New Hire Assimilation and Training- Preparation for the Employee's First Day

Preparing for the Employee’s First Day- Please Don’t Disappoint!
The next phase of the assimilation process is creating a warm and welcoming environment for your new hire. It is very disappointing for a new employee to get to their work area only to find that no one is ready for them. Their desk or work area looks like a barren wasteland without even the most basic of office supplies. Often times, the employee is lucky to even have a working phone or chair. If this is what you are allowing your new employee to walk into, you are sure to strike out before noon on your employee’s first day.

Leaders need to start making their new employee a priority from the moment they say “I DO” to your employment offer. Solicit the support of your trainer to ensure the following supplies and equipment (if appropriate) are in place and fully functional in advance of the new hire’s start date:

• A complete set of office supplies
• A working phone
• Phone book
• Phone listing
• Training material on company communications (Telephone, E-mail, V-Mail, Etc.)
• Computer
• Chair
• Name plate (if applicable)
• Applicable department training materials

Technology Requirements

Many companies require a significant amount of lead time to get user IDs and passwords for access to computer systems. Unless otherwise restricted by company policy, do not let your employee down by waiting until after the employee starts to get the ball rolling. It can make training difficult when the new employee cannot even access the system they are trying to learn.

The Formal Department Welcome
A nice touch for welcoming your new hire is to have some type of informal meet and greet within the first week of their employment. Whether you bring in donuts or have a small luncheon for the team, it typically creates more of a social atmosphere. Food always seems to encourage social interaction and it will allow your new employee to see the personalities of their team member. If you are lucky enough to have a cohesive group of team players, your new hire may walk away from the experience feeling proud to be a member of such a great team. For the cost of a couple dozen donuts or some bagels and cream cheese, you will put a smile on the faces of your employees, and show your new hire that you are truly excited to have them as part of your team.

Summary
Leaders have a responsibility to create an environment for their employees to flourish. Supervisors/managers must recognize how impactful effective assimilation is on their new employees. The focus must begin before the employee is even officially on the payroll of your company. Take some time to recall your past experiences of when you first stated in your previous jobs. Not feeling like you are welcome or important in the workplace can extremely disheartening. The emotional rollercoaster that occurs when deciding to change one’s job or career can create significant stress in a person’s life. Don’t make matters worse by creating an environment that causes your new employee to regret their decision to join your company.

Your ultimate goal is to create a cohesive team where your employees work together each day to achieve a common goal. This is difficult to achieve when new employees are joining and subsequently leaving your team at warp speed. Minimizing turnover is a critical element in ensuring positive results in the productivity, quality and customer service produced in your department; and the last time I checked, these results are directly linked to your performance as the leader of the team. Effective assimilation and training is not just a great idea, it is a key responsibility of all leaders!

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New Hire Assimilation and Training- Creating a Training Curriculum

Now that you have your peer trainer(s) in place, you need to ensure that there is a defined process and plan in place for when, where, and how the training will occur. If at all possible, you should have your trainer(s) assist you with the development of a training plan. Although many supervisors/managers are knowledgeable about the tasks and activities done in their departments, your trainer(s) should be knowledgeable of the specific details required of each task.

You will want to get yourself in the mindset that you are going to be managing a fairly substantial project. You will most likely need to schedule frequent meetings and status checks to ensure the project stays on track. This whole process will likely require a significant amount of your time and involvement to ensure a proper outcome, but in the end, you will have a solid training plan that can be used time and time again with your new hires.

PREPARING THE ASSIMILATION PORTION OF THE TRAINING PLAN
One mistake that is commonly made when training new hires is cramming too much functional information at them before they have any real understanding of the bigger picture. So before getting into the details of the processes and procedures that new hire needs to be trained on, you need to take a giant step back and review how you plan to assimilate the employee into your department. To do this, you need to start from the point when the employee first arrives in the workplace. Document when and how you will facilitate the following:

• Is there a formal orientation? If so, do you have any involvement in the process? If you are invited to join in on any part of orientation, make sure you do so. It is a great way to start building your relationship with the new employee. It also helps them see you as a leader in the work setting.

• If there is a formal orientation, do you have any involvement in getting the employee to the orientation or meeting them right after it is completed? I have seen many new employees walking around aimlessly after orientation because no one bothers to give them good instructions on what to do or where to go. Meeting your new hire right after orientation and walking them to the work area can make a positive impact.

