The Employees That Will Sink Your MSP (And How to Spot Them Before It’s Too Late)

When I ran an MSP, I learned an important lesson the hard way: the wrong employees can quietly destroy your business from the inside out. It doesn’t matter how strong your marketing is, how many leads you generate, or how advanced your technology stack is—if you have the wrong people on your team, your MSP is in trouble…

Every hire matters! Bad employees can ruin your reputation and break the trust you’ve built with customers, and in extreme cases even drive your best team members out the door.

So, let’s talk about the employees that will sink your MSP and how you can spot them before it’s too late!

1. The Clock Puncher (a.k.a. The Bare Minimum Employee)

This employee does exactly what they’re told—and nothing more. No initiative, no improvements, no going the extra mile: when the clock hits 5 PM, they’re out the door, even if a customer issue is unresolved.

Why is this a problem? Because customers notice. If one of your techs consistently goes above and beyond, clients will see it! But if a tech treats their job like an assembly line, they’ll notice that, too. Worse, your hardworking employees will get frustrated picking up the slack.

How to Spot Them

• During interviews, they focus on what they get (pay, PTO, benefits) rather than what they contribute.
• They have no certifications or professional development to show growth.
• Once hired, they never show interest in MSP growth.

How to Handle Them

Set clear expectations. If they won’t step up, let them go! Keeping them around will only frustrate your team and damage customer relationships.

2. The Toxic Tech (a.k.a. The Know-It-All)

This technician thinks they’re the smartest person in the room and that your MSP’s processes are dumb. They ignore documentation and act like they’re indispensable.

Why is this dangerous? Because they alienate customers by talking down to them, and they create a single point of failure. If they leave, all their undocumented knowledge leaves with them, leaving you scrambling!

How to Spot Them

• They refuse to use your PSA properly, leaving vague or missing documentation.
• They “go rogue,” preferring their own way over your company processes.

How to Handle Them

Make documentation mandatory! If they won’t follow it, fire them fast. One employee should never have that much control over your business.

3. The Excuse Machine (a.k.a. The Underperformer)

This employee always has an excuse. Missed deadlines? Not their fault. Slow response times? Customer didn’t reply. Incomplete work? Waiting on someone else.

Why is this bad? Because customers get frustrated, other employees have to cover for them, and you waste time chasing them down instead of growing your MSP!

How to Spot Them

• They complain about past employers being disorganized or not providing the “right tools.”
• Customers start requesting to work with a different technician.

How to Handle Them

Set clear key performance indicators (KPIs), and if they miss deadlines, don’t accept excuses. If they don’t improve after warnings, let them go.

4. The Drama Magnet (a.k.a. The Morale Killer)

This person stirs up unnecessary conflict and drags down morale. In a team oriented business like an MSP, one toxic person can poison the entire culture!

BY making  your office an unpleasant place to work, these employees frustrate your best employees and can even create a bad experience for customers who sense the negativity.

How to Spot Them

• During interviews, they badmouth past coworkers, bosses, or companies.
• They have a history of short-term jobs.
• Once hired, they spread rumors and are always at the center of office drama.

How to Handle Them

Call them out! Ask, “Are you bringing this up to solve a problem or create one?” If they don’t change, let them go. Your culture is too valuable to risk!

Build A Team That You’re Proud Of

Your MSP’s success depends on your team: no amount of strategy can save a business that’s weighed down by bad hires! There are plenty of toxic employee types beyond these, but these are the biggest offenders I’ve encountered in my years of running an MSP.

This week, I challenge you to take a hard look at your team. Do any of these types sound familiar? Are you ignoring red flags because firing someone is uncomfortable?

I’ll leave you with this quote from Steve Jobs: “The secret of my success is that we have gone to exceptional lengths to hire the best people in the world.”

Have a great week!