How to Manage and Correct Employee Misconduct

Dealing with firing or correcting an employee can be nerve-wracking.

If you truly value relationships within your company, the mere thought of correcting employees can be paralyzing. But by implementing systems in your business and embracing the mindset of being a boss, these conversations can become much less emotionally charged.

Many people are highly relational and hire employees they like, further complicating the employer-employee dynamic. When it comes to delegating tasks in the course of conversation, decisions often flow organically, leaving room for miscommunication. Later, when it becomes necessary to address misconduct, perhaps the biggest frustration stems from “I said, you said” arguments regarding the actual requests made.

However, execution is a priority — especially in a small business environment and efforts to build a team are only effective if the tasks and projects assigned are actually completed. Otherwise, it’s a waste of your valuable time, investment and energy.

Many entrepreneurs would rather do the job themselves than address a problem with an employee. But as a leader, if you avoid the opportunity to correct your employees, business growth will stall; and you’ll become resentful and frustrated as employee problems go unaddressed.

Establishing business processes to address employee correction can make conversations easier and limit future mistakes. These systems will allow your team to continue supporting the business without your constant oversight.

Here are 3 steps you can take today to preclude and limit employee mistakes thereby making employee correction easier:

1. Make specific requests. 

Clarify your expectations and requests at every opportunity by rephrasing those conversational talks into directives. Instead of saying, “We should have the new Web page up by next week, yes?” Try, “I expect you to finish the new Web page by Monday, with these items completed, and give it to me for final approval so we can go live Wednesday.”

Setting clear expectations leaves no room for ambiguity. The use of a weekly status sheet — with defined deliverables — can aid in clarifying larger requests.