Another way to approach what appears to be an obvious bad debt is to attempt to settle for less than what is owed. Too much time spent on personal phone calls, extended breaks and lunches, slowness in work and visiting too much among co-workers are all things that should be addressed swiftly. An employee must understand the expectation of hard work. Make it clear to all employees what level of work is expected from them and then hold them accountable for achieving that level. There is a need for managers to pay close attention to those things they have some control over that are directly related to profits.
Some managers prefer to be so hands on that they lose sight of their real jobs.
It is critical for managers to learn how to focus on the factors that impact customer service, employee morale and profits as well as the operating issues they tend to get bogged down with. Not only should they have a strong working knowledge of the area they manage, but they need to have a strong orientation toward the financial aspects of their work units, departments or divisions. Unfortunately most managers and supervisors tend to be much more oriented toward the operational aspects at the expense of paying close attention to financial details. Many managers and supervisors are not well versed on financial matters when they are hired or promoted into such positions. They must be mentored and trained.