You put a lot of attention into your search and hiring of a high-quality employee. It took 42 days and cost the company $4,129, but it paid off. He accepted your offer. This new employee received a competitive salary and excellent benefits—everything that will make him happy.

You put him in a department that best suits his impressive hard skills; confident he will bring much-needed value to the team. At first, he proved to be everything you had hoped for. His enthusiasm was infectious, and the team began outperforming their previous numbers.

Then, the subtle changes begin. He still has a strong work ethic but no longer seems excited about the job. His coworkers are feeling it, too. From previous experience, you know this is just the beginning. Soon, he’ll become disengaged and start wearing interview suits to work. He’s already headed for the door.

Trying to get a handle on the problem, you call in his manager, who blithely comments that he was working outside the job’s scope. Now he isn’t.

Managers can play a major role in designing motivating, meaningful jobs. The best managers go out of their way to help people do work they enjoy—even if it means rotating them out of roles where they’re excelling.

Yet, managers are keen to put hard skills into play without discovering more about employees’ needs and wants—the actual gauge of happiness and productivity. What excites them? What are their passions? Equally important, what pushes their buttons? What makes them regret their decision to accept your offer?

Personality plays a huge role in what an employee needs and wants in a job and what they don’t want. Based on each color, here are some sure-fire ways to have them heading for the door:

REDS

Don’t allow them to lead

Reds are natural leaders. If you put them in charge of a project, it will get done. They thrive on challenge and productivity. They measure their success—you don’t have to do it for them.

Embarrass them publicly

Nothing will get a Red’s dander up more than criticizing them in front of their peers. Reds need to be respected, and that means looking good at their job. When addressing issues with a Red, do it behind closed doors. Be direct, specific, and logical.

Ignore their ideas

Reds are visionary. They can look forward and see each piece neatly fit into the puzzle. When they present an idea, we often don’t even know there is a puzzle. It’s easy to discount ideas, but remember, Reds don’t make hasty judgments. They weigh everything based on how successful it will be for them. If you ignore their opinions, you may eventually have a competitor rather than a valued employee.

Use an authoritarian approach

“Because I’m the boss!” is a phrase that will backfire whenever used on a Red. It isn’t legitimate. If you want a Red to come around to your way of thinking, present your issues in an unemotional, factual manner. They will respect you for it.

BLUES

Don’t express appreciation

If you want to lose a valued Blue, ignore their accomplishments. Otherwise, express your appreciation often and sincerely. Blues go to great lengths to make sure that their work is complete and accurate. There are times you might view their work as overkill, but take the time to listen and compliment their thoroughness. 

Make them feel guilty

Blues are loyal and committed, and because of that, can be guilted into most anything. They will stay up all night to complete a project, even if they feel conflicted about their priorities. 

Ask them to make a quick decision

Blues need time to mull things over before they make a decision. Yes or no answers won’t be forthcoming. They will need to explain how and why they made the decision. 

WHITES

Force confrontation

White personalities will go out of their way to avoid arguments, even if they believe they are correct. Give them a chance to collect their thoughts and present their opinion. Hear them out in a quiet, non-confrontational way.

Demand leadership

Most White personalities are content to contribute from a comfortable, non-threatening space. They don’t appreciate office drama. If a White shows an ability and desire to lead, they will be great at it, but persuading them into accepting a leadership position they don’t want would be a mistake.

Be domineering

White personalities often keep their feelings to themselves, so if they don’t react to your dominant behavior, don’t be fooled. Whites are silently stubborn. Don’t mistake their silence for acquiescence. Learn to read the signs.

Expect immediate verbal expression

When it comes to verbal expression, Whites need time to form a logical and conclusive response. They are rarely “knee-jerk” in their opinions. Be patient. Your wait will pay off. 

YELLOWS

Discount them

Yellows are intelligent, creative, and socially dynamic. It would be a mistake to discount them as lightweights. In addition to the hard skills they possess, they bring a lot to the table. They are upbeat and positive, and it rubs off on the team. Their people connections are invaluable to the company.

Control their time

Seriously, it can’t be done, and you will only be frustrated and make them resentful if you try. That’s not to say you won’t get a Yellow’s time in abundance. If they are excited about a project, you’ll be getting emails at all hours of the night. Yet, Yellows can only handle stressful situations for short periods of time. 

Ignore them

Yellows are motivated by praise and appreciation—preferably in front of their peers. Don’t ignore their accomplishments. If they have done a good job and you let everyone know, they will want more and perform better to get it.

Be sober in your criticism

Yellows resent authority and can be defiant of leaders, but they accept guidance. By couching your criticism as upbeat and optimistic coaching, you will get a much better result. 

To keep your star employees, involve them in deciding where is the best fit for them. Creating a workplace that meets employees’ needs and wants is a win/win for the company and the employee. Employee engagement and retention will improve if they love what they are doing. 

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Teresa Glenn has been working with the Color Code since 2006, where her main focus is product development. She has been in the publishing and product development field for over 20 years. Teresa is a core Red with a strong Yellow secondary.