How many of you deal with difficult employees and how do you deal with them?

I am a manager of a group home that 8 MR adults live in. Here's whats going on:

3 staff members on night shift:

One staff member on the night shift that has a holier than thou attitude, she is always right even if she is wrong, any counseling she is given for doing something wrong she files a greivence with the union, she constantly goes over her superior's heads instead of following the chain of command. And she believes she is better than everyone else intellectually/spiritually etc.... She always has something to say about the way things are being done or the way she would do it. She has a problem with listening to authority. She is a good worker as far as doing her job for the most part. She lacks in people/political skills.

One staff member on nights that has worked there for many years has a routine, dosen't say much but bosses the new person around (says the new person). He probably does boss the new person around not realizing he is doing it. He is very thorough and double checks himself to make sure everything is done. Excellent employee by my standards.

One staff member (new lady) has some time in but not much. Excellent employee does her job as expected. She is very quiet and dosen't talk much, not comfortable seeking out/talking to me about her concerns. I have heard from other employees she is having a problem with (above staff mentioned) She has not really approached me about this.

Day Shift 2 staff

One staff is workable has a strange personality but works well at times and can take constructive criticisim. Not a problem most of the time.

One staff that feels the need to constantly test my authority and tries to make me feel guilty he has to work, it's almost as if he thought when he came on day shift that we don't work/have it easy on days, this has led to several arguments over the last 2 or 3 weeks ( he has only been on day shift that long) He constantly is asking for time off and when I can't give it to him because it cuts into me being able to get my job done or not he starts threatining to call in, I tell him to do what he has to do. The guy has had on average at least 2 to 3 days off every month for at least the last 6 to 7 months. Does not like to work overtime, this job requires mandatory overtime to cover the minimum. When ever he has to stay it turns into threats of calling in or threatening to go on leave, and going on and on about how he has things to do at home with his son, wife etc....
He also feels the need to tell me how to do my job daily. He is a good worker overall but complains about almost everything he has to do.

Evening shift

One staff excellent employee will do anything you ask goes above and beyond job description.

One staff very willing to do anything you ask can be lazy at times. usually gets the job done very reasonable person.

One staff out on Administrative leave currently can't go into the details.


My boss tells me I need to be more assertive, I am I feel like I am being a B*tch already. The staff I have heard through the grapevine, think I am too agressive.
I know what my boss thinks is more important, than what the staff think, if I want to stay in my current position. But I would like to have every one working together as a team and not at each others throats. This probably will never be possible, can't please everyone all of the time, human nature/different personalities. I try but It's not working.

Any one have any ideas? I know this is long but there were a lot of variables involved.

 

Vicki

I don't envy you. One of the most difficult tasks in the workplace is finding a way to bring all of the personalities together to work as a team. It isn't easy, and it may not always be possible.

When I ran my own business, I always found it interesting and amusing that I could be too aggressive and not aggressive enough at the same time. I could be kind and gentle and evil at the same time. I could be fair and understanding and unfair and show favoritism at the same time.

I think above all, you need to be fair and treat everyone fairly. I think you need to focus on what is in the best interests of the entire department. I think you need not concern yourself with what your employees think of you if you are doing what you believe is the right thing.

Good luck.

 

I think some of the reasons for the problems are;

I got the promotion and they didn't. (some applied for the job)
I am female some men have a problem taking direction from a woman.
Some is just plain misunderstanding on both parts, me and them.
Some people are just never happy.

I just wish and it would cause me much less stress if everyone would come to work do their jobs, work together and be happy.

Ultimately we are there to take care of the clients, some times the clients who are MR have more sense than the employees.

 

First, congrats on your promotion. By sounds of things this was a recent event. Did you work at his same group home before your promotion?
Some of those "authority" issues will ease with time, as the emplyees get to know you. Ralper said it best with treat all employees fairly, you can't go wrong there.
I know that working for NYS that the union agreements are pretty well cut in stone, so if you have to "go by the book" you always can.( That is if we ever get another contract!!!)
Your fortunate that most, if not all,are experienced workers that do thier job good, if not excellent.
I suppose you could always call another group leader at another home and find out what they'd do.
Best of luck...

 

My promotion was a year ago, there really hasn't been any issues with the staff till now.There were some small issues initially but things have been going fine till now. There has been some changes with staffing recently and thats where all of the trouble began.

I think maybe, I just need to treat the staff that are giving me a hard time by the book instead of trying to help (go out of my way to help) them with their personal needs time off etc.... Maybe they will see the difference in me and realize, the game is over. I hate being a B*tch.

And the staff that do a good job and give me no grief continue as I have/am doing.

This could be called favoritisim but, do onto others as you want done onto yourself.

thanks for your replies