Work relationships are rarely perfect. It is natural for people to annoy one another or just not get along. There are ways to overcome or avoid these challenges, but if you are the boss, it can be harder to deal with. You can’t fire them just because they stress you out, but you may struggle to manage that employee. Here are some tips to help you know what to do when you have a stressful employee:
Be Forgiving
If a stressful employee snaps at you or does something you think of as rude, it’s okay to forgive them. This doesn’t mean ignoring repeated poor behavior. Being forgiving means being willing to look past the occasional misstep and give your employees the benefit of the doubt. Doing this will help you to be more compassionate to your employees and it will help your employees respect you.
Find Something in Common
A good remedy for any difficult relationship is to find things in common. If you have something in common with a stressful employee, then you can have easier conversations with them. Additionally, if things get tense with that employee, you have a subject you can retreat to.
Have Boundaries
Spending too much time with stressful people can be detrimental to both your mental and physical health. Having boundaries can help you and your employees get along better. If a stressful employee asks you to an activity after work, it’s okay to refuse, just do so respectfully.
Taking breaks from stressful situations with employees can also be helpful. If you start to feel frustrated or out of control, take a quick break. A small breather can be helpful to focus your mind and put you in a place where you can be patient and understanding towards your employees.
Following these tips can help you to better deal with employees who stress you out.