How to manage bad employees

Traders at NYSE Euronext office
Traders work at a desk of the NYSE Euronext office in Paris on May 24, 2011.
ERIC PIERMONT/AFP/Getty Images

During our show on bad bosses last month, we got a lot of comments from listeners about bad employees too.

How much impact can one or a few bad employees have on a workplace? A lot, according to new research. Having just one bad apple in a group can bring down performance by 30 to 40 percent. What are some of the characteristics of bad employees and what can be done to change the bad behavior or attitude?

Robert Sutton, Professor of Management Science and Engineering in the Stanford Engineering School, said you can't always blame incompetent employees.

"When bosses continually have lousy employees, it becomes a sign they are doing something wrong," he said. "The question becomes, 'why do these bosses keep selecting bad people?' When that happens, it's time to look in the mirror."

Sutton will join The Daily Circuit Friday to discuss bad employees. Tim Cole, executive vice president of sale at Del Monte Foods, will also join the discussion.