business owner or manager you CANNOT let this happen. It ruins the morale of those who want to do a good job, it adds enormous frustration and stress to your life, and ultimately takes away from the quality of the experience your customers get from your business.

Your challenge is to take the bull by the horns and go toe-to-toe, eyeball-to-eyeball with the guilty party. Make sure they understand that their attitude changes, or they can find employment elsewhere.

And, if they do not change you MUST replace that person. Do not give it to you automatic reaction: "I can not replace her - she is the only one who can..." or I can not replace him - he has been with me forever." Everyone can be replaced.

Remember, your first obligation is to your business and your customers. Anyone who is not contributing in a positive way needs to be replaced with someone who will.