Managing Employee Performance Blog

Effectively Addressing Employee Performance Issues

  

  

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Most managers would rather immerse their hand in boiling water than give an employee feedback about poor performance. Yet most managers will comfortably discuss those issues with a sympathetic ear, either an HR contact, a peer manager or even someone at home.

What is clearly uncomfortable for the manager is having a direct conversation with the employee who has the performance issue:

• Often managers ultimately become so frustrated with the employee's performance they seek HR support to begin the process of terminating the employee.
• Upon questioning the manager and reviewing the personnel file, HR will often find that the employee in question was never provided any information regarding the seriousness of their performance deficiencies.
• The manager may admit they have not raised the issue with the employee or at best hinted at the issue in the past. In other words, the employee has no idea they are in danger of losing their job.

The traditional method in which managers provide performance feedback to employees is often the ultimate cause for why feedback is not always provided. 

Most managers believe they need to create a bullet-proof case revolving around a list of the employee's shortcomings. This approach usually results in a defensive reaction from the employee which makes it difficult to gain agreement on what needs to change. Once a manager has been through this process once or twice it becomes easier just to avoid addressing employee performance issues altogether. Let's just say there is no real mystery for why managers tend to steer clear of giving feedback about poor performance!

Feedback vs. Discpline

The good news is that managers are able to recognize and describe performance problems, but that usually means using language that feels like discipline. Sometimes we refer to this as constructive criticism. However this approach still feels like criticism and discipline.

Feedback:  a better, more productive approach 
Use positive words that describe the desired performance rather than off-putting words that describe the current underperformance.

Some Examples

1. If the employee lacks finesse when dealing with fellow employees and behaves like a bull in a china shop the manager would ask for the employee to develop a more polished and professional style.
2. When an employee makes frequent mistakes the manager would talk in terms of developing more accuracy. For the employee who chronically complains that everything is a problem the manager might ask the employee to develop a problem solving approach.

Be Specific
As these behavioral descriptions are broad it is important to further explain what the manager is looking for by providing specific positive examples of what they mean by a more polished and professional approach, more accuracy or a problem solving approach. Again, these examples should demonstrate positive behavior examples.

Explain the Importance
Lastly, it is useful to explain to the employee the benefit of developing the performance area. The manager must simply ask themselves, Why do I want the employee to make this change? In the case of the employee who makes frequent mistakes the manager may reason that in the finance environment accuracy is essential, therefore the month end reports must represent complete and correct data.

In Summary
This approach makes it easier for managers to address performance issues by talking in terms of the desired performance versus the undesired performance. It also specifically describes to the employee what the manager expects in terms of performance. Because it by-passes the negative descriptions and resulting negative reaction the employee is more likely to respond positively to the feedback. A simple rule of thumb is to provide the employee with the opportunity to receive the feedback and make progress on the issue. Only when it is clear that the employee is unwilling or unable to make progress should more extreme measures be used such as disciplinary actions or documented performance plans.

Click here to download our guide on Addressing Disruptive Employee Behaviors for more examples