• What will you do with the employee once they get to your department? This is the time where you need to be on your ‘A’ game. Preferably, you will want to have an hour or so set aside to facilitate the following:

• Formally welcome the employee to the team
• Share positive information about the company
• Discuss any company mission statements or value statements that exist
• Review the company or division’s organizational chart
• Discuss any internal customers supported by the department
• Discuss any external customers supported by the department
• Discuss how the work that is done in the department supports the overall product or service provided by the company
• Review the employees work schedule
• Review the attendance policy
• Discuss how new employees earn vacation and personal time
• Discuss how the associate reports regular time, personal time, vacation time, holiday pay, etc
• Review upcoming holidays and pay guidelines for new hires
• Discuss how the employee is to request time off
• Review the procedure for calling in sick or for a personal day
• Discuss telephone etiquette- any specific requirements for voicemail, etc
• Review any parking guidelines that may exist
• Review smoking guidelines as well as approved smoking areas if needed

In order to break up the day, it is time to go for a walk with your new employee while you facilitate the following:

• Introduce the employee to their coworkers
• Take the new hire on a thorough tour of the facility. Make sure to include things such as the rest rooms, break room, mail room, other departments they may need to visit, etc.
• Introduce your new hire to employees in other departments who they will interact with as part of their normal course of business
• Introduce the employee to key members of the management team, especially those they may end up interacting with

Next, you should plan to return to your work area and review the following documents with the employee: 

• Job Description
• Performance Review Form
• Important policies to be aware of (attendance, tardiness, breaks, lunches, etc)
• Any individual or department related requirements (claims processed per/hr, etc)
• Any other key information/documentation that will help the new employee to better understand their role in the organization

At this point you should be ready to share the training outline with the new hire and explain how their training will progress. Set the expectation that you want them to take good notes that they can refer to in the future. Also reiterate that although you will be frequently checking in with them, your door is always open and you want their feedback about how their training is progressing. Remind them if they have any issues, problems or questions, they should get with you as soon as possible.

Once this meeting is completed, it is time to introduce your new hire to their trainer.

PREPARING THE FUNCTIONAL TRAINING OUTLINE

The first step in creating the actual functional training plan is to start by making a checklist of the high level responsibilities of the department. Utilizing the job description and performance review document are great resources to ensure you are capturing all of the pertinent information.

Once you have the high level responsibilities documented, you and your trainer(s) can begin to document the minute functional details for each process. Make sure to take your time and capture each and every step in the process. Create the training plan in a logical order, where each part of the process or function builds on the last. If needed, sit next to an employee who is actually doing the process. Have the employee explain the step-by-step processes and take thorough notes throughout the session.

Hands-On Training is Critical

Although it is important to have your new hire watch the trainer and take detailed notes, you will also want to specify in the training plan what type of hands-on training that will take place. Although many people will pick up on the process by listening to the trainer and watching them do the process, most new employees will tell you that the hands-on experience stuck with them a lot more than just observing someone doing the job.

SUMMARY

Although this process will take time to create, it will be well worth it in the end. Providing a structured approach to training and integrating your new hire into their new surroundings will keep them focused and they will not become insecure about their new role or responsibilities.

One other best practice is to continually evaluate the effectiveness of the training process in your department. The best way to do this is by asking your new hires about the quality of the training they experienced. Ask them about what additions/revisions they would suggest to make the training plan more effective. This will allow you to continually fine tune your departments training plan. This will also help your new hires feel as if they are making a contribution to the department.

More tomorrow on preparing the work environment for your new employee.

 

New Hire Assimilation and Training- Finding the Right New Hire Trainer

We spent time reviewing effective interviewing and selection practices. This week we will look at how to effectively integrate and train your new employees to prepare them for a successful career with your organization.

TADA...YOU JUST HIRED THE PERFECT CANDIDATE!  NOW WHAT?

You spent all of that time and effort interviewing all of those candidates and you finally found one who you believe will be a perfect match for your team. Unfortunately, you may not be prepared for your next big challenge. How are you going to integrate and train your new hire once they start??

