Addressing Employee Performance Problems

?It’s more important than ever for managers to monitor employee performance.

While a remote workplace can certainly be quite effective, the lack of direct supervision can sometimes cause accountability to fall by the wayside.

This is especially true if employees aren’t accustomed to working in a remote environment.

However, monitoring performance is important, no matter where employees are located.

When someone begins to fall short of expectations, it can be hard to get them back on track without creating a confrontational situation.?

Performance Matters in the Workplace

There are times when it is clear that you, as a manager, need to step in whether you’re dealing with a remote employee or someone working on-site.

Sometimes it might be a matter of behavior and accountability. Your star performer might be producing good work.

Still, if she’s consistently showing up late and?blowing off her manager?to do her own thing, other employees might start getting the idea that if the rules don’t apply to her, they shouldn’t apply to them either when the stakes go up a level during a crisis, however, attention to detail matters.

If everyone on the team isn’t doing their job to the best of their ability, producing quality deliverables will prove rather difficult.

The same principle applies whether people are working remotely or in the office.

If a few employees aren’t pulling their weight and meeting expectations, everyone else is left picking up the slack or may even decide that they don’t need to hold themselves accountable either.

When performance starts to slip, it can be difficult for everyone to “flip the switch” when they need to do more than “get by.” It can also lead to widespread resentment and frustration.

Disclaimer:?The information on this POST is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional advice. The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this article is for general information purposes / educational purposes only, and to ensure discussion or debate.

Thank you?….?Addressing Poor Performance

Of course, in other cases, an underperforming employee becomes a detriment to the team. Maybe they’re unable to meet quality standards or can’t seem to make it to work on time every day.

Whatever the case, when someone isn’t able to meet expectations, it’s up to their manager to find a way to address the issue quickly and effectively.

Sometimes it just takes?a candid conversation?to get somebody back on the right path. In other cases, they may need to be put on a performance improvement plan or be reassigned to another set of tasks that are more suited to their skills.

Do you want to add a word or two?

If none of these efforts prove effective, however, leaders must then make the difficult decision to part ways with an employee who cannot consistently meet expectations.

Move Quickly and Document Actions Taken

Regardless of the work situation, the sooner you address the issue, the sooner it can be resolved.

Remember, there should be no unpleasant surprises on an annual?performance review.

The employee should already know how he or she is doing before then. Whether they’re working remotely or on-site, you should regularly communicate expectations to employees so they have a sense of how well they’re doing and where they need to make improvements.?

Documentation is important here because it provides both guidance for the employee and a record of what actions were taken to improve performance.

Your Comments …..

If an employee is still feeling unclear about what is expected of them, they can refer to a record of what was discussed in meetings and what action items were put in place to help them improve.

?Having this documentation makes addressing performance more productive and less stressful or emotional. It will also prove critical if disciplinary action needs to be taken, up to and including dismissal.?

Keep it specific, factual, and unemotional.?

Explain the goal or standard the person was expected to meet and discuss the action that actually occurred. The difference between the two can speak for itself.

If you tend to err on the “too nice” side, make sure you discuss the entirety of the problem. You don’t want the performer leaving your office thinking you just had a friendly gab session. But, make sure you aren’t making things sound worse than they are. That can hurt your credibility.

You may be upset or offended or disappointed that the person is not meeting expectations, but your feelings are not the reason for the meeting: the person’s performance (or lack of performance) is. If you need to throw a mini-tantrum before or after in private, go for it! Then pull yourself together and move on.

Be prepared to listen to and consider valid excuses.

If someone is falling short of key indicators, make sure the goals are realistic given the person’s training and time on the job. Is there a learning curve you need to respect? You may need to offer additional coaching and mentoring.

Outline an action plan.

You’ve pointed out the problem, now give the person the steps to fix it.

What specifically do you need to see to know the issue is improving?

Give clearly defined actions and set a follow-up date (or dates).

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