You and your managers can't escape it. Sooner or later you're going to have to summon an employee into your office to address a performance problem or to have some other unpleasant conversation.
Talking to employees about performance problems, attendance issues or an upcoming layoff can be awkward and difficult, but there are steps you and your managers can take to make those types of conversations easier for yourselves and your employees.
You can't avoid awkward talks with employees, but you can make them easier. Get Tough Talks: Scripts & Strategies for Difficult Employee Discussions.
Here are four strategies for handling difficult conversations:
1. Don't procrastinate. The top three reasons managers avoid difficult conversations are concerns about causing stress for the employee, hurting the employee's self-esteem, and upsetting him or her. As hard as it is to approach an employee about a performance issue or to break the news of an upcoming layoff, don't put off the inevitable. The sooner you discuss a performance problem with an employee, the sooner the problem can be rectified.
Similarly, there are benefits to notifying employees about an impending layoff as soon as possible. For example, employees will have more time to prepare and you will give them accurate information before rumors and misinformation start to circulate.
2. Plan ahead. Before having a difficult discussion, you and your supervisors should prepare your remarks. Be ready to clarify the issues in an objective way. You'll want to describe the problem behavior and provide objective data to support your statements without personally attacking the employee. Also, be prepared to listen — without getting defensive — to what the employee says in response.
You and your managers also need to create an action plan. When providing negative feedback about performance, be prepared to state the specific problem, and if applicable, ways to rectify it. For example, if the problem is attendance, you'll need to tell the employee how many times he or she was absent or tardy, remind him or her of your company's attendance policy, and explain the ramifications of not complying with it.
Are there talks you dread having with employees? From bad language to body odor, certain problems bring down office morale and productivity. But how can you address people tactfully and effectively? For proven ways to handle sticky situations, order Tough Talks: Scripts & Strategies for Difficult Employee Discussions.
3. Respect privacy. Meet with the employee in a closed-door office or conference room. It will be easier for the employee to hear negative feedback or bad news in private rather than in his or her cubicle or an open area where co-workers are likely to overhear the discussion.
4. Ensure your managers consult with HR. Before your managers have certain difficult conversations with employees, such as when the manager plans to terminate or discipline an employee, he or she should touch base with your department first. You can ensure that the termination or other proposed discipline is justified and advise the manager on what he or she should — and should not — say during the conversation, so your organization avoids violating state and federal employment laws.
Most HR professionals and managers would prefer not to have a difficult conversation with an employee, but you can make the process easier by having the conversation in a timely manner before a small problem grows into a larger one — and likely leads to a more difficult conversation.
Foul language … offensive behavior … inappropriate attire … tardiness … personal hygiene. Such topics mean tough discussions for any HR professional or department manager.
Now you can defuse delicate situations, while avoiding embarrassment and legal minefields, with Tough Talks: Scripts & Strategies for Difficult Employee Discussions. This 75-minute audio recording, presented by Paul Falcone, a noted nationwide expert on employment practices, provides practical examples and specific techniques to use in those tough but necessary conversations. You'll learn how to handle employees who: 
Spread negativity and drive down morale- Use vulgar language
- Engage in offensive conduct and don't even realize it
- Have personal hygiene issues
- Constantly inject religion or politics into the workplace
- Are accused of harassment.
Sometimes people with these issues are otherwise solid performers. You may even turn an objectionable employee into an outstanding one. All the more reason to order Tough Talks today.
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