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Performance Management – Dealing with Underperformance

Underperformance should be dealt with promptly and appropriately by an employer, as employees are often unaware they are not performing well and so are unlikely to change their performance.  Best practice employers understand that issues that are not addressed promptly also have the potential to become more serious over time.  This can have a negative effect on the business as a whole as it can affect the productivity and performance of the entire workplace.

Dealing with underperformance can be challenging and confronting for employees and employers alike, but it does need to be addressed.  Managers need clear procedures, organisational support and the courage and willingness to manage the issue.

Provide training to managers on how to handle underperformance issues.  HR4Business can provide relevant training which includes role plays so that managers can learn how to approach matters in real-life scenarios.  Well trained managers are better able to identify and address issues of underperformance.

If performance problems arise, it is crucial that they be resolved early.  The longer that poor performance is allowed to continue, the more difficult a satisfactory resolution becomes and the more the overall creditibility of the system may suffer.

Not every underperformance issue needs a structured process.  Explore other options for improving performance, such as the use of continuous feedback.

Remember that for performance management to be successful, the culture of the business should be one which encourages ongoing feedback and discussion about performance issues in open and supportive environments.