When to Save a Troubled Employee

In 4-Star Reviews Suck, I titled one of the chapters, “Don’t Rescue Lost Puppies—at Work.”

For the sake of this discussion, a “Lost Puppy” is someone going through a life event that is almost certain to impact their job performance. In this chapter, I challenge whether it's wise to bring someone in that situation into a high-performing organization where every team member is striving for success. My recommendation? Avoid hiring “Lost Puppies.”

Recently, a client of mine was grappling with how to handle an employee asking for *a lot* more money due to a divorce. At first glance, it seemed the employee was just bored in their marriage and chasing greener pastures. We’re not here to judge that. But turning the workplace upside down and demanding a higher salary to support a new solo lifestyle isn’t the way to win friends—or build trust—at work. Worse, the employee was becoming toxic and even hinted at competing with my client while still employed.

After hearing the details, I told my client he probably should have already let this person go. He responded by saying he wasn’t as “savage” as me.

If you know me, I hope savage feels like an overstatement. But here’s the truth: I value the health of the organization and its mission more than the whims or emotional turbulence of any one team member. Why? Because great employees—hopefully the kind you’ve worked hard to hire—deserve to work alongside other great employees.

So: Hire slow to get it right. Fire faster when you get it wrong.

What’s the exception?

If a high-performing, committed team member hits a rough patch in life and starts to struggle—**save them.** There will always be exceptions, and this is one of them. If a loyal contributor starts to slip due to a personal crisis, like a divorce or unexpected financial burden, lean in. You can’t save every “Lost Puppy” who applies to your company, but you *can* and *should* support those already embedded in your culture, when they’ve proven themselves.

Real-life example:

Back to my client. He noticed his high performer was off. The employee then said they’d need to make double their current salary and mentioned they were starting to pursue their own clients. Naturally, my client was frustrated. At this point, I advised that it might be time to part ways.

But here’s the key: never stop asking questions until you know the full story. And always, communicate directly and assertively with the employee involved.

Between our meetings, my client did just that. The next time we met, he had a better grasp of the situation. They had a candid conversation, and it became clear that the employee wasn’t sabotaging their own career. They were just overwhelmed and reacting poorly to a tough life situation. They didn’t need double the pay—they just needed some breathing room financially. In a calmer state, the employee expressed gratitude for their role and the above-market salary they were already earning.

With this new understanding, we started brainstorming how to generate additional revenue tied directly to the employee’s contributions—creating a path to a bonus or a raise.

Here’s why this worked: the employee *wanted* to make it work. They were humble and open. If we return to the “Lost Puppy” metaphor—even if a puppy has been great in the past, you can’t keep a dog that bites its owner. The same goes for any employee, especially in leadership: if they drag your culture down, it’s time to move on.

Do you have a situation like this brewing in your business?

This is a prime example of the kind of challenge a business coach can help you navigate.

Contact me—I’d love to help.