If you have an employee who is habitually late and doesn't communicate well with customers but does exemplary work, do you have a big problem? You sure do. But although your gut reaction might be to replace that employee, resist that urge--at least in the short term. While firing troublesome employees may seem efficient, it can be especially problematic for mid-sized companies, which often rely more heavily on individual expertise. And firing is expensive, when you add up the costs of severance, hiring contractors, and recruiting and training a new hire. On the other hand, a poor performer sets a low standard for everyone else, and can lead to lower morale and productivity. But a smart CIO will recognize that some staff members have important institutional knowledge. The challenge is finding the right work for these people. What is it that makes them thrive, that gets them excited, that is going to turn them on and gets them to start producing? Try different things until you can see where they shine.

Learn more about dealing with problem employees:
- read the article at TechTarget

ALSO:
- read this on gaining your employees' respect
- this on handling disruptive employees
- and this on finding the right employees