This is the third time your employee has taken his training, but again he shows no improvement at work. Whose fault is that? The trainer, your employee or maybe you? It is common for managers to point the finger at trainers. However, are they really responsible for the progress of others? It may be that the employee is doing well in the training, but it is not evident when they are on the job. What should you do about this situation?
If you encounter this type of situation in your company, this article is for you! It explains what bad behavior is and what managers need to do to remedy it.
Understanding the Limitations of the Trainer’s Role and Identifying Bad Behavior
- The Trainer’s Missions and Limitations
Before listing the limitations of the trainers’ role, it is crucial to understand the trainer’s main missions. Why do you entrust the training of your staff to an internal entity or external professionals? Probably so that they can show your employees, especially new ones, how to perform certain tasks. They teach them, for example, the right behaviors to adopt when using a tool or a machine, in front of a person of the hierarchy, etc. The trainer with expertise in this type of methodology is certainly the best one to guide the workers in their progress. This is the case, for example, of Global Formation, a company that specializes in training for the industrial, manufacturing and mining sector. They develop programs with different methods and tools like PAELO. Their main objective is to accompany your employees in order to see them grow and evolve in their activities.
Nevertheless, it happens that despite all these efforts, the employee does not seem to show any sign of progress. Therefore, the trainer’s missions are limited. Indeed, the training manager guides, accompanies and carries out follow-ups, but he or she is not responsible for the worker’s behavior.
- Learning Disability and Bad Behavior
In Canada, in 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that it was essential to allow a young person with a learning disability to study freely despite his problem. What does this have to do with employees in training? This decision allows us to understand that there are some people with a lower learning capacity. These disabilities can exist even in adults! Employees with this problem may take more time to acquire certain tasks compared to others. This can easily be identified during training. The trainer needs to give him/her more attention and effort. His or her test scores may also be lower.
What does bad behavior look like? This term basically refers to recalcitrant employees. They refuse to adapt to changes and this is mainly due to their personality. During a training course, the employee gets satisfactory marks and performs well! However, when they arrive in the field, their actions do not match to what they have been taught. They are difficult to manage because they have no desire to improve. It is even possible that they are acting badly! Yet, such behavior can make the manager’s tasks much more difficult. Also, they can damage the atmosphere at work. Managers must therefore take action!
Coping With an Unwilling Employee
Bad behavior coming from one or more employees can have a significant impact on the company’s productivity. Therefore, it is for this reason that managers must take needed steps to stop these types of behaviors. Here are some suggestions:
- Determine the Sources of The Bad Behavior
When looking for a solution, it is critical to find the causes of the problem at hand. What is motivating the employee to act in this way? Does the behavior come from an experience in the worker’s life? Perhaps it comes from the company’s organization? To do this, think about recent changes that may have occurred within the company. Otherwise, why not discuss it with the employee himself? You can call him/her for an interview. In this case, be sure to select the right questions that can help you identify the problems!
- Assessing the Risks of Misconduct
Following your meeting with your employee, it’s up to you to determine whether or not it’s a voluntary behavior. Also, it is important that you think about the effects they may have on productivity. Has the employee shown that they can improve and will improve? Will continuing to work with him or her help you achieve your goals?
- Use a Third Party
You have found the sources of the problem. To help you with the steps you need to take, you can seek help from other professionals. This could help the concerned person to change attitudes, if not, allow the employer to avoid all kinds of possible conflicts. If you choose to conduct another interview, for example, you can call on a staff representative to assist you. Alternatively, if your company has a human resources department, these professionals are in the best position to advise you or take charge of the situation.
- Take Sanctioning Measures if Necessary
Following these different steps, if you notice that the employee is not making any effort, you can decide to take sanctioning measures. This depends mainly on the source of the problem and its seriousness for your company. To do so, you can carry out a disciplinary layoff or change the employee’s position (transfer or demotion). It is also possible to resort to dismissal depending on the employee’s motivations. The main objectives of these sanctions are to make the employee understand that his or her behavior is not appropriate, to remind him or her of the rules within the organization and to see if he or she is willing to change.