Introduction:
There’s a saying that a team is only as strong as its weakest link. One bad apple stands out, and the very contract your company works under could be in danger. Here are some signs that a co-worker on your team needs to be let go.
Poor Work Ethic
Work ethic is the most important aspect for being a well rounded employee. You can easily tell when a co-worker doesn’t care about how their actions effects others. If they have a nonchalant personality, if they display no control over their primal instincts (whether it be anger or sexual behavior), and if they continuously try to exploit loopholes in the rules of the company and/or site.
Gossiping
The best way to work as a team is to lift each other up and fill out their weaknesses with your strengths. If you feel that an employee is falling short with their performance, then the adult thing to do is hold them accountable and find a way to improve their performance. The only thing that should be said about someone when they aren’t present should be an official report to a supervisor about your concerns about them or how they are disrupting your workplace environment. Gossiping culture is toxic and all it does is distort people’s perceptions of others and ruins reputation. If there’s ever any concern about someone, go directly to the source.
Flirtatious
Although technically a lot of companies don’t specifically tell you not to flirt with clientele or co-workers, there’s a hidden rule not to. It’s unprofessional and makes the workplace look like a high school when it should be looking like a team of professionals who efficiently takes care of the needs of others and its operations. A co-worker who flirts with clientele shows that the members of your operation are not focused on the task at hand. It makes your team look sloppy and nonchalant, like you don’t care about how well of a job you do. Plus the last thing you’d want is for your co-worker to end up flirting with a minor at the workplace; now your team could have a lawsuit on your hands.
They’re always in the break room.
There’s a time to be in the break room and that’s if A, you’re on break or lunch, or B, you need to take care of yourself like drink water or take your medicine. The break room isn’t a place for employees to hang out and chill. You’re at work and therefore should be working. If you enter the break room for whatever reason, and you always see your co-worker looking a little too relaxed, it means they’re not doing their job and slacking off. If you’re wondering why the task your team is given is not being completed in a timely manner, there’s your answer. Usually in the workplace, an employee is supposed to call out their break over a communication device (ie. walkie talky, company cell phone), clock out for every break using a company I-Pad or sign a break sheet. The reason why these modes of communication are here is so you can take your break that you’ve earned in an honest fashion. If your co-worker is in the break room and you find no record of them taking their break, they’re not suppose to be there.
They don’t respect authority.
Although it is important to stand up for yourself if you feel like your employer is mistreating you, you need to open yourself to being held accountable if your performance in the workplace is lacking. That’s the only valid reason for your employer to pull you to the side and have a talk with you. If you see a co-worker raising their voice at their employer, or speaking in a way that’s threatening or dismissive, it means they don’t want to be held accountable for what they do. In other words, they don’t want to improve, because they don’t care about their work or the company. They’re only there because they think they can make easy money with minimal effort, because that’s all they need to get by. And that attitude will only hold back your team from improving and evolving.
They’re loud and disruptive.
This ties back with my prior statement of not caring how your actions effects others. If your co-worker is loud by listening to their music, making too many noises; basically being annoying, it shows that they have no respect for their co-workers and as far as they’re concerned, you can rot in hell. This nonchalant attitude is a sign that their performance is going to lack and hold you all back.
They’re experiencing a negative development in their personal life.
It’s always important to consider that maybe the reason why someone is displaying self-destructive behavior, it’s because they’re going through something. It’s also important to understand not to bring your personal life to work. Deal with your issues on your own terms: speak to a confidant, go to therapy, figure out a way to handle it. Your job is not the place to garner for attention. Everyone is there to just do their job and deal with their own issues they’re dealing with at home. If you make a friend who will listen, great! But don’t expect people at work to make time for you. Going through something in life is no reason to drag everyone down with you. It’s selfish and benefits no one; including yourself.
They’re emotionally immature.
What defines someone who’s emotionally immature? Someone who does whatever they feel like without any thought of consequences. Did somebody make you mad? Yell at them. Did somebody threaten you? Violently throw an object across the room. Did your boss hold you accountable for something? Cuss them out. A co-worker who doesn’t regulate their emotions is dangerous for your team. It’s only a matter of time until they get into a physical confrontation with somebody, forever tainting your company’s reputation. Again, the last thing you need is someone with self destructive behavior dragging you down with them.
Conclusion:
Only the best should be on your team. You should all have the same goal, to do the best you can. And in doing so opens doors to opportunities like raises, promotions and generous vacation time. If you have a team member who doesn’t care about any of these things, they need to go. Be sure to look for all of these signs and report them to your supervisor. You’re a team, and should therefore look out for one another, and only let those who serve your best interest to come on board.
By,
Ramon J. Gonzalez
w/ RamonTalks ©