Adams & Garth Blog

As a Culpeper staffing agency, we know that workplace divas can be your toughest most frustrating employees to manage. But they can also be your most valuable – which can make it worth the effort. The trick for managing a high maintenance personality is to cater to it a bit without going completely overboard. Here are some tips to help you along the way:

Maintain an open door policy.

One of the reasons divas are so high maintenance is because they need to vent – often. So institute an open door policy and give your diva the opportunity to voice their frustrations. They’ll likely be easier for your other employees to get along with as a result, which improves morale.

That said, don’t let them take up your entire day. Ask them specifically what it is they want to achieve and develop a plan for getting there.

Get both sides of the story.

When a diva complains about co-workers, don’t act on their concerns and presume what they’re telling you is the truth. Make sure you get both sides of the story before you take action.

Be honest.

If the diva’s behavior is getting out of hand, sit down with them and have an honest discussion. Give them specific examples of their inappropriate behavior. If they get defensive, try to stay calm without backing down. They need to understand their behavior is having a negative impact on the company.

Encourage competition.

Workplace divas are often competitive by nature. They want to compete and they want to win. So use that trait to your advantage. For instance, if your workplace diva is a salesperson, give him or her access to software that allows them to track their performance.

Offer praise.

Many workplace divas need a lot of praise and feedback. So offer it to them. Let them know when they’ve done a great job; if they dropped the ball, discuss with them ways to improve.

The bottom line is that high maintenance employees need a lot of attention. Many times, it’s worth it because the employee offers a lot of value to the team; sometimes it’s not, though.

So if you have a workplace diva who is bringing your entire business down, then it might be time to say farewell. To reduce the risk of future hiring mistakes, Adams & Garth can help. As a Culpeper staffing agency, we offer a temporary-to-hire staffing service, which allows you to try an employee out on the job first, before making a full-time hiring decision. Contact us to learn more.

As a manager, giving feedback comes with the territory. When performance is good, delivering praise is usually no problem. But, as a Culpeper staffing agency, we know that giving feedback when it’s not-so-good can get awkward. Sometimes, it may seem easier to avoid it altogether, which could cause your Culpeper company harm in the long run in the form of low morale, serious errors, and reduced productivity.

So what can you do to make the feedback process less painful? Here are some tips:

Be proactive.

If you see an issue with performance, deal with it immediately. Don’t procrastinate or hope the situation will work itself out. Chances are, it will actually get worse if you don’t address it head on. With that said, don’t voice your concerns in front of others. Schedule a private meeting with the employee.

Be specific.

For feedback to be effective, you have to offer clear examples of performance issues. For instance, saying “You don’t listen” will go in one ear and out the other (especially if that person really is a bad listener!). Instead, say something like: “When I spoke to you about the project last week, you didn’t even look up from your computer, which gave me the impression you weren’t listening. And when you don’t listen, mistakes can happen.”

Your turn to listen.

It’s also important for you to listen and observe what the employee’s reaction is to your comments to ensure your message is being heard. Also, by focusing on how your employee is responding to feedback, you can adjust your approach accordingly to make sure your conversation empowers them to improve and excel, rather than de-moralizes them.

Develop a plan.

Feedback is pointless if you don’t offer suggestions for improvement. Be clear about what you expect from the employee in the future and develop a time frame in which you’d like to see a change in performance. Also, follow up with the employee regularly.

Give praise too.

Getting negative feedback can be devastating to some employees. So be sure to offer praise too. Let them know what they are doing right and how their hard work has contributed to a positive result within the company.

While criticizing someone’s performance certainly isn’t easy – for you or for the employee – offering good feedback lets the employee know what mistakes he or she is making; it helps them to avoid making the same mistakes in the future; and it ultimately helps you develop more effective, top-performing employees.

And if you’re in need of some additional top-performing employees, please contact Adams & Garth. As an experienced Culpeper staffing agency, we have the experience and network to deliver the talent you need – where and when you need it.

As a staffing agency working with employers in Harrisonburg, Staunton, Culpeper – and throughout Central Virginia – we know that conflicts at work can cause great harm to your company. That’s why it’s so important to deal with them at the very first sign.

So what can you do to effectively manage issues at work? Here are some tips:

Tip #1: Don’t expect the conflict to simply go away on its own.

It may seem easier to just ignore the conflict and hope it will go away. But that would be a mistake. Even if you think the conflict is not a big deal, it’s important to address it immediately. A conflict that goes unresolved can quickly spin out of control, leading to negative results for you and your team.

Tip #2: Meet with everyone involved at once.

Schedule a meeting with all the parties involved. Go around the room and ask each to explain their side of the story. Don’t comment or interrupt. Simply listen at this point.

Tip #3: Come up with solutions together.

Brainstorm some solutions for the conflict. Ask each individual how they would like to see the conflict resolved. Don’t take sides, even if you think one employee is right over another. Your employees are professionals and should be able to resolve the conflict in an adult-like manner.

Tip #4: Help to find a middle ground.

Once you’ve all met and put everyone’s thoughts and feelings on the table, each side may be better able to understand each other. Oftentimes, conflicts are simply misunderstandings. So hopefully, at this point, there is a compromise that can be reached. If your employees are unwilling to compromise, explain that you may be forced to take disciplinary action.

Tip #5: Follow up.

Set aside some time in the near future to meet with the parties involved and check on how things are going.

Mediating a conflict isn’t fun, but it’s a necessity. Why? Because when conflicts are not dealt with effectively, they can lead to the break down of your team – and your company. If you need help resolving conflicts at work, or with developing a disciplinary action program for your company, please contact Adams & Garth. We can help.