One of the biggest mistakes both new and experienced supervisors make is failing to invest sufficient time and resources into acclimating and training new employees in the early days of their employment with the company. Virtually everyone has some type of horror story about a time when they were thrown into a job and left for dead. Although this may be a bit of an exaggeration, it certainly feels that way if you are the one going through it. Most leaders who have been in the workforce for any amount of time should be able to draw on their own negative experiences to better prepare for this area of their supervisory responsibility.

Leaders need to understand that most human beings like consistency and comfort; we like to be familiar with our surroundings. Many people struggle with change and experience significant stress when they find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Let’s face it: the stress that comes with starting any new job can be very overwhelming. As leaders we often compound our new employee’s stress level when we fail to create the right type of environment for our new hires to easily integrate into. Much like developing a first impression when you meet someone, your new hire will develop first impressions based on their experiences from the first few weeks of their new job. These experiences will shape their opinions about you, your team and your organization. It is critical for all leaders to understand that the first few weeks of any new employee’s work experience is absolutely critical for setting your new hire on a path to success.

YOUR PREPARATION WILL REAP DIVIDENDS

All too often supervisors consider the new employee’s first day the starting point of the process. Unfortunately, you will do a great disservice to your new employee if you don’t get a significant jump-start on the preparation process. A great deal of commitment and effort will be required when it comes to creating a plan for effectively integrating your new employee into the team. Just be mindful of the fact that putting a comprehensive plan together can be extremely time-consuming. The good news is, once you develop the plan, it can often be easily repeated with all of your future new hires. As with much of effective leadership, preparation is the key to success!!

There are several aspects involved in effectively integrating employees into their new environment. You need to prepare a plan for them with the following elements:

• Identify and assign an effective new employee trainer
• Create an effective training plan
• Prepare for the employee’s first week including how you plan to welcome them into the team
• Prepare to facilitate a thorough tour of the building and specific work environment

SELECTING THE RIGHT TRAINER

Selecting an employee who will be an effective trainer will create a positive experience for your newly hired employee. This person will be the employee’s life line for the first month or so. It is critical that you look for an employee who possesses the following characteristics:

• Excellent Communication Skills- The trainer must be able to easily adapt to the trainee’s communication style. They must be able to clearly articulate the employee’s new responsibilities in a broader sense as well as train the employee on the minute details of how various processes needs to be done. The trainer must also be able to provide you with feedback on the progress being made by the new hire. Therefore, having a good working relationship with the trainer is critical.
• Patience- It takes a special person to spend a significant amount of time with someone they just met. The trainer must be able to handle virtually any personality type and learning style. Even the smartest trainee may struggle with certain concepts or processes. The trainer should not be someone who frustrates easily, or shows their frustration to others.
• Excellent Work Habits (reliability, dependability)- A new employee is going to pay close attention to all that is going on around them. This will be the example for what is expected of them in their department and in their role. Having a trainer that is frequently tardy for work, has poor attendance, takes too many breaks, gossips with co-workers, etc. is not what you want your new employee exposed to. 
• Integrity- Your trainer needs to be someone who follows the processes and procedures as defined. Although everyone takes shortcuts from time to time, you do not want a trainer who is always finding ways to take the easy way out when it comes to fulfilling their job duties. A new hire should always be trained according to established procedures. If they want to develop shortcuts later, that is their choosing. 
• Confidentiality- Every new employee should have the benefit of working with a trainer who will maintain confidentiality, especially when it comes to their performance on the job.
• No Gossip Gurus- The last thing you need is a new hire who gets sucked into all of the gossip and drama going on in the department. They need to spend all their energy learning their role and responsibilities. You do not want ‘Drama Momma’ or the ‘Town Crier’ as your department trainer.
• Strong Technical Knowledge- Having someone who knows the process inside and out is important, but do not make the mistake of making your resident expert your trainer if they do not possess the qualities listed above. Remember...early impressions are absolutely critical to the success of your trainee.
• Strong Analytical Skills- Your trainer should be your assistant when it comes to actually preparing the department training plan. The trainer will need to be able to work closely with you to break down the processes within the department and outline them in a logical manner for training purposes. They will also need to be organized and able to prepare training materials that will help aid the new hire in learning their responsibilities. A trainer should be self sufficient, a self starter and someone who is able to work independently.

SUMMARY

Preparing for your new hire is absolutely critical for your employee’s success, as well as the success of the entire department. As most existing employees end up being stuck with the extra workload that comes with turnover, getting your new hire up to speed more quickly also helps alleviate the burden on the rest of your team. Having an effective new hire training plan sends a strong message to your team that you have their best interest in mind.

