Agressive member of staff - training suggestions

bobajob_1966

ali-t wrote: »

I had a similar situation with a member of my team and arranged for training that involved videoing performance so individuals could deconstruct their practice and have it reviewed by others on the course. This person had no idea how they came across to others so it was a definite benefit.

A good idea if there is no underlying issue. However if someone has self esteem issues something like this could be counterproductive.

flexrider

Just a idea but could you not put a system in place for the customers when speaking to this staff to leave feedback (If you do not have one in place already) Then you can kill two birds with one stone so to speak by getting the infomation from the customers on how this staff is annoying them and approch them to deal with the sitution? Just a idea

bobajob_1966

flexrider wrote: »

Just a idea but could you not put a system in place for the customers when speaking to this staff to leave feedback (If you do not have one in place already) Then you can kill two birds with one stone so to speak by getting the infomation from the customers on how this staff is annoying them and approch them to deal with the sitution? Just a idea

I trust you mean all staff? Asking customers for feedback on a single member of staff would put you on a fast track to a victimisation complaint.

ali-t

bobajob_1966 wrote: »

A good idea if there is no underlying issue. However if someone has self esteem issues something like this could be counterproductive.

It didn't just consist of filming but was part of a package of training around social skills and interacting with others and participants started by filming an aspect of their practice in work and had to take the learning each time into the next thing they filmed and the course ran over a number of sessions. It was run by the psychology dept so very supportive.

Sambucus_Nigra

newmumincov wrote: »

He says he's intervened at the time but hasn't spoken to the staff member about it yet - he's still in his first week and on top of that hasn't managed to get the opportunity to take them to one side...

Perhaps we need to craft a little speech.

Hi - is your husband actually trained in management? This sort of thing is bread and butter to managers and if he isn't then it could be him that ends up in hot water - particularly when he gets his wife to ask for advice for him and to get her assistance in crafting a little speech. This is so NOT the way to go.

Good managers address issues on an individual basis, bad managers throw out general problems and expect the people that are worst offenders to know they are the worst offenders [they never do this], and to miraculously change their ways [they won't].

He needs a team meeting, and then to see each person on a 1-2-1 basis, and tell them what performance and behaviour he is expecting from them, set limits and targets, and point out observations from his first week and let them know what is and isn't acceptable. If training or mentoring is needed, he needs to book that on an individual basis. On the flip side, he needs to tell them what they are also doing well, and to get them to give something back to the team in the form of mentoring others where and when possible, so that skills and techniques can be shared and best practices become ingrained in the team. If new procedures and processes need to be written, the team need to write them together so that an effective process is designed to suit the team and the customers.

Errata

"Tough economic climate, we all need to keep our skills as sharp as possibles, be on top of our game blah blah need a plan blah blah let's write one up which will help everyone in the areas they feel could be improved blah blah and let's not forget to highlight the areas we are peforming very well indeed blah blah". and so on and so forth.

CapJ

It is usually a good idea to check employee handbooks, HR policies etc. Perhaps there is a policy for this sort of behaviour (training course)? I can't understand why he would have his wife ask on the internet before asking advice from his HR Business Partner or line manager.

It is important to remember that whilst the law sets minimum expectations about these processes companies may well implement these expectations in different ways or have higher standards themselves.

(BTW I could understand this more if it was the owner of a small company, but OP has indicated her husband has started a job which implies at least someone above him, and probably an HR department)

dandelionclock30

Could be severe stress/depression not that the person means to be like this on purpose.What about asking them abou how their feeling about the job etc, because you noticed a few things are are concerning you and that you'd like to see a way forward. The person may need to go to the Doctors or get some additional support.Do a plan with them about what the problems are, what needs to change and how this is going to be done.

Bennifred

My immediate line manager behaves like this at times - mainly when stressed. It's quite tricky to cope with, or address, when they don't actually say anything wrong, but it's all in the manner or body language...... I spend a fair amount of time fire-fighting (soothing other staff!) and am very tolerant myself, but it is getting very wearing.

heretolearn_2

It's a tough one. It could be that she simply doesn't know how she is coming across, but frankly an adult in a customer service role doesn't have the luxury of acting like a sulky teenager in their interactions with others. The fact that it's not just 'tone of voice', which can be unintended - a bad habit, or not realising how you sound - but also includes tutting at customers, means I think this is unlikely. Tutting at someone is being deliberately rude.

So why is he/she being deliberately rude? I'd have a discussion with them. It could be that there is an annoyance at work and it's being redirected at the customers (i.e. they feel they should have been promoted/paid more/invited to last months social get together/provided with Rich Tea biscuits instead of digestives in the staff room). Or they may have 'anger management' problems. Or they may just hate working in customer service. Or they may simply not have the right sort of personality to be able to do the job well.

If I caught a member of staff being so overtly rude to a client by tutting at them, then that would be a disciplinary, with a discussion on what is expected in future - no tutting, no display of annoyance/impatience at customers, and speaking to them in a helpful and polite manner. If he/she has any sense they will sort themselves out pronto. They are only doing it because they've got away with it so far. A colleague 'taking them to one side' hasn't been enough to get the message through.

You could be losing customers because of this person.