Strategies to Deal with Difficult People in the Workplace

A workplace is a group of diverse people, each coming from their own unique background, having different mindsets, values, and beliefs. In any context where you have such a diverse group, there is bound to be constant friction and conflict in a number of different areas. 

Hence, it is not uncommon for a workplace to have a range of difficult people to deal with. There is almost always a conflict brewing somewhere, and there are many possible causes.  It may be caused by inequality in a department, disrespect from a co-worker, or a simple misunderstanding that ends up taking on a life of its own. As we know, the real world is not some utopia where everyone always lives in a land of pure kindness. 

Alas, ours is not a perfect world and we have to make efforts along the way  to better navigate our world. A great start on the path is using robust strategies to deal with difficult people in the workplace. Although frustrating and draining, recognizing destructive and unbecoming behaviour and fixing it, can help eliminate problems for everyone in the workplace. Here are a few of these strategies that you might want to try to get along better in the workplace.

    1. Begin by developing friendly work relationships

Trying to develop a rapport with a difficult employee can be a game changer. It can be challenging to do, so you might not always be successful, but if you can develop a friendly work relationship many potential problems disappear. When we know people better we are more likely to get along with them better, and much more likely to understand where they are coming from in order to avoid future misunderstandings. 

It is true that we all appreciate people who take the time to learn about our likes, dislikes, interests, strengths and wish to understand us better. If we do the same for others, even if it’s a difficult employee, they will likely appreciate it and it may turn their behaviour around.

    2. Self-examine to check how you might be contributing to the problem 

Any time there is an issue between you and another person it’s worth asking yourself how you might be contributing. Since you are in control of yourself, but not in control of them a good first step is to check to see if there is a part of the problem that is within your control. 

You could ponder upon a few questions to analyze: 

    • Do you always seem to disagree/argue or experience difficulty with the same actions, behaviours or people at work?

    • Is there a pattern of interaction that provokes you or makes you angry?

    • Are there certain points or triggers that push you into a state of anger? 

When you ask yourself these questions and self-examine, you may find out that your behaviour may be contributing to the problem and there may be things you could do to avoid being in those situations in the future. 

    3. Do not consider it a personal attack 

We acknowledge that working with difficult employees is far from easy. In fact it can have a far greater impact than one may imagine, often even hampering your own productivity and performance. But one way to keep conflicts at bay is to train your mind not to think of the other’s actions as a personal attack against you. 

You must teach your mind that often when others say or do things that you consider difficult, it has nothing to do with you, but has to do with whatever that other person might be going through at the time. Instead, it is best to stay disciplined and professional and not let the other person ruffle you. 

When communicating with the problematic employee, it’s best to try to exercise calm if possible and remember that their behaviour and actions don’t say anything about you. 

    4. A table discussion might help

At the end of the day, what’s most important is to remember that you are all professionals working to build a successful career. Hence, letting interpersonal issues, anger displays and behavioural problems get in the way may not be the most productive way forward. 

One effective strategy can be  to invite the difficult employee for a private discussion and talk through the problem. It can be best to try to be as polite as possible in the conversation while letting the other person know the problems you are facing. Carefully choose your words to convey how their actions and words are impacting you. 

Perhaps they may not have realized that their disposition is causing an inconvenience for you and your discussion might enlighten them. If they are already aware of the problem, then the other advantage of a discussion is that it will deliver a warning to them that their behaviour is possibly crossing boundaries and becoming problematic. 

While you’re having the discussion, aim to reach an agreement regarding supportive and positive actions going forward. Also, if possible, it is best to focus on the impact that these issues have had on you, and what might be done, rather than saying things that might make the other person feel attacked.  

    5. Stand for your right 

While we encourage you to avoid unnecessary conflict situations, we also stress the importance of standing for your rights. You should not excuse intolerable, unethical behaviour. We all deserve respect, especially at our places of employment. 

If an employee is not giving you the respect you deserve, you must communicate it to them clearly if you are comfortable doing so. This could be done using any of the ideas discussed in this article, or through a conversation with them and a third party.

If they need help figuring out the best way to communicate with you, you can offer the help to them. While offering the help they need, you can also try to get the message across that their unprofessional and disrespectful attitude is not the most effective way to communicate with you. 

    6. Involve upper management if required 

Often it is important to involve the management or the heads of departments even if it feels like an excessive action to take. As we know, certain difficult employees need to hear from someone with authority over them in order for their behaviour to change. If you are finding it difficult to get through to them on your own involving Human Resources or a Manager may be your best options. However, when involving upper management, do so gradually and strategically. You may want to ease your way into the difficult conversation with your boss to prepare them accordingly. Be careful with your approach and consider how to raise the issue based on what works and doesn’t work for your boss. 

It is always best to chose your words carefully when communicating to your boss especially when you are talking to them about your troubles with another employee. You can discuss the impacts it is having on you and your performance and productivity. You may also want to discuss how you wish to address the problem. 

Final Thoughts 

Every workplace has a group of diverse people, who are different in many ways. Differences in people’s beliefs, characteristics and actions can often make others challenging to deal with. A few positive changes and strategies can help you deal with difficult employees at work without compromising the work environment. 

https://blog.vantagecircle.com/difficult-people-at-work/

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-deal-with-difficult-people-at-work-1919377

https://www.asaporg.com/seven-strategies-to-effectively-deal-with-difficult-people-at-work