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Managing performance

Employment Essentials

Quick guide to managing performance   (pdf - 1,906Kb)
Quick guide to managing staff  (pdf - 1,665Kb)

This section covers two essential aspects of managing poor performance: identifying the problem and assisting an employee who is not doing well. There is no easy answer to rectifying poor performance but if you can identify the problem you are then much better placed to solve it.

Why do employees sometimes perform poorly?

There can be many reasons why an employee may be performing badly, both personal or work-related. It may be surprising to realise that these reasons usually concern factors related to the design of an employee's job and the tasks they are required to perform.

As an employer, this is good news because you can usually provide the solution quickly and simply.

Some commonly occurring causes of poor performance can be one, or a mix, of the following:

• your employee doesn't know what to do - meaning there are unclear or misunderstood expectations about goals and standards (or no standards have been set)
• the job is poorly designed so there is a mismatch between your employee's capabilities and the job he or she is required to do
• your employee doesn't know how well or badly they are doing because there is no counselling or feedback on their performance
• your employee does not have the knowledge or the skills to do the job expected of them eg. a new recruit, change of duties, a new task etc
• lack of personal motivation, low morale in the workplace and/or poor work environment
• your employee may have personal problems such as stress, family problems, health problems or substance abuse problems such as drugs, or alcohol.

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Identifying the problem

The following performance list should assist in identifying what problems are affecting your employee and what to do about them.

• They do not know why they should do it

• It is important for employees to know WHY they are doing a task and what they are being paid to do. If they do not clearly understand the answers to both questions, you might face a poor performance issue.

• Before you put people to work, let them know why they should do the things you pay them to do.

• They do not know how to do it

• Don't assume what an employee knows without checking first. If you want someone to do something ask them to describe what it is they are doing or give them a chance to demonstrate it.

They do not know what they are supposed to do

Some employees may have an unclear or poor understanding of the specific tasks they should be doing.

For example, they know they are supposed to do something but don't know when to begin, or what the finished product looks like.

Ensure you are specific about your standards and expectations.

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They think your way will not work

If an employee really thinks your way will not work, you must get them to express that opinion so that you can deal with it before the work begins.

You need to sell your idea - simply telling them may not be effective.

They think their way is better

You need to identify this issue when assigning a task, ask your employees for their ideas on how it will be done and seek their reasons for tackling the tasks differently.

They think something else is more important

Some employees simply do not understand the comparable priority of the many tasks assigned to them or are unclear about your priorities.

The problem is not that they are not working, they are simply working on what they think is important.

Label the work according to its priority when it is assigned, but make sure that every task is not a first priority task.

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There is no positive consequence to them for doing it

You need to deliver rewards for the performance you expect. Verbal feedback about work well done is the least expensive method, and highly effective.

They think they are doing it

If employees do not get timely and appropriate feedback, they will continue to do the work the way they have always done. Employees need ongoing information and an answer to the question "how am I going?"

They are rewarded for not doing it

If employees only receive attention when they are performing poorly, you may just be reinforcing the poor performance, not eliminating it. Your attention becomes the rewarding consequence.

They are punished for doing what they are supposed to do

For example, if an employee makes suggestions at meetings and is given extra projects to carry out the suggestions, they will probably stop making suggestions.

To reduce this risk, remove the punishment or provide a reward to balance the punishment.

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They anticipate a negative consequence for doing it

It is important that people understand the ground rules for operating - that it is OK to have opinions, questioning and feedback are encouraged.

There is no negative consequence to them for poor performance

Failure to take appropriate action to correct performance problems sends a message that poor performance is tolerated.

Obstacles beyond control

There may be obstacles due to lack of resources or conflicting directions. Listen, get involved and investigate.

Their personal limits prevent them from performing

Many people fail to perform because they were not taught how to do it.

Personal problems

Listening and linking employees into other agencies that can help them deal with the problems is a key role you can perform.

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No one could do it - it's unrealistic

This is a training issue. You should provide training and practice opportunities to help them perform.

How do I solve the problem?

You can't solve the problem by yourself. It is something you and your employee must solve together. The first step is to talk to your employee and get his or her agreement that a problem exists. This may involve some discussion and persuasion on your part.

Then once you both have agreed on what the problem is, you can both discuss strategies to solve the problem. If you don't adopt this method of solving the problem together, your employee will probably feel "blamed" or "chastised". If your employee feels he or she is being blamed, then it is likely poor performance problems will continue.

How do I initiate discussions about my employee's poor performance?

You should have some private discussions with your employee about the problem. It should be in a comfortable, non-threatening environment and take place at a time when neither of you will be interrupted. Go to information on conducting a counselling session.

Managing Performance Checklist  (pdf)

Other titles in the Employment Essentials series

• Ending Employment
• Managing People
• Recruitment
• Workplace Policies and Procedures