How to Manage Workers With Low Self-Esteem

Human Resources

Managing an Employee with Low Self-Esteem

Within the workplace there are many influences which may impact on an employees' performance. While many texts focus in issues such as working conditions and perceptions of the employment relationship, the employees own self-perceptions and the manifestation of these perceptions in their self-esteem can also have a significant impact on their performance in the workplace (Kuhnen & Tymula, 2012). The aim of this paper is to look at the way in which supervises may manage individuals with low self-esteem.

Self-esteem is important part of any individuals' psychological make up. The concept of self-esteem is included in motivation models, such as Maslow's hierarchy of needs, where it is recognized as having a potential influence on an individual's level and source of motivation (Kuhnen & Tymula, 2012). Research has demonstrated that when employees have low self-esteem they are unlikely to provide the employer with an optimal performance, and general performance will be lower than the equivalent appears that have higher self-esteem (Walumbwa et al., 2011). The level of motivation individuals are self-esteem is likely to be lower, and confidence in their own abilities and belief in themselves is lacking, this impacts on performance as individuals will derive utility and satisfaction of seeing themselves in a positive light, such as being productive, or providing value within the context of the social criteria by which the actions are judged (Kuhnen & Tymula, 2012). For a supervisor managing an employee with low self-esteem, understanding self-esteem in this context will help with the management process.

The individual with low self-esteem can provide challenges, especially as their approach to challenges or failures may be to internalize the issues and blame themselves, feeling that they are incompetent, rather than seek to overcome those challenges and improve their performance. The potential difficulty for a supervisor recently self-perception does not necessarily correlate with the actual performance, and many star or high performers within an organization may have low self-esteem (Janssen & Gao, 2013). However, although there are many influences that impact on individual self-esteem, there are some strategies a supervisor may utilize to support employees of low self-esteem.

The first stage is to identify those individuals that have low self-esteem (Paige, 2014). These employees may demonstrate characteristics such as a passive aggressive attitude, defensive or even aggressive behavior, may indicate low esteem (Paige, 2014). An individual who is ready to take the blame, even if it is a situational issue, and simply believes, and puzzles us down is also likely to be an individual with low self-esteem (Paige, 2014). The supervisor to start to create a more productive work relationship by showing acceptance to that individual, demonstrating that they are valued as a person, with management taking the approach of guiding behavior, rather than personality (Paige, 2014). The guidance of behavior can be aided with the provision of clear guidelines regarding the performance it is expected, and boundaries. For example, the provision of a key job description, and reinforcement of the required standards may be beneficial (Paige, 2014).

Communication is also a key in the management of an individual with low self-esteem, not only in the context of communicating what is expected, but also in the provision of recognition of ability and positive outcomes, as well as achieving task goals (Paige, 2014). The recognition is not an important in terms of the successes achieved, the recognition of the individual's role in achieving success, in other words making sure they know it was more than just good luck (Paige, 2014). Ensuring an individual has the knowledge and confidence to achieve their task can also be very useful, which may include the provision of additional training and development opportunities. Empowerment, allowing employees to achieve the task within a given guidelines can also be beneficial, and help to increase confidence will support the development of higher levels of self-esteem (Paige, 2014; Walumbwa et al., 2011). However, for praise and recognition to be meaningful, the supervisor also needs to provide a balance, with acknowledgement when performance is not as expected, but undertaken in a positive manner providing guidance.