Getting your new hires up to speed is also critical for your own success. No boss wants to continue to hear excuses about things not getting done because of turnover. You must be responsible to fill your open positions in a reasonable amount of time, and get your new hires trained and working effectively in short order. The only way you will accomplish this is through effective planning and execution of your training strategy.

Tomorrow we will review what to include in a training outline to ensure all aspects of an employee’s role are thoroughly covered.

 

Quirky Employee Behaviors- The Chip Stacker

The 'Chip Stacker' is a very common employee type that seems to be everywhere in the workplace. These employees are highly skilled and capable of cranking out a TON of quality work, in an extremely short time frame. You can just keep piling on and the ‘chips’ of the world will continue to dazzle you with their ability to get it all done. Sounds great doesn’t it? What their unsuspecting manager doesn’t realize is that their rock star employee is collecting phantom ‘chips’ for each good deed they do. When things are going along smoothly, and the boss least expects it, the employee will arbitrarily begin cashing in their chips. They start using their sick time, leaving early, making excuses for assignments not getting done, turning in less than quality work, etc. Just when the manager starts to question what is happening with the employee things miraculously return to the superstar status quo, therefore, the manager does not feel the need to say anything to ‘Chip’. You see, these employees are experts at reading their managers and can pick up the most subtle clues that there may be trouble in paradise. Once this happens, they snap right back in to the state of exceeding the bosses expectations.

I have seen this cycle go on for years between some employees and their managers. Although you would think the manager would notice what is going on, the leader seems oblivious to this constant roller coaster. I believe the primary reason managers overlook this behavior is because they don’t like conflict. Also, they don’t want to have to address performance issues with an employee who has demonstrated the ability of producing such a high caliber of work. They seem thankful for the bursts of awesome performance and are willing to overlook the lulls. Unfortunately, this is no way to manage your employees or your business. Employees need to be able to live up to their potential in the workplace and demonstrate consistency in the work they are producing. I would take consistent execution from an average performer any day, over the roller coaster ride the ‘Chip Stacker’ wants to take you on. No leader should allow an employee to hold them hostage, and that is the game the ‘Chip’ wants to play.


SUGGESTION FOR THE LEADER
Each of your employees has a unique set of skills and talents, and your job is to know what makes each of your team members tick. In the case of the ‘Chip Stacker’, there isn’t necessarily anything specific that causes the employee to slack off. Often times, they have just learned they can get away with this roller coaster behavior, so why should they mess with a good thing?

The ‘Chips’ of the world seem to need a ton of praise and constant reinforcement. They need to feel as if the work they do matters to you and to the organization. You will need to schedule frequent meetings with ‘Chip’ to ensure you are constantly setting expectations and following up on the progress being made. These meetings are also a good time to provide positive feedback. Just remember, do not let a solid run of performance allow you to back off of your regularly scheduled meetings, because the moment you do, ‘Chip’ is sure to take advantage of it.

Quirky Employee Behaviors- The Walking, Talking Infirmary

Isn’t absolutely amazing how one person can possibly contact every germ, bug and virus that exists in the universe? Well most of us have had the distinct honor of working with one or more of these individuals over the course of our work life. These are the employees that can hear you talking about one of your distant relatives having the flu, and they call in with flu symptoms the very next day. It is nothing short of miraculous how these individuals will contract everything from the common cold to a highly contagious virus (requiring days of in-home quarantine...of course) at the drop of a hat.  This unfortunate cycle seems to continue throughout the employee's marginal career.

These employees seem to be the unlucky souls who are constantly suffering with mysterious symptoms that leave their doctors stumped. They come to work wheezing, sneezing, coughing, dripping, sweating and seem to come just short of seizing. Not only are they frequently leaving work to go to their own doctor appointments, but they are also constantly running their family members (including fourth cousins twice removed) to their medical appointments as well. They need to be at every family member’s surgery, biopsy and tooth extraction. Clearly the extended family unit could not continue functioning without this employee being the focal point of all medical activity.

These employees also seem to get sick at the worse possible times. It does not appear that they have any regard for the impact their absenteeism has on their company or their fellow employees. Half the department could be out due to meetings, valid leaves of absence and/or vacations, and this employee will still call in sick with some random case of the bubonic plague.

