7 Steps to Address Poor Performance

Getting Your Employee Back on Track.

We don’t hire people to lose them.  If you have an employee who is not performing up to their potential or who has strayed from their usual high standard of work, take a positive approach to focus on respect and getting the employee back on track.  To address an employee’s poor performance, it’s essential that your managers are equipped with the knowledge and skills to discover, discuss, write, and communicate a coaching plan or corrective action. 

Achilles Group provides advisement to team managers in this process and helps through difficult situations and conversations with employees.

There are several steps you can take to help get your employee back on track and address poor performance or misconduct:

1. Identify the problem: Take the time to clearly identify what the issue is. Is it a lack of motivation, a misunderstanding of expectations, a skill gap, or something else entirely – such as willful misconduct?  A failure to perform is rooted in an inability; misconduct is rooted in willfully ignoring  or choosing not to follow a process or procedure, prescribed techniques, coaching, or not using available tools properly.
2. Have a conversation: Schedule a meeting with the employee and discuss your concerns with them. Be specific about what you’ve observed and the impact it’s having on their work and the team.
3. Listen: Allow the employee to share their perspective and thoughts on the situation. They may have insights or concerns that you haven’t considered.
4. Set clear expectations: Work with the employee to establish clear expectations for their performance and behavior, moving forward and proactively building upon their strengths through continuous feedback, developmental coaching, and correction.  Be sure to set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
5. Offer support: Provide the employee with the tools, resources, and support they need to meet the expectations you’ve set. This could include training, coaching, or mentoring.
6. Monitor progress: Engage as a coach and check in regularly with the employee to monitor their progress and offer feedback. Celebrate small wins along the way and provide constructive criticism when necessary.  
7. Consider consequences: If the employee continues to struggle despite your efforts to support them, it may be necessary to consider consequences such as corrective action or termination. However, this should be a last resort and only considered after all other options have been exhausted.

In summary, to retain valuable employees, it’s crucial to address underperformance or deviations from high-quality work with a positive approach. Managers should be well-prepared to identify issues, engage in constructive discussions, and implement coaching or corrective action plans.

Need advice on addressing poor performance? Achilles Group provides the advisement, process, tools, and rollout to leaders to equip and encourage smart people decisions.