Haz clic aquí para leer esto en español
Pepe Stepensky
Click here to read the previous article in this series
Editor’s Note: This is the 14th edition of a regular column on www.elrestaurante.com. Pepe Stepensky, a veteran restaurateur and a long-time member of the el Restaurante Advisory Panel, is offering his advice to any el Restaurante reader with a question. When he does not have a specific question to answer, he will write about the steps to opening and running a restaurant. Click here to email him a question.
Running a restaurant is challenging enough without the added burden of a bad apple on the team.
A single problematic employee can disrupt productivity, damage morale, and negatively impact customer service. Addressing this issue early on is essential to maintaining a positive, efficient, and harmonious work environment.
In my personal experience, in most cases, a bad apple is usually a person with a narcissistic personality that feels undervalued. They think they deserve better and feel underpaid, so they start agitating coworkers and talking bad about the owners, managers, the business itself. This creates a poisoned environment for everyone.
It’s imperative to locate bad apples as soon as possible to control the under-performance of your team and business.
This article will guide you on how to identify, manage, and, if necessary, fire difficult employees in a fair, legal, and sensitive manner. It will also provide advice on communicating with the remaining staff.
Identifying the Bad Apples
The first step in dealing with bad employees is to identify them. These individuals may not always be easy to spot right away, but there are key behaviors that signal a problem:
Negative attitude: Constant complaining, gossiping, or undermining management decisions.
Poor performance: Frequently making mistakes, showing up late, or failing to meet basic job expectations.
Lack of teamwork: Refusing to collaborate with colleagues, creating conflict, or being unwilling to help others.
Disrespect: Exhibiting rude behavior toward customers, co-workers, or managers.
Inconsistency: Showing flashes of competence but failing to maintain a standard, creating a disruptive and unreliable work environment.
Identifying these behaviors early is key. Speak with other managers or supervisors to confirm that it’s not just an isolated incident, and gather specific examples to better address the issue.
How to Fix the Problem
Once you’ve identified a problem employee, the goal should be to address the issue and give them the opportunity to improve. Start by:
One-on-One Meeting: Sit down with the employee privately. Be clear and specific about the concerns without generalizing or accusing them personally. Focus on the behavior, not the person. For example: "I’ve noticed you’ve been arriving late three times this week. This affects the team’s productivity."
Establish Clear Expectations: After outlining the issues, clearly state what is expected moving forward. Give them a concrete performance improvement plan, which may include specific targets, deadlines, or tasks to work on.
Offer Support: Sometimes, bad performance stems from personal issues, insufficient training, or a poor understanding of the job. Ask the employee if they need any support or additional training to help them improve. Demonstrating a willingness to help can make them more receptive to change.
Warning and Documentation
If the problem persists despite your efforts, the next step is to issue a formal warning. It’s important to document all discussions with the employee, including dates, topics discussed, and agreed-upon actions. This not only creates a record that shows you’ve made reasonable attempts to help them improve but also protects you legally if the situation escalates.
Verbal warning: Begin with a formal verbal warning, reiterating the consequences if there’s no improvement.
Written warning: If the behavior or performance doesn’t change, issue a written warning. Make sure to include specific examples of poor performance or behavior and any missed targets from the improvement plan.
Minimizing the Impact on the Team
It’s important to manage the negative influence of a bad employee to ensure they don’t affect the rest of the team. Here’s how you can keep their behavior from spreading:
Limit exposure: If possible, limit the employee’s direct interaction with others until the issues are resolved. This helps contain negativity.
Focus on team morale: Reinforce positive behaviors among the rest of the staff. Acknowledge hard work and collaboration to keep morale high, even when dealing with a difficult employee.
Open communication: Let your staff know that you’re addressing the situation. You don’t need to give details, but assure them that the issue is being managed and that their concerns are heard.
When Firing is Necessary
If there is no improvement after repeated warnings and support, it may be time to part ways with the employee. Firing someone is never easy, but it’s sometimes necessary to protect the integrity of your team and business.
Follow Legal Procedures: Before terminating the employee, ensure that you’re following local labor laws. Review your company’s policy on terminations to ensure you’ve met all legal obligations (e.g., issuing warnings, offering improvement opportunities, etc.). In some cases, you may need to consult with an HR professional or legal advisor to ensure the process is handled correctly.
Be Direct and Respectful: When it comes time to fire the employee, do it privately and respectfully. Be concise and to the point. For example: "We’ve had several conversations regarding your performance, and unfortunately, there hasn’t been enough improvement. For that reason, we are letting you go."
Avoid Lengthy Explanations: Keep the conversation professional and avoid getting into lengthy debates. Offer a severance package if applicable and wish them the best. If the employee becomes emotional, remain calm and composed.
Communicating with the Team After the Firing.
Once the employee has been let go, the remaining team will likely have questions. It’s important to communicate the situation without revealing confidential details, while also reassuring the team that it was the right decision for the business.
Be Transparent: Without going into specifics, let your staff know that the individual was let go due to performance or behavioral issues. For example: "We had to make the difficult decision to let [Employee] go because their performance wasn’t meeting our standards."
Reinforce Positive Expectations: Reassure your team by reminding them of the standards and values you expect from everyone. Encourage a positive work environment by thanking the team for their hard work and dedication.
Set the Tone Moving Forward: Emphasize that the termination was about maintaining the high standards of the restaurant. Encourage everyone to continue working together productively, and if they have any concerns, make it clear they can approach management.
Conclusion
Dealing with bad apples is a necessary but difficult part of managing a restaurant. Identifying problem employees early, offering them opportunities to improve, and managing their impact on the rest of the team can help you maintain a healthy and productive work environment.
When termination is the only option, handle the process legally and sensitively. Finally, be transparent with your team to ensure they understand the importance of upholding your restaurant’s values.
By addressing these issues promptly and fairly, you can keep your restaurant running smoothly and your team happy.
Don't miss a thing! Subscribe to el Restaurante's digital publications for free by clicking here.