How to deal with poor work performance

Managing an employee’s performance can be one of the most challenging parts of any manager’s role. Often by the time formal performance reviews commence, difficult or unproductive behaviours are already entrenched and the relationship between manager and employee has deteriorated. 

Do this first. Investigate

• Speak to your employee in confidence and set out your concerns.
• Ask them for the reasons for their poor performance. Give them a chance to respond.
• Have they had sufficient training? If returning from furlough they may need refresher training.
• Is their poor performance due to protected characteristics, e.g. disability (where reasonable adjustments are required) or pregnancy related sickness/absence (which must be discounted when assessing performance)? If so, be aware of discrimination risk.

Remember: Investigating will help you decide on the appropriate action and identify any legal risk. 

Act now, not later

If underperformance continues, you should address this behaviour as soon as you can. This ensures your underperforming employee knows you are serious, and that you won’t tolerate continuing issues.

Dealing with an underperforming employee is important to the rest of the team as well; hardworking staff will quickly become disengaged if they see colleagues slacking off without any repercussions.

• If you have a written performance management procedure, follow this.
• Informal warning for minor unsatisfactory performance.
• Formal warning: usually 2 x warnings giving clear objectives and a reasonable timescale for improvement, followed by potential dismissal, particularly if the employee has 2+ years’ service with you.
• If less than 2 years’ service, invite the employee to a potential dismissal meeting, rather than first issuing warnings. Confirm dismissal on notice in writing.
• Remember: An employee might not know why they are underperforming, or they may not know they are underperforming at all. Offer them examples of when they have underperformed, and offer solutions as to how they can improve. If you open this up for discussion, it will allow your staff member to voice how they feel they would be better motivated at work.

Be ready to let them go

At one stage or another, just about every manager has the unenviable task of letting someone go. This is never ideal and should always be treated as a last resort. It is after all, better for the team and the business; holding onto underachieving employees can result in negativity, low morale and poor quality of work.

The history of your management of an employee’s performance should be supported by a clear document trail. This doesn’t need to be an onerous completion of reports and forms. On the Markel website there are ready made templates for you to use like the below:

• Performance management procedure
• Letter confirming what has been agreed following informal discussion of minor unsatisfactory performance
• Performance warning and final performance warning
• Notification of potential dismissal meeting (short serving employees)
• Notification of potential dismissal meeting due to poor performance
• Confirmation of dismissal on notice unsatisfactory conduct or performance (short serving employees)
• Confirmation of dismissal on notice

No manager wants to have to deal with performance problems, however it is important as a leader that you learn to deal with an underperforming employee in effective ways, that are beneficial to you and the person. 

To enjoy access to tax and legal guidance all you need to do today is sign up and create an account with Markel.

1. Go to Markel Business Hub
2. Select ‘Register’
3. Enter your details and register with a valid email address
4. In the ‘Token or policy number’ box please enter code: HCpNmm8B
5. Click ‘Next’ to proceed
6. You will receive an email to verify your account
7. Once your email is verified, you’re good to go