How to Deal With a Talkative Person in the Workplace

Running in the opposite direction is not an effective strategy for dealing with a talkative employee. Chances are, the talker is a nice person who just feels insecure, but you are running a business. Chatty employees can be a real drag on productivity, especially if your business depends on attention to detail or intense mental work. The small business owner will have to keep the staff focused, and this may mean challenging the troubled employee's chattiness and harnessing it into a new direction. Get office meetings and daily operations back to production without hurting anyone's feelings.

Office Meetings

Step 1
Begin the meeting with a statement like, "As the owner of XYZ company, it's important to me that everyone have a chance to participate and express their thoughts in this meeting. To get us into practice, we will use a timer today. Each of us will have two minutes on the timer to put forth our ideas. If we get through the agenda, we can go back and fill in details as needed at the end of the meeting." The small business owner or an assertive manager needs to use the timer method to control any talker's ramblings.

Step 2
Write and print a detailed agenda before the office meeting. Refer back to the agenda often during the meeting to keep the talker and the rest of the staff on task. Don't hand the agenda out before the meeting; instead, give them out at the door as the staff enters. Holding the printed agenda until the meeting will give chatters less of a chance to prepare off-the-cuff remarks.

Step 3
Instruct the staff that there are no side discussions during the meeting. This will give the talker less of a chance to hook another employee into a conversation. Ask the meeting facilitator to stop chatty discussions by saying, "Okay team, let's get back to the agenda."

Daily Operations

Step 1
Tell the talkative person that although you like to visit, you have work to do. Ask your talkative employee what project he is working on. Once he tells you, say, "Let's get that finished," and walk away. If the problem is more serious, you'll need to meet with him privately.

Step 2
Ask the talkative worker to meet with you for 15 minutes. Note the time when she arrives. Tell the worker you'll only take 15 minutes of her time and tell the employee what time it currently is.

Step 3
Explain to the employee that you have observed how friendly and sociable he is. Tell the employee that as a small business owner, you like that your employees feel comfortable in the work environment. Tell the employee that you look forward to his help at company social events like a summer barbecue or a holiday party. Ask him if he would available and willing to help during these events.

Step 4
Tell the talkative employee that while she may be a fast worker with a little extra time, other employees do not work as quickly and enjoy producing focused work. Ask the employee to cut back on socializing during work hours except for her lunch break and before and after work.

Step 5
Remind the employee that he is important to you and you don't wish to hurt his feelings. Explain that some employees have deadlines approaching and they may find chatting to be a distraction. Assure the employee that you are otherwise happy with his performance. Stop the meeting at the prescribed time. Shake the employee's hand and end the meeting on a happy note.

Source: smallbusiness.chron.com

Collected by Nhu-Vu SAPUWA