Why You Shouldn't Motivate An Unproductive Employee

How many of you have run a business, or managed a team which included at least one unproductive employee? Maybe this person has been the bane of your work life, and not being able to depend on them causes you stress? Perhaps after hiring him, you may believe that they have lied about their experience on their CV or resume? 

One of the toughest situations many managers regularly face, especially if they've inherited their team, is dealing with an unproductive employee. Consequently, many managers erroneously believe that the problem is caused by the employee's lack of motivation: If they are not performing, perhaps they need to be motivated. But this is rarely the case, as motivation is simply like placing a bandaid on a gaping wound. It doesn't address the underlying culture issues. 

When they find out inevitably that motivation and listening to them does not work, that's when managers often contact HR to help...

Studies show that 80% of people are not happy with their current job -- and the #1 reason is due to their boss being toxic for them. What I've found working in the industry of Human Resources is that most of the time, this is not the boss that hires them, but the boss who inherited them. 

Although there are other influences, the reason is simple: People like those who are similar to them. People will promote, give the best opportunities to, and cut the most slack for people who remind them of themselves. It's not something they are aware of, and often an entirely automatic response of human beings. The boss that hired you thought you were right for the job AND felt a connection to you because you were similar to him/her. The boss that inherits you often will not be like you, so he/she has the mindset of using you as a resource to complete what needs to be done because it's harder to relate to someone unlike themselves. 

It all depends on the boss and the person, whether...

As much as we try to avoid it, we as human beings are susceptible every day to baser emotions like envy, which results in hurtful gossip, unhealthy comparison to others, and sabotage. All of this contributes to a toxic environment in the workplace. Its effects exacerbate when we find our leaders, management, and bosses do not know how to transmute envy into positive and constructive emotions. 

Here are 5 toxic personas you should avoid at the workplace, especially if they are your boss! 

1.  Mr./Ms. Unpretentious

This type likes to cut the overly superior down to size. We may love this when they are attacking the braggarts, but the downside is - like the crab taking down any other crab that tries to escape the bucket - this type can never appreciate excellence. Their goal is to bring everyone one down to the same mediocre level they are so that they won't feel so bad about themselves. They have very fragile egos themselves. We only want to cut people down to size when...

Here's a story how one woman used the common "dirty trick" to increase her salary by $20K. 

Disclaimer: This story is for entertainment purposes only. Situations may have been altered or are a mix of real life occurrences. Results may vary. EmpathInTheOffice.com does not assume responsibility or liability for any outcome obtained from acting on the elements in this article.

When I had worked in the line of business as a salaried employee, my mentors advised me never to accept the first salary offered, because the company can always offer more. I learned that most companies hold back on what they would pay you, and I learned several hard negotiating skills, but I never used them because I saw it as overly manipulative, and at the time I didn't have the self confidence I have now. 

However when I started working in HR, I found that the salary which was allocated to the position was mainly what was offered to the last person in...

How many of you were taught to “prepare your story” for an interview? Career experts would say that you must prepare your story so that there is a logical flow from all the points of the resume, and to embellish each aspect in the best light according to the position… but the reality is, if you have to prepare your story, and embellish it, it’s not really your real story is it? It’s some Hollywood version of your story. It’s not authentic.

What’s the cost to you of not being authentic?

Let’s say you convince a hiring manager to hire you in a job you won’t find long term fulfillment in, because you chose it primarily to look important or make more money. Or suppose you had the right job but was suddenly put under leadership that no longer was a good fit for you, but you did not do anything about it. What happens? Maybe the years will pass by monotonously and one day you’ll wake up wondering why you are not fulfilled in your...

In Part I,  we learned that control is primarily a result of trying to meet the need of certainty, and sometimes significance, depending on how the boss requests what he needs. And in that Part I, it was suggested that if you’re under an abusive and controlling boss, you should leave for greener pastures; they are out there (Bosses: Searching For Mr. Right). However, some of us might not have the luxury to leave right away, or we may have our reasons to stay a while. In this instance, you have the option of becoming an empathic superhero by trying to understand where your boss is coming from.

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Angela's Story

For years Angela couldn’t leave her position at the bank due to personal and financial reasons. It could have been that the real – karmic – reason she needed to stay in her current role may to learn confidence to stand up to a bully boss and to find her value in the  workplace. Sometimes, we are presented with the same harsh lessons over and...

Are you working for a boss who constantly makes you feel inadequate? Do you have a boss that is not supportive of your career growth, because they want to keep you in your current position? This may manifest in actions such as being controlling, using bullying or manipulation, or even gaslighting. So many Empaths find themselves working with toxic bosses at work that steal their confidence and keep them small. 

In many industries, departments are reorganized every few years, and new bosses are placed above you, or you are placed in a new department with a different boss, so the chances of getting a toxic or controlling boss who wants to keep you small are steadily increasing. Maybe you are dealing with a controlling boss right now. This doesn’t have to be a bad thing – sometimes  the most pivotal points in life occurs when you have a toxic boss because that’s when you realise that you deserve more for yourself, and that the cycle of bad...