The Risk Of The Squeaky Wheel

 Squeak. Squeak.

We have all experienced it.  You are in a group of people working together.  Maybe at a job. Maybe in school.  Perhaps on a volunteer project.  Guests at a party.  Doesn’t matter where…you have experienced it.  The squeaky wheel.

 The Complainer...

Yes, there are a number of people who feel that complaining will get them something more than someone else who isn’t complaining.  And the truth is this:  They are usually right.  Complain and you will get more attention.  Get special breaks.  Be treated favorably or better than others. This is true throughout society.  Complainers get noticed and often preferential treatment. 

So as an employer, what lesson can you learn from this basic human trait?  It’s that there are people out there who will use complaints to get their way.  And more than that, it will often be at the expense of other employees who are not complaining.

Who Should Get YOUR Attention?

As an employer, you probably already know that you have two groups of employees.  Complainers and non-complainers.  But more importantly, there is also another way of dividing your employees.  Those who get special attention and/or leeway, and those who don’t.  And yet a third division - those who are "good" employees and those who are not.  Funny, but it seems that often these three divisions line up something like this:

Complainers - Attention Getters - Bad Employees 

And on the other hand....

Non-Complainers - Non-Attention Getters - Good Employees

Tell me, did I get it right?

Why is it that the complainers get the attention?  Why do they get special consideration?  Why do they get what they want?  It’s probably because you want to make the workplace peaceful.  To have employees be happy and get along.  So you hope that giving in to special or unreasonable demands by some will make the workplace better. It's subconscious because you know it won't help, but you do it anyway. 

But it doesn’t help.  It makes things worse. 

Even if the problem employee is better for a while (and it’s usually only until the next complaint), think about the other employees – those who support your mission without complaining – and what they think.  They see that bad behavior is rewarded and good behavior is not.  I don’t think that is the message that you want to project.

Good Or Bad Employees.  Who Do You Choose To Reward?

If you were asked who you would rather have work for you, it’s a given that you would prefer good employees.  But if that’s the case, why do we choose to “reward” bad behavior?  We don’t really realize that we are doing it, because we are trying to calm the environment. But as we have said, it isn’t a long term solution. It's exactly what we don't want to foster or encourage.  But our rewarding them, by giving in, does exactly that.  Rewards bad behavior.

 It's Time To Change.

It’s time to consciously change the paradigm.  It’s time to pay attention to what we are doing and start to reward good behavior and ignore bad behavior.  This may result in greater levels of complaints from those who had previously been given preferential treatment, but that’s exactly what you expect.  It’s your job as the leader to make your good employees happy and make your bad employees unhappy.

Self Selection

Once you change from rewarding the bad to rewarding the good, it’s likely that one of two things will happen with a bad employee.  First is that they realize that their complaints are no longer effective and they change their ways.  While this could happen, it’s probably unlikely.  The second option is probably more likely – escalation.  Their bad behavior will get worse.  They may believe that you are not noticing it, and they step up their game.

Once that happens, you need to ensure that they realize that they have the option to change their ways and live happily within the rules and norms of all employees. You need to be fair with all, even if they accuse you of being "unfair".  And when they don’t change their behavior, it needs to be documented and written up in a fair and impartial manner.  Do not single them out, but do hold them to the same standards as all employees. (Hint: This is why a comprehensive employee handbook is an essential element of your employment support).

When the bad behavior is no longer tolerated and results in disciplinary action, it’s not unusual for these bad employees to leave and seek employment elsewhere.  But if not, you need to determine if and when they would qualify for disciplinary discharge.  Fire ‘em.

The departure can often be disruptive.  Perhaps shouting.  Anger. Subterfuge.  Attempts to recruitment other employees to their side.  I have even heard of text and Twitter tirades and even facility keys being tossed in toilets.  Yes, disgruntled employees can be very vindictive. 

Good Employees Are Happier

In the end, the focus isn’t about firing bad employees.  It’s about holding all employees accountable to the same standards and fostering a collegial and productive workplace.  Sometimes that requires some employees to leave.  Despite all of the angst that such an event can cause in immediately, the morale of the remaining good employees often is bolstered by the departure.  No longer must they endure the bad behavior of their fellow employee; they can now enjoy the positive feedback that you can provide to them, for doing a good job.  That's where the focus should be.

Protection For You With EPLI 

Employer Practice Liability Insurance (EPLI) is an important element of executing these plans.  You should always be fair and honest with all employees and treat them all in a similar fashion without special treatment.  But a complaining employee may not see “fair for all” treatment as “fair to them”.

When that is the case, there is potential that complaints and/or lawsuits can be brought against you for employer practices.  That’s where EPLI is important.  Complaints and/or lawsuits can result is a potentially high expense to an employer.  Not just if there is a judgment against you, but also in simple defense against such actions.  EPLI can be a significant help in allowing you to readjust your workplace to help make it more conducive toward success by fair treatment to all employees.

EPLI is an important addition to your Business Insurance policy (Business Owner’s Policy AKA “BOP”). It is an important safety net and is extremely cost-effective in helping you deal with the issue of the problem employee.  It's a protection that any business owner with employees should have.

WhiteCoat Risk Management provides these articles to help improve general risk awareness in all aspects of your life.  It is not responsible for any actions you take or fail to take regarding any aspect of your financial planning or risk management.  This article is provided for information purposes and is not intended to provide individualized advice. You alone are responsible for your financial decisions.  

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