Q: I am a hands-on small business owner and need advice. I have an employee who is exceptionally bright, capable, and always innovative. She has worked for me for five years and shown dedication and genius. My problem is that she doesn't get along with certain people and makes her dislike known in an aggressive way. I have never seen her behave that way, but other employees have reported it to me, and I have no reason to doubt it.

Her most recent outburst of rudeness is when a manager-level employee passed by her, she loudly announced, "Get that person out of my sight." The manager was either too far away to hear her or didn't care, because she didn't respond or acknowledge it. Other employees heard it.

The manager she criticized is a real worker-bee, organized, efficient and loyal, following my orders without having to repeat myself. I value all these attributes. The one negative characteristic, which may irritate my other employee, is that she is controlling and not always open to listening to others' ideas. What should I do when I value and need both employees who will never get along?

A: You will never have a company where everyone loves everyone, and you must accept that as a fact. This is why you must establish in writing a "zero-tolerance" policy regarding employees badmouthing and bullying other employees, individually or as a group, and state that all types of harassment and negative behavior will be punishable.

You seem to appreciate different skills and abilities in each of these employees, so in addition to creating this document, you should have a talk with both employees, with outside counsel in the room as a guide and witness. If you avoid handling this issue immediately, this employee's contributions to your company could be negated if her rude comments and behavior continue.

No company can permit an employee's personal drama or negative behavior towards others to overshadow the workplace and disrupt the environment. Such behavior is even more devastating to a small business, simply due to having fewer people to rely on during such emotional upheavals.

A memo to all employees shows you expect each person to respect others. Despite your company's size, it's to your advantage to run it as a business and not casually like a family, which can lead to such issues. You must also ask yourself why this employee felt comfortable enough to rudely call out an insult to another employee. A family atmosphere rarely works successfully in the long run, even when employees are actual family members. Or perhaps you have created a lax atmosphere by how you have spoken to and related to employees. Or perhaps this particular employee has anger issues that must be dealt with immediately. Whatever the reason, her behavior is more than just childish, and you must take a more formal approach to managing a company that requires all employees to play integral roles to ensure success.

Some small companies run on tight budgets, especially with business owners who skip what they consider frivolous expenditures. Though some see human resources as a department made up of form-processing clerks, knowledge and experience in interviewing, testing and hiring personnel is a serious area of concern. Poor hiring choices can destroy a company's potential, which is why turning over these tasks to inexperienced employees or business owners lacking knowledge in psychology, behavior and personality types can be a costly mistake.

If a company can't afford or doesn't need to hire a full-time HR professional, seek the services of an independent HR consultant to handle periodic needs. The same is true for companies skimping on legal approval after creating policies and handbooks. The upfront costs of using professionals can ultimately save companies from potential personnel disasters.

Email your questions to workplace expert Lindsey Novak at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter@The LindseyNovak. To find out more about Lindsey Novak and to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.