CRYING WOLF SYNDROME
This type of employee defines the 'crying wolf syndrome'. They make a huge deal over every sniffle and cough, causing you to become desensitized to their many medical dramas. Just keep in mind that one of these days, one of their issues may end up being a serious medical condition. So although you really want to roll your eyes every time you see them coming, or hear their voice on the phone, you need to maintain your objectivity. If this latest issue is truly related to a serious medical condition, you have an obligation to discuss their right to apply for a medical leave of absence and/or FMLA (check your company policy). 

THE DREADED ATTENDANCE DISCUSSION
Although the employees with constant minor medical dramas can absolutely drain you of time better spent on other employees, you must not prejudge whether their latest story is true; just follow the guidelines established by your company for addressing attendance issues. Suggestions for an attendance meeting are as follows:

• Have a fellow supervisor/manager as a witness and ask them to take detailed notes.
• Thank the employee for joining you.
• Explain that you have noticed that their absenteeism seems to have increased and is bordering on excessive.
• At this point, the employee will most likely launch into the conversation and will begin unloading EVERYTHING regarding their health and the health of their family and closest friends. Make sure you listen carefully and try to determine whether there is any aspect of the story that sounds like it may be related to a serious medical condition related to the employee or an immediate family member.
• Again, explain that you are concerned about their level of absenteeism and if the situation is related to their own serious medical condition, or that of an immediate family member, then they need to consider applying for a medical/FMLA leave of absence.
• Most front-line supervisors/managers are not typically expected to know the details behind FMLA. Your role is to advise the employee of their right to pursue FMLA.
• If the employee expresses interest, inform the employee that you will be getting in touch with your HR representative. Make sure to contact HR that day!
• Have your company’s attendance policy available and make sure you reiterate the policy.
• If the explanations for the absences are random, and have nothing to do with a chronic medical condition, it is time to explain the consequences for their current level of attendance and any additional absences.
• If you are intending to issue some type of disciplinary action due to the random nature of the absenteeism, and then make sure you let the employee know that this documentation is forthcoming within the next few days. You don’t want to just spring it on them or they may feel like it is double-jeopardy (you already talked to them about the issue and are now coming back again to whack them over the head with it).
• Document the conversation and proceed with formal disciplinary action related to the employee’s attendance, if appropriate.

It is rare that these types of employees actually end up pursuing FMLA. There is stringent criteria for qualifying for FMLA, including physicians’ statements and a relatively frequent review of the employees medical information. Often times once an employee has a full understanding of what is required to qualify for FMLA, you won’t hear much more about it. As long as you have advised the employee of their rights under FMLA (do it with a witness present), and the employee either fails to apply or fails to qualify, you should continue to forge ahead with holding the employee accountable to the attendance guidelines. I strongly suggest you reach out to your HR representative to partner with them as you work through these issues; they can be tricky and have negative consequences for the employer if not handled appropriately.

SUMMARY
Putting this employee ‘in a box’ by strictly enforcing your company’s attendance policy is your only hope for forcing them into a decision. They can modify their behavior and begin showing up for work every day, or face termination where they can take their show on the road to another unsuspecting employer. Regardless of their decision, maintain your professionalism and your efforts will pay off in the end.

 

Quirky Employee Behaviors- Liar Liar Pants on Fire!!

LET'S MEET LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE
Throughout my leadership journey, I have had the privilege of working with some incredibly challenging employees. Among the most difficult to manage were those who, as they say, would lie when the truth would serve them better. Oh yes, those special individuals who can lie with a frightening level of ease and conviction. This ridiculous behavior is an alarming factor in many a workplace, and it is emotionally draining and time-consuming to deal with.

These types of employees seem comfortable lying about everything from what they had for dinner last night to being the long lost heir to a famous family's fortune. But the most disturbing of the lies I have heard are from employees who claim to be suffering from a life threatening medical condition. Although I am not qualified to diagnose the underlying issue, this level of deceit is downright frightening.

Suffice it to say, if an employee is comfortable lying to their co-workers about suffering from a terminal illness, you don’t have much hope of ever being able to trust a single word they say! How do you work with someone who is absolutely devoid of integrity? A significant element of your leadership role is creating a strong professional relationship with your team, and the last time I checked, one of the key elements in any relationship is trust. So how in the heck does a leader deal with someone who is a chronic liar??

