Nearly every experienced manager has had a high-maintenance individual on staff at one time or another. High-maintenance employees may have different characteristics, but the bottom-line issue is the same: Working with these folks is downright difficult.
There’s the individual who requires constant recognition, the person who can’t seem to go with the flow, and the employee who can’t make a decision without consulting others. And these are only a few.
Managers are often coached on how to handle high-maintenance employees. But how about avoiding them altogether? The job is demanding and requires all the energy you can devote to it. Who needs energy zappers?
Nobody’s Perfect
It’s important to recognize that every person brings characteristics and quirks to the workplace. Every employee also has a set of life experiences and personal circumstances that may cause them to act or react a certain way. This is all part of the human equation.
At work, as in other aspects of life, most people coexist by making allowances for and supporting one other. Similarly, an understanding manager who leads with empathy encourages staff members to do the same.
A Noticeable Difference
The high-maintenance employee, however, always has drama or a crisis. She is the person with the argumentative tone in her voice in the break room, ranting to her coworkers. He is the guy muttering under his breath as he leaves for the day as others call out, “good night.”
The behavior comes across in other ways, too. Where a highly-engaged employee may ask a lot of questions about a project because he is enthusiastic, the high-maintenance employee may ask a lot of questions because she wants to know why she has to take on new work.
Screening Them Out
High-maintenance individuals are the job candidates you want to identify, and avoid hiring.
Behavioral interview questions will give you insight, but you have to be alert to potential red flags and then ask appropriate follow-up questions.
For example, if a candidate says he prefers being told what’s expected of him and then being left alone to complete his work, the interviewer should immediately follow up. Here are examples of questions to ask:
- It’s great that you like to focus on your work, but as you know, sometimes priorities change. How do you respond when you’re asked to take a different approach or completely change direction? Can you tell me about a time that happened in a previous job, and how you felt about it?
- You say you like to work alone. How do you feel about teamwork? Can you tell me about a time you worked as a member of team?
If you suspect a candidate vying for the job is high maintenance, make sure you ask multiple questions about adaptable. Also ascertain whether the person has strong decision-making skills. In addition, ask about recognition – find out how much the person requires.
Finally, answers to questions about teamwork are vitally important. You want someone who can work independently but also as a member of a team. A high-maintenance employee detracts from the team. He has the potential to negatively influence others—either directly in terms of morale and productivity, or simply because he’s exhausting to be around.
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Paula Santonocito, Contributing Editor for Recruiting Daily Advisor, is a business journalist specializing in employment issues. She is the author of more than 1,000 articles on a wide range of human resource and career topics, with an emphasis on recruiting and hiring. Her articles have been featured in many global and domestic publications and information outlets, referenced in academic and legal publications as well as books, and translated into several languages. |