Management Matters

One Bad Apple Can Compromise the Entire Team

Do you have that one employee who, with their negative attitude, manages to bring everyone else down? They should be easy to identify; it's the one everyone would point to if asked who’s the asshole around here. Careful, though; you may not like the answer. If you can't identify them, it could be you!

The Bad Apple Effect

The old wives' tale "One bad apple spoils the barrel" holds true in this scenario. When an apple begins to rot, it increases the ethylene gas it gives off, accelerating the ripening and decay of its neighbors. This is not too different from that one employee whose attitude drags down others around them.

When other staff see that this behavior is not being dealt with, you are signaling that it’s acceptable. This can have a huge knock-on effect on the productivity and, therefore, the profitability of the business. If the culprit is a team leader, the effect is amplified even further, leading to frustrated staff leaving at short notice or, worse, silently quitting—staying on but no longer engaged.

What to Look For

In practice, it looks something like this: one team member is always on the go-slow, not pulling their weight, not working as hard as others to get the task done. When the team tries to pull them up, they always have an excuse or are not willing to learn new things. Over time, if this is not addressed by management, it creates resentment among the others and fractures the team.

Or worse, if left to simmer too long, their attitude rubs off on everyone else.

It’s getting close to the end of the day, and there is one more apiary in the round or a few more hives in the holding yard to work. Rather than putting in the final push to get everything done, they suggest, “Hey, let's just come back and finish these tomorrow.” Then they all pack up and head home.

Now it’s a 3-hour return trip, dragging the whole team back out here again tomorrow to do 30 minutes' work just to finish off a few hives. Or worse still, those hives get forgotten about. They could be moving on to the next round or new holding yard tomorrow.

Measuring the true cost

Have you stopped to think about what this attitude/culture actually costs you?

What is the cost of putting 2-3 guys into a truck, driving all the way back to where they were yesterday to do a 30-minute job, then jumping back in the truck and driving to where they should have been this morning? It’s all unproductive time and additional equipment wear that snowballs, as now they probably won’t complete all of today's jobs.

Yes, in beekeeping there are plenty of long days, and it's not always practical to finish everything, but there are also plenty of rainy days where the guys do an easy day and head home early. I think you get the drift; finding the right balance is crucial for maintaining productivity and morale.

You can try to implement policies to reduce the impact of this, for example, always starting at the furthest apiary in the round and working your way back towards home base, but it’s not always practical.

You need to bite the bullet and Have you stopped to think about what this attitude/culture actually costs you?

What is the cost of putting 2-3 guys into a truck, driving all the way back to where they were yesterday to do a 30-minute job, then jumping back in the truck and driving to where they should have been this morning? It’s all unproductive time and additional equipment wear that snowballs, as now they probably won’t complete all of today's jobs.

Yes, in beekeeping there are plenty of long days, and it's not always practical to finish everything, but there are also plenty of rainy days where the guys do an easy day and head home early. I think you get the drift; finding the right balance is crucial for maintaining productivity and morale.

You can try to implement policies to reduce the impact of this, for example, always starting at the furthest apiary in the round and working your way back towards home base, but it’s not always practical.

You need to bite the bullet and remove them from the team as soon as possible.them from the team as soon as possible.

The Remedy

It is crucial to get into a position of power to choose between candidates when hiring. You do not want to be in a position where you feel like you have no option but to hold on to this bad apple or have no choice but to hire whoever applies.

To rectify this, you must present a compelling job opportunity when advertising and weed out the weak in the interview process. A good job description will repel the candidates you don't want and attract those you do want.

The key is to demonstrate that working for you will lead to a prosperous career, and you must be able to back this up.

This is communicated through training and qualifications required and offered, applicants' responsibilities and what they are accountable for, the pay scale, and how they can progress.

Before writing your new job description, remember that it is being compared to not only other beekeeping roles but also other parallel industries. Look at other job options in the area and see how your offer compares.

Offering too little could cost you more in the long run by only attracting other business rejects. You want motivated A-grade candidates.

In the interview process, you should really be testing the candidates' attitude and charisma. Will they fit in with your business needs and team culture? You can check other things like experience, qualifications, and reputation by contacting references.

Ask questions not directly related to the role, like what their dream job is, what their life/family goals are, and where they would like to be financially in five years.

These questions reveal a lot about the person, such as whether their expectations are realistic and if they will fit in with their peers.

Don’t rush this process. A good candidate will multiply your business, whereas a bad one will cost you more than you realize. Ensuring your business is presented in the best possible light is the first step in attracting the right candidates and maintaining a positive work environment.

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