DEALING WITH A CHRONIC LIAR IN THE WORKPLACE
One of the main challenges of dealing with these individuals is it becomes very tempting to try to ‘out’ them on their latest lie. I mean let’s face it, listening to a barrage of colorful lies on a daily basis could have even worn Mother Theresa down. However, your objective is to treat the employee with dignity and respect, and maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times. Trying to poke holes in their latest fabrication just makes it personal, and detracts from the real goal which is holding the employee accountable for the expectations of their job. That is the key to dealing with the workplace liar. Stay focused on the quality and productivity of the employee’s work, as opposed to their latest and greatest whopper of a story.

One significant complication that often occurs when dealing with this employee’s performance issues, is they often come up with some creative story about how or why the issue occurred. Much like with the ‘Drama Momma’s’ of the workplace, they will most likely attempt to take you on a trip over the river and through the woods in an attempt to distract you from the real issue(s). DO NOT WAIVER! Continue bringing the employee back to the objective facts or results that you are attempting to talk with them about.

If any element of the employee’s lying becomes a violation of any company policy, you have an obligation to address it. Just be prepared to compile a mountain of data (evidence) to make your case. Remember, these employees are slippery buggers. They are quick on their feet when it comes to lying their way out of a jam. Once you are able to present them with one piece of evidence after another, they often fold. In some cases however, the employee will continue to lie throughout the entire investigation. Just don’t waiver on your commitment to professionalism. In the end, the facts typically win out and the employee will be subject to the consequences of their actions.

SUMMARY
The workplace liar is one of the most difficult employee types to deal with. The human side in many of us wants to right all wrongs, and working side by side with someone who chronically lies day in and day out really wears on the psyche. Continue to stay focused on your role and resist the temptation to spend too much energy on this employee. I have never seen any amount of attention change their behavior. Just make sure they are doing their job, and not violating any of your company’s rules. Finally, keep in mind that your focus must remain on their behavior in the workplace. Resist the temptation to become involved in any way with the tall tales they are telling about their personal lives.

Quirky Employee Behaviors- Dealing with Drama Momma

I am going to spend the next week or so highlighting quirky behavioral types that I have repeatedly found in work place regardless of the industry I was in. I know it is typically not appropriate to make sweeping generalizations regarding anything, but most leaders will tell you that they have worked with many, if not all, of these types of employees at one time or another throughout their careers. So grab a cup of your favorite beverage, strap yourself in, and prepare for a journey into what may feel like a trip to the Twilight Zone.

MEET ‘DRAMA MOMMA’

The reference to ‘Momma’ is not meant to be a gender reference; it just has a nice ring to it. Although I have seen both men and women behave this way in the workplace, it seems that more women fall into this category than men. Nonetheless, managers and employees alike will never forget working with a classic ‘Drama Momma’. You see, for this employee, drama and gossip seem to be as important as the air they breathe.

‘Drama Momma’ needs to have an audience and the workplace is the perfect stage. They seem to think that EVERYONE needs to know about the details of the latest and greatest event that has occurred in their life. I am not just talking about any old run of the mill life event; I am talking about the fact that no one in the history of man could possibly have as much drama or bad luck as this employee. Many co-workers actually begin to eagerly anticipate their daily dose of this live soap opera that unfolds before them each and every day. I have actually seen employees go get a cup of coffee prior to the ‘Drama Momma’s’ arrival so they were completely ready to tune in to the day’s episode.

These employees also LOVE bringing their family dramas into the work place as well. Stories of their children’s bad behavior, the spouse’s latest faux pas, their mothers nagging ways, and even disappointments caused by the family pet can be topics for their daily update. There is absolutely nothing sacred to this employee. There also seems to be no limit to the events that continue to shake this employee to their core. It is simply amazing that one mere human could possibly endure that much drama in their life! You know what I say? WHATEVER!!

Now as I have said before, we leaders are not psychiatrists, and should not be diagnosing our employees’ behaviors. But what we should be doing is determining whether our employees’ behaviors are acceptable for the workplace. And let me tell ya…all that drama and distraction that ‘Drama Momma’ is peddling is absolutely not acceptable and frankly, it’s downright destructive to the work place.

