How to Recognize and Weed Out Toxic Employees

Company leaders are more than likely accustomed to managing a variety of different personality types. And, as with any team, there are always personalities that are more difficult to manage than others. But what do you do when those personalities become toxic to the company culture? How do you recognize them?

First, it's important to articulate what classifies as toxic behavior since it's not always expressed as obvious, disruptive aggression. Toxic behaviors can manifest in various ways, some of which include:

• Negativity: In the quest to lead a team to success, nothing drags morale down like the wet blanket of a pessimist. A person who is always naysaying while the rest of the team is trying to be proactive and solve problems is going to make everyone else miserable and weaken their resolve to push forward.

• Complacency: Complacency might be a tough behavior to spot if it's not actively sought. Employees who are complacent rely heavily on their coworkers and leave others to carry their weight. This fosters resentment and tensions that are detrimental to productivity, so it is crucial to the team's success to ensure that everyone is carrying out their role responsibilities

• Argumentative: This is the most outward sign of toxic behavior in the workplace because it's usually pretty hard to miss. This behavior requires immediate attention since argumentative employees can sometimes find an audience in their coworkers and incite others to join the argument.

• Inappropriate Comments: The best way to monitor this toxic behavior is by the complaints of other employees. Make sure that there is a process, including an HR representative, for employees to report inappropriate comments or advances. Open and transparent communication is key for this type of toxic behavior.

• Gossip: This toxic behavior is a little bit sneaky. It's not outwardly offensive to anyone and doesn't generally cause major disruptions. But the gossip mill can churn into an HR nightmare when feelings get hurt or personal information gets passed around. Make sure employees know from the get-go that gossip is not tolerated.

Now that we've identified some toxic behaviors experienced in the workplace, let's talk about methods to recognize them and eradicate them from the company culture.

Track It

The first step to recognizing a toxic employee is by regularly observing the team in action. Watch how employees interact with each other and look for sources of tension. Keep track of all complaints and write-ups so that patterns of behavior can be efficiently identified. Any employee could have a bad day where they slack off or get into a heated debate. But when those behaviors happen repeatedly, it is important to maintain a detailed record of the behavior to address it.

Address It

Of course, if employee behavior has been tracked and a noticeable toxic pattern is identified, the next step is to address it promptly and professionally. Don't allow toxic behavior to go unchecked, as it not only demonstrates a bad standard to the rest of the team, but it also has the potential to do significantly more damage to company morale as time goes on without a resolution.

When addressing a toxic situation, meet privately with the employee in question, such as in a private office or conference room. Avoid using an accusatory tone, as this often adds fuel to the fire and doesn't leave much room for a peaceful resolution. Present the information that has been tracked and give detailed examples of their behavior and how it has negatively impacted the team. If other employees have made complaints about the behavior, be sure to protect their anonymity to avoid further discord.

If you've previously addressed the behavior, issued warnings and seen no improvement, it might be time to consider a separation of employment. After proper processes have been followed and appropriate corrective measures have been implemented and the behavior is still not correct, the employee shouldn't be allowed to hinder progress any further. If a statement of termination to the employee in question is going to be made, make sure every offense, warning and corrective measure taken is in writing.

Prevent It

Ultimately, the best way to prevent toxic behaviors from wreaking havoc on company culture is to prevent them before they start. Build a team that will work well together by increasing talent acquisition and hiring efforts to include more emphasis on personality and behavior assessment. This, of course, does not imply that every applicant should take five different personality tests before sending them on to the next step of the interview process, though behavioral assessments are valuable in weeding out toxic personalities.

Make good use of one-on-one time during interviews by asking open-ended questions and allowing candidates the time to answer and expand on their thoughts. Don't rush through the interview and miss an opportunity to really see an applicant's personality. Brief pauses in conversation can be very telling and useful in evaluating an applicant's true nature.

In addition to assessments and interviews, follow through on the reference checks applicants provide. Don't just call one previous employer and assume that the rest will have similar reports. Speak to each reference and look for any patterns that might be detrimental to the team. References are a valuable resource in the hiring process and should not be wasted.

The first priority as a leader is to maintain a positive work environment for the team, one that encourages, motivates, inspires and supports. If any employee threatens that carefully crafted culture, don't wait. Weed out toxic employees and give the team the best opportunity to grow and thrive.