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Employee issues are among the many tasks and troubles you have to be prepared for as a business owner.
Working with people is always going to be challenging. People can’t always see eye-to-eye all the time, and nobody is perfect. This implies that sooner or later you’re going to have to deal with problems with your staff.
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HKM employment attorneys and other labor lawyers exist to protect the rights of your employees when they might be in jeopardy. Ensure that you and your business aren’t found at fault by having proper procedures in place for dealing with employee issues. Here are some problems you might have to look out for.
Employee Issues with Discrimination and Harassment
An unhealthy work environment can arise with even only one staff member behaving poorly. Some of the most common employee issues found in the workplace are those of discrimination and harassment. These can have the most serious consequences for your staff and your business overall.
Victims of this kind of behavior could struggle with low morale, reduced productivity, and reluctance to come into the workplace. Further personal issues such as anxiety, depression, and so on might also arise.
It’s important that you take responsibility and help these employees by instilling clear company policies that have serious repercussions for discrimination and harassment.
Be sure to document employee issues like this. Investigate them and deal with them immediately.
Interpersonal Conflict
As people cannot always get along or agree, it can often arise that a differing of opinions could lead to more serious conflict and tension in your workspace.
While an employee issue such as this might not lead to legal issues, it can still have serious negative consequences for your staff and business. It’s important to have a team that works well together and is capable of overcoming differences.
For this, hosting team-building events and workshops. Also, empower your HR department to assist with mediation; this can be crucial. You won’t always be able to keep the peace, but regaining it after a conflict is important.
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An Issue with Employee Theft
Unfortunately, there’s no way of being 100% certain that someone you hire is trustworthy and reliable. Many businesses face theft within their company. Moreover, statistics show that up to 30% of cases are internal.
Employees can easily steal data, resources, stock, or money due to having access to these on a daily basis. While theft as an employee issue cannot be entirely prevented, criminal background checks are critical. Also, having serious security measures in place can help you to reduce the risk.
The Issue of Inefficient Employees
When your staff simply isn’t pulling their weight, it can have a serious effect on your business’s overall productivity. Keeping staff morale high and offering incentives and positive reinforcement are some good ways to keep everyone efficient.
You can also combat inefficiency by offering regular training and making sure that your staff is always clear on their roles and duties. Be aware that letting go of staff for reasons like this could lead to legal disputes, too. So always go through a proper procedure and ensure you’re adhering to labor laws when dealing with inefficient employees.
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