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As a business owner, you want to know how to make your business run better. Whether it's an improvement to your business processes, a way to be more efficient or a cost saving idea, as the owner, you want to know. You also want to encourage your employees to bring new ideas forward, hence the invention of Suggestion Programs and the concept of "Thinking Outside the Box."
But here's the problem:
You may have some employees - maybe even just one - who seem to be continually bringing up problems. You can always count on this person to find something wrong with everything. On the one hand, you don't want to stifle their concerns, but on the other, they seem always to find fault.
So what's the solution?
How do you know if they are a genuinely concerned employee who has the best interests of your business at heart or are they simply a complainer who damages the morale of everyone around them?
Here's a simple test you can use. It will help you decide what to do:
* The genuinely concerned employee will regularly use the "Chain of Command," that is, they will take their concerns to their immediate supervisor first to seek a resolution.
* The concerned employee brings their concerns to you in private or in an appropriate meeting setting.
* The concerned employee not only makes you aware of the problem, but offers a solution too.
* The concerned employee addresses their concerns to management who can make things better.
* Finally, the concerned employee generally points out concerns that may or may not have a direct benefit to them personally.
* The "Troublemaker" generally ignores the chain of command and will tell anyone who will listen or goes right to the top.
* The "Troublemaker" is openly and publicly critical, even at inappropriate times - in front of customers, for example "I keep telling my boss that this doesn't work, but does she listen? NO."
* The "Troublemaker" rarely, if ever, offers solutions.
* The "Troublemaker" blabs to anyone within earshot. Not only that, they openly try to co-opt other employees to their point of view and to sow discontent.
* Any idea the "Troublemaker" has will benefit them directly, and sometimes, will benefit only them.
OK, so now you have decided if the person is a conscientious employee or simply a "Troublemaker." What do you do?
For the genuinely concerned employee, reward them for their ideas
(anything from a simple "Thank you" to some type of gift or bonus) and
actively encourage them to continue to work to make the business better.
For the "Troublemaker," do not ignore their behavior. Warn them in
writing that their behavior is inappropriate. Tell them that if they
persist in their actions, they are jeopardizing their employment. If
they continue to be actively critical, end their employment. No matter
what the risks may be in terminating them, it is much less than having
an openly critical, negative influence on everyone in your business. It
all comes down to Management 101, "reward good behavior and do not
permit bad behavior."
And, finally, enjoy your business; you have worked hard for it!
Jeff Garr is the Chief Executive Officer of HR Knowledge/AdminaService located in Mansfield MA
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General Business 
