Everyone has a bad day … or two. And then there’s the employee who is permanently unhappy.

Is it because of something in the office? Is there someone they don’t get along with or don’t like? Maybe they don’t like you. What are you going to do?

It may not seem like a big deal – it’s hard to like work, your boss, your co-workers, or even patients every single day. But a disgruntled employee can cause concern in several ways.

• Patients – how are they treating patients? If your employee is unhappy, are they telling patients? Sometimes actions speak louder than words – maybe the way they’re acting says more than what they’re saying.

• Workload – are they getting the work done that you expect them to do? Are they causing you to lose income because of inaccurate insurance filings or slow billing procedures?

• Staff – how do they get along with other staff (including you)? Are they disrespectful? Is their attitude rubbing off on other employees?

Each of these alone can be cause for concern. All of them combined are a sure recipe for an unhappy office atmosphere. It may be time to discuss your expectations and the performance of the employee.

Better yet, sit down to talk with your employee about your policies and procedures in the employee handbook.

You have an employee handbook, right?

This manual should outline performance expectations … and consequences for not meeting those expectations. Document the conversation and be specific about what is happening (or not happening).

And take the necessary steps to get your office running in tip-top shape.