Handling the toxic employee: How to avoid -- or dilute -- the poison

Competence isn't necessarily a defense against poor behavior and attitude. Here's how to make sure a noxious worker doesn't sicken your practice.

By Katherine Vogt, AMNews staff. July 24/31, 2006.

Some are rude to your patients. Others never help with shared duties. Still more gossip and bad-mouth other staffers so much that your office feels like a daytime talk show.

These are toxic employees. And, like a cloud of noxious gas, they can poison the work environment, for you, your staff, and even your patients.

These employees probably are able to perform the basic functions of their jobs, but with such rancor, bad attitude or poor behavior that there is a detrimental effect on the office. Employee discontent can disrupt office morale and productivity, set bad examples for other employees, and harm relationships within the staff or patient base.

Experts say the best way to avoid toxic employees is to not hire one. After the fact, physicians should confront the behavior, set expectations, and be prepared to terminate. But experts add that this process should be done carefully, anticipating the disgruntled ex-employee may fire back with a lawsuit.

With a work force shortage in nursing and other medical staff positions, physicians may feel they can't be too choosy.

"Physicians are caught between a rock and hard place because these people are hard to find, and when they are hard to find, you give them a longer rope," said Penny Morey, a human resources consultant in Boca Raton, Fla., for CBIZ Inc.

A little extra care in the hiring process could save time and hassle down the road.