Underperforming Employees? Here's How to Manage Them

It is an inevitable problem for managers, there will be a day where they'll find an employee whose performance is just not good enough. Sure, many just prefer to ignore the issue and pray that it'll solve itself, but that's not how things work.

An underperforming employee can affect the rest of your workforce because other employees will be forced to work harder to pick up the slack. This will lead to feelings of resentment to burnout and lastly, high turnover.

Here are ways to manage underperforming employees.

1. Make sure the timing is right

If you want to give feedback to the employee, don't do it in the heat of the moment since you might say something you'd regret. Give yourself time to cool off, then schedule a private meeting with the underperforming employee.

Be prepared to have a two-way conversation that allows the employee to explain their side of the situation.

2. Your feedback must be based on facts, not feelings 

It's not easy to digest negative feedback, and the employee will probably take it personally. To stop this from happening, you should:

• focus on the facts
• give clear examples of times when the employee failed to meet the job expectations
• explain how these behaviours affect not just the team but the employee's own future at the company (which includes the chance of promotion, recognition, bonuses and job security)

3. Focus on the root of the issue 

Remember this: Do not assume. 

Take time to try to understand the underlying problem. Maybe the employee is overwhelmed by their workload or they don't feel challenged enough. Or maybe the problem is something personal.

The point is that only when you find out the real problem then you can find a solution and move forward.

4. Work together to find the solution 

Don't just say, "Here's how we're going to fix this," and come up with a solution by yourself. This is when you need to work with the employee and find a solution together.

Give them a chance to take ownership of the situation. This will make them feel empowered and motivate them to improve. 

When you work on a solution, do these:

• Point out clear objectives and necessary actions to meet those objections
• See if the employee needs extra training or resources that would help them perform better.

Related article : This is How You Encourage Teamwork in Your Organisation

5. Don't forget to follow up 

Once you’ve formed a plan, create a schedule to follow up regularly (every two weeks, for example) and evaluate the employee’s progress and discuss any challenges that have come up.

6. Acknowledge and reward on their improvement

If the employee is improving, let them know their hard work is not going unnoticed. Reward them by giving a gift card or a handwritten note to say "well done". A personal and sincere gift that shows you see and appreciate your employee’s hard work will go a long way to motivate them to keep improving.

Regrettably, not every underperforming employee is driven to improve. If you’ve consumed every effort to “save” your employee, it may be time to let the employee go. Holding onto underachieving employees could have a toxic effect on the rest of the business.

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