ENOUGH ALREADY!
These employees typically create a significant distraction wherever they go. The time they are spending telling each and every employee about the latest and greatest episode in their wildly insane life is eroding your department’s productivity. I would also venture to guess that it is also creating a morale issue, because although that drama may initially be entertaining, interest will soon wane and your employees will begin to get annoyed with this nonsense.

All the last-minute dramatic exits from work to deal with the latest world crisis often leave their fellow team members to take on an additional work load. So let’s face it, these employees are an absolute drain on the workplace and must be dealt with!

ADVICE FOR THE LEADER
You can typically spot these characters from a mile away. After a few days of exposure to their high intensity drama is all you will need to have their number. The magic cure for dealing with a ‘Drama Momma’ is ensuring there is a significant level accountability in place to keep them in line. One of my favorite phrases for dealing with problem employees is “put them in a box”. What I mean by this is, once you create significant structure around this employee, they will either adapt or succumb to your constraints. Typically, they can’t operate without the drama fueling their existence, so they either transfer out of your department or quit the company. Either way, score one for the leader!!

These individuals will need a ton of corrective feedback if you have any hope of modifying their behavior. You will need to get comfortable pulling them aside and addressing their behavior when it is occurs. Some suggestions for dealing with their behaviors are as follows:

Addressing the daily meeting of the drama department- ‘Drama Mommas’ typically feel empowered to have informal gatherings of employees at their desk (work area) each day to adequately update the team on the latest events unfolding in their oh-so-fascinating life. As the leader, you need to put an immediate stop to this. Walk up and join this impromptu meeting and politely ask what everyone is talking about. Someone will inevitably tell you that ‘Momma’ was just sharing his/her latest crazy experience. Then, politely explain to the group that there is a lot of work to get accomplished today, and although you don’t mind the team chatting, they really need to get back to work. After a couple days of this, ‘Drama Momma’ may figure out that you are onto their little daily broadcast.

If the meetings continue, it is time to confront ‘Momma’ about their behavior. If this becomes necessary, bring the employee into a private setting. If possible, have a fellow supervisor/manager present as a witness. Not only is this a CYA move, but it sends a clear signal to the employee that the gig is up! Explain the following:

• Thank the employee for joining you
• Explain that you want to speak to them about some concerns you are have regarding their behavior in the work place- You heard that right…get right to the point. This is not the type of individual to beat around the bush with. If you give them an inch, they will take 12 miles. Make sure there are NO LOOPHOLES in your message!
• Explain that you continue to see frequent gatherings in their work area that typically consist of social discussions.
• Explain that although you don’t have an issue with minor chit chatting throughout the day, the discussions that occurring in their work area each day are excessive and detracting from the productivity of the department. (again…be direct)
• Ask the employee if there is some business reason that you not aware of for these daily pow-wows.
• Regardless of the myriad of excuses you will most likely hear, stick to your guns. Remind the employee that they get two breaks and a lunch period each day and are free to discuss the details of their personal life at that time.
• The employee may bring up the fact that other employees share stories about their personal lives in the workplace. Respond to ‘Momma’ that they have taken social discussions to a level that is now affecting productivity in the department.
• Ask the employee to make a commitment to become more aware of the type and length of discussions they are engaging in. Also ask that they stay focused on their work while they are on the clock. If this is not an hourly employee, then ask that they stay focused on their work while they are at work.

The Wandering ‘Drama Momma’- Once you clip ‘Momma’s’ wings, they may just start taking random strolls to other departments. If they cannot pedal their stories in their own department, you may find them in other areas, talking to other employees. If this is the case, you will need to address it ASAP. Follow the same outline above but discuss their absence from the department is affecting productivity. Then reset the expectation that they need to stay in their department and focus on their work.

SUMMARY
Dealing with the ‘Drama Mommas’ of the world can be utterly exhausting. It is like being embattled in a chess game where you are always trying to anticipate your opponent’s next move. Just prepare yourself for the probability that an ENORMOUS amount of feedback will be required for dealing with this type of employee.

My personal experience is that these employees rarely modify their behavior. Many choose to go to battle with their supervisor for a time, and once they realize they have met their match, they leave the work place in a blaze of glory. Many come up with amazing stories of why they must move on. Whether they just became a bazillion dollar lottery winner, or have been offered a job by the White House to head up the mission to create world peace, you will undoubtedly want to pound down a few of your favorite cocktails after the close of business on their last day!!