As an HR executive, it is your duty to lend a concerning ear to discontent employees and try to sort out their issues before the cesspool of their problems spills over into the business itself. It is important to understand that the employee’s negative behavior is not necessarily directed at you – there could be professional work or personal related problems which allows their disruptive behavior to permeate through their otherwise professional work ethic. When you do detect a whiff of friction in the air, it is time to approach the employee and sort out the matter before it gets out of hand. Here are 5 ways to handle disgruntled employees;

1) Get down and personal with them

Try asking them personal questions, be careful not to coerce too much private conversation out of them.  You don’t want to oust yourself as a creep digging into people’s private lives, or find yourself at the end of a disastrous case of harassment. Your main purpose is to find out if their source of anger is simply a personal issue. Usually personal issues tend to sort themselves out after a temporary period of time and the employee’s work ethic takes a turn for the better after they have mellowed out their personal issues. It is worth your while to cut them some slack.

2) If it’s not personal…

Then it usually hints at more pertinent problems related to the work itself. Professional issues must be sorted and the employee’s concerns need to be addressed. Either that or you need to have a sit down with them and explain them the goals for why a certain ‘problem’ exists with the company. It is of utmost importance to remain as empathetic towards them as possible.

3) Don’t play the blame game

It is important not to place any blame for the negativity on to the employee (even if they are the source of it all!). Your job is to make them feel comfortable, and all venues of peacefully sorting out the problem should be explored.

4) Don’t be lazy – Learn To Take Some Blame For Yourself

Sometimes HR staff do tend to get lackadaisical with the staff’s concerns. While it is understandable that the job does tend to get a bit boring sometimes while addressing other people’s problems while your own fall on deaf ears – that is part and parcel of your job; the worst thing you could do is adopt a stone cold attitude to the staff’s problems. Sometimes HR members rarely get back to any queries or complaints submitted to them. This only adds to the grief of employees. Learn to empathize!

5) Last straw – Give Them Warnings If Things Don’t Improve

While you shouldn’t go overboard with a rigid, tough attitude towards difficult employees; you shouldn’t become too accommodating either. There is a fine line between absorbing the employee’s negativity being directed towards you and becoming their punching bag. It is time to set goals and warnings to this difficult person. Let them know you’re not afraid to let them off the hook (fire them!) from the company should things not improve on their end.