We all employ people to take some of the workload off our shoulders. However, things don’t always go as planned. That one farm worker who looked very hardworking during the job interview can easily turn into being something the most lazy farm worker.

Maybe lazy is not the right word. But one thing such employees definitely are is unproductive. Unproductive employees are bad employees. They are not only impossible to motivate but they demoralise other employees, leaving you with no other choice but to fire them. Here are four types of lazy workers and how to handle them:

1. Victims

There’s no difference between a victim and a student claiming that the dog ate his homework. That employee who has used every excuse in the book to not come for work or be late is a victim. From thieves constantly breaking into his house to children or parents’ sick, the victim is usually not afraid to make stories up to miss work. The victim can even block you from employing someone else while only showing up to work as often as is necessary to keep getting paid.

Handling victims

Keep a record of this type of behavior from the beginning and take note every time there’s an excuse. A first or second excuse, whether it’s family responsibilities or sickness, can be convincing, but take note anyway. This will help you when the same family member dies twice or the eighth excuse is thrown at you. You’ll be ready to take action and will have all the information you need to avoid labour court battles.

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2. Disappearer

The disappearer seems to go invisible at odd times without explanation. It could be two-hour lunches or mysteriously lengthy breaks. Perhaps the perThis employee just always seems to disappear at odd times with no explanation. And, it’s usually at the times when you need them the most. They are the type that falls sick on planting day or they show up late on the day when they should have been there earlier than usual. Whatever the behavior, a disappearer will always let you down. This forces other workers to pick up the slack and ruins morale.

Handling disappearers

Unfortunately, disappearers are the most difficult employees to discipline because their unruliness is not easy to point out. They are the actual definition of lazy. The best way to deal with them is to consistently micromanage them and hope they improve.

3. Dilly-dallier

Most of us are guilty of putting stuff off from time to time, but then there are those who constantly procrastinate. The worker who waits until the last minute to do their part of the work and leaves others frustrated and apprehensive. This type of worker always has an excuse for not getting anything done. Such behavior can put unnecessary stress on everyone else and can be costly for you if your animals or crops are dying.

Handling dilly-dalliers

Be strict when creating a schedule for a dilly-dallier. Be specific about when and what should get done at specific times on a daily basis. Also, ensure you let them know when they are slacking which will force them to make progress and know they are accountable. Check-in daily if you must so that you’re not on the losing side.

4. Delegators

This lazy worker puts a lot of effort into avoiding work. They are not supervisors but are interestingly always in the forefront pushing everyone else to work. Some would think they are trying to gain favour with the boss but are in actual fact dodging the work. Unfortunately, a delegator often demotivates everyone and can risk your reputation, especially if he or she has to service clients, making them do the work themselves.

Handling delegators

Avoid micromanaging this one. The best is to ensure their workload is manageable. And when you give them work, always say, “I’m giving you this job and you alone.” If they share their work, call them out and discipline them.

5. Instigator

This I would say is the most troublesome lazy worker. They don’t work but spend time causing trouble. You can find an instigator wandering from field to field, telling stories and gossiping about co-workers or the boss. Instigators zap the productivity of other workers and even puts your business at risk of exposing confidential information.

Handling instigators

Instigators are difficult to deal with because they don’t really break any rules. However, they still manage to disturb the work environment. Consider talking to them more to find out what their issues actually are and be good to them. This is the old “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” philosophy. If you feel your efforts are not being appreciated or are just too exhausting, follow the correct procedure by building a case to let them go.

As an employer, you have to address every situation as it is see it and take the right measures to do something about it. In some cases, speaking to your employee may help but the only solution is usually to replace the lazy worker with one who will be much more productive.