Performance Management

Many articles have been written on managing performance of employees in an organisation.

This piece is not about conducting interviews, sample forms to complete, rating employees (a vexed subject), measuring performance against company goals, and the like.

Here is maybe a slightly different angle.

So, you’re faced with an employee who is not meeting the performance level required. This can be across the organisation. It can be a relatively junior person or a senior executive.

How to address the situation?

There are really three options (only):

1. Do nothing.

Hope the employee will address the situation or it will somehow go away.

2. Take action that is potentially going to see the underperforming person improve and retain their position.

3. Make the tough decision that the person would really be better leaving the company.

Let’s examine these options in more detail.

Option 1, “Do Nothing”

This is surprisingly common across many organisations, large and small. I have personally seen it many, many times, across all levels of a company.

Why does this happen? Some reasons are:

1. Conflict avoidance

Some people don’t like having difficult conversations in general. They get anxious about potential controversy or stress (to themselves or the employee) so, they avoid it and hope it will resolve itself. Of course, it usually doesn’t, and the situation persists.

1. The employee’s background, level of employment and tenure with the company.

Thus: “Person x has been with us for many years. We can’t take this type of action now “

“Person y is a very senior executive. Taking this action is going to be too hard”.

“Person z is a relative or very close friend a of a key company employee. We just have to put up with it” (I have seen this happen on a number of occasions.

1. Self-Resolution

Somehow the person will come to a realisation that they are underperforming and fix it themselves. This is not usually the case, and the situation persists.

Options 2 & 3 “Do something”

Having come to the conclusion that doing nothing is not an option, it becomes clear that action needs to be taken.

At this point, a tough but key decision needs to be taken. In plain English, it is “Is this person worth saving?”

That is, either:

• They are or were a good and valued employee who has just gone backwards recently. They show some signs of being self-aware, and an openness to dealing with the problem and hopefully its root cause.

There are many valid reasons for a person’s work performance falling away. It can be personal issues such as relationships at home, a family member who is having difficulty, a serious illness, financial stress, and the like. It might be another employee who is making life difficult for them. They may have not had the right training for the role and so on.

Or

• The problem is really serious. A so called “sacking offence.” Or the person is already on a performance improvement program, but there is no progress. Or the person is in denial about their performance, or they have already had several warnings about their performance. Maybe they are a ‘repeat offender’ or just not up to the role.

If it is the second case, it is better to take serious action to move the person on rather than continue to consume the company’s resources on dealing with them.

One approach (following appropriate HR procedures) is to make it very clear, in writing, that the person in question is under review about their poor performance and they must improve.

Then, very clearly and consistently, meet with the person on a scheduled basis to discuss their efforts to improve.

This approach will create pressure on the person to improve their performance, and sometimes, they will just decide to leave. Probably a good outcome for all.

However, if it is the first case, then there can be some optimism and hope.

In a non-threatening manner, attempt to find out what is driving the poor performance.

Offer the appropriate help in what ever form it might take.

Tell them you want them to turn things around and you will support them, if they improve.

Follow them up. If they are open and honest about the issue, return this in kind.

Give them a chance and make it clear you are doing this.

Many employees will respond and will be relieved to get the issue off their chest and have some support from the organisation.

Of course, this can be a really pleasing outcome for all concerned, and in the future both parties will look back on the time when you jointly fixed a problem.

The key takeaway is “Do something; doing nothing is not an option”.

Rod Wallace
Stoke Consulting

Previous line management roles (Supply Chain, Customer Service, Logistics, Sales Management) in SME businesses through to large companies have underpinned Rod’s success with a variety of clients. Key solutions in previous engagements have included Project Management, Business Improvement programs, Facility Development and Relocations and Company Governance.