As managers or the owner of a business, we may encounter staff who are struggling in their roles. As part of our role, we need the skills to deal with under or challenging performers without compromising or impacting the rest of the unit.
I have seen it all too often: the temptation to handball struggling staff to the Human Resource Dept or performance manage them out, fire them, or end a contract. As leaders or managers, we can adjust our approach to see the potential in these complex cases and help your struggling staff improve. Here are some ideas for addressing poor performance and outcomes, which may help to bring out their best work.
How You Can Help Poor Performers
Underperformance is always an issue for any organisation, large or small. If not addressed, underperformance can rot the core foundation of your Team and compromise your trust in that person. So how can you help poor performers improve their skills and perform better?
Firstly, take confidence in yourself and meet with the person in question, I know the thought can be daunting, but they need to understand your concerns regarding their performance and allow them to respond. We need to be kind during this process and create a safe space, as this will enable them to be honest with their response. Based on their responses, we can either: (1) work with them to create an action list of areas for improvement or (2) support them in improving their performance through additional training. Also, taking notes is essential, as this will serve as reminders of what agreements have been made, identified challenges or barriers and their overall performance progress.
Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover
Many may only focus on the employee's poor performance, but as Managers, we need to widen our scope. Poor performance can result from circumstances outside an employee's control, such as family or health issues. Many of us can relate to how external factors can impact us at some point in our professional careers. So, supporting an employee and negotiating their leave requirement period will enable them to address these circumstances in their own time and return fresh and ready to perform. Other factors could be challenges and barriers, such as hidden learning difficulties, being overwhelmed by the workload, or needing to be appropriately trained in certain areas of their role. It's essential to chat with them directly to work out if additional support is required for any identify challenges or barriers they may have disclosed. These supports could be internal, provided by you or external help they have decided to seek.
Sometimes, we must remember how our organisation or our own business has invested considerable time and money in training the staff. So, instead of dismissing an employee as a poor performer or not meeting expectations, learn to see their potential as someone who could use some additional support to assist them in bouncing back into shape and rising above the situation.
Open-Door Policy
To build relationships with my Team, I make myself available for anyone to contact me, so they can raise concerns, get clarification, and get guidance or direction. This approachable policy has assisted with identifying or preventing a problem before they arise. By having regular contact with my Team, I have discovered their strengths and/or gaps in knowledge or understanding. This connection has allowed me to determine appropriate support scaffolding or training for an individual employee or the Team and to quickly tweet inappropriate workplace behaviour, which can prevent problems before they arise.
Don't Give Up on People
By getting to know my Team, I have developed the skills to see the potential in each Team Member that they may not even be aware of. The easiest way to improve an underperformer is to put them on an agreed plan, which is part of their Performance Development, as some may need more time, training, and resources to excel at their role. Appropriate support and feedback can help them to live up to their potential. Be mindful that your employee may find these performance meetings stressful, so ensure a safe space.
Show Them How to Succeed
It's a collaborative approach, and there needs to be an agreement between the employee and yourself, so don't write them off. They need to understand improvement needs to take place within an elected timeframe as every organisation, especially your own business has limited resources and can't continue to afford underperforming employees indefinitely. If the employee is unaware of a timeframe, then there will be no motivation to improve.
Lead by example. If you have the capacity, occasionally work with them directly. Work on the action list, work on a particular task together, have discussions regarding their approach for specific tasks, brainstorm, support them with their schedules and check in on their overall wellbeing. However, if that approach fails, it may be time for either HR Dept and an external mediation services, if you a small business owner to intervene.
Follow Up and Get Involved
The best way to help employees is to connect regularly, practice an open-door policy, provide honest feedback and don't be afraid to provide genuine praise, and I mean genuine praise. Unfortunately, we live in a time where many people perpective or suspect there is a hidden agenda if praise given. If I acknowledge, give praise or show my appreciation, it's geniune and it's from my heart with no strings attached.
Be Prepared
Finally, if you work for an organisation, familiarise yourself with your company's policies and procedures regarding staff performance. If your a small business owner, It would help if you had policies and procedures in place so you are not creating them while you are dealing with a problematic employee case. At some point, we will encounter this situation as a Manager, so it's best to be prepared and a step ahead.