Addressing Difficult Behavior

Causes of performance, attendance or behavior problems usually fall under one of the following areas:

• The employee doesn't know how.
  • Lack of instruction on how to do the task.
  • Lack of feedback on how well the task has been done in the past.
• Something or someone keeps the employee from doing it.
  • Lack of appropriate materials, equipment or resources to do the task.
  • Outside personal problems.
  • Physical/Mental restrictions.
  • Inadequate time.
• The employee does not want to do it.
  • Has poor attitude.
  • Lack of initiative.
  • Previous good work has gone unrecognized.
  • Failure to pass promotional exam or passed over for promotion.
  • Employee is "burned out" and/or unhappy.
  • Doesn't like job, supervisor, co-workers, etc.
  • Employee doesn't like doing a particular task.

Signs of poor work attitude may include some of the following:

• Incomplete assigned work.
• Mediocre quality of completed work.
• Frequent, unexplained absences.
• Easily distracted.
• Concerned about the "amount" of work done.
• Lack of interest in work, promotions or career opportunities.

Poor work attitude results in a lack of motivation and/or other disinterest in work assignments. Consequently, work performance experiences a negative impact.