Perhaps one of the most difficult challenges for a manager is to tackle
complaining employees, as he/she feels threatened. A few guidelines can
prevent unpleasant situations.
Give an ear to your employee
In
most situations, you tend to drift away from an employee's actual complaint
and think just of our next response. It is the manager's duty to give full
attention to a complaining employee.
Get into the situation's depth
Unhappy employees often fail to express the real reason for discontent. You
must be able to find out the root cause of their worries by dealing with them
tactfully.
Compliment the courage of your employee
Encouraging an employee to speak up boosts his/her confidence level. This
compels them to give the right picture to you
regarding any situation.
Hostile remarks make matters worse
An
employee's complaint only exacerbates with a hostile remark. In such a
situation open-mindedness should be displayed.
Your attention to an employee will help you gain respect. Often just
acknowledging the feelings of an employee gives him/her
a sense of relief.
Ask questions
A
concerned attitude helps employees to come out with their feelings. Putting up
questions like, “Is this really the problem? I feel you still wish to say
something”, helps the employee relax and tell you what is troubling him/her.
Give a valid reason
If
you want work to be completed very urgently, or are introducing a change give
a justifiable reason for doing so.
Ask employees for solutions
An
employee voices problems in search of solutions. It is best for the manager to
encourage employees to come up with solutions to their problems as they can
suggest the best way out.
Decide your action plan
If
a situation doesn't have an immediate solution, at least decide on your plan
of action. You should make efforts to come out of it by discussing pros and
cons with reliable sources.
Keep in touch
Your concern for your employees is evident if you follow their progress by
holding meetings, praise them for their good work and demonstrate to them your
seriousness to seek a solution to their problems. This will reduce stress in
the work place, besides enhancing your reputation as a fair, effective and
sensitive executive.
