All managers occasionally struggle with an employee who is just not measuring up to expected performance. Underachievement can be frustrating, but there are often good reasons for it. Many times those reasons can be addressed with simple changes that can net some big results.
If you have a staff person who is not working up to his potential, start by asking a few simple questions:
“Is something wrong?” Sometimes there is a non-work-related reason for a dip in productivity. Personal situations are sometimes challenging to discuss, but you can get an understanding of the basic issue without getting into too many details. Perhaps a child is having problems, or a worker’s parent is going through illness. Oftentimes you can offer a worker time away to deal with personal issues.
“Describe your job to me.” Many times your idea of what an employee should be doing and the employee’s idea are two different things. You may be surprised to hear his version. If that’s the case, a focused conversation about assigned duties and responsibilities can clear the air and clear the confusion. Make sure that job descriptions are specific, action-oriented and clear in listing job expectations. Try not to use words or phrases that could be taken a variety of ways.
“Do you have what you need to do your job?” Perhaps a worker needs updated equipment, more space or more support from other staff. Be sure you have provided all the necessary tools for success. These can be easy fixes, but you won’t know they’re needed unless you ask the question.
“Do you need additional training?” We sometimes place workers in roles assuming they’ll know what to do. But that is not always the case. Visit with your employee about the responsibilities of the job and with which ones she is most and least comfortable. Where are the gaps between her duties and her knowledge? Find training that will help fill those gaps. Support her in her development. Check back later to see if the comfort level has improved.
“Is something at work preventing you from getting things done?” This could be anything from a new supervisor to another employee to a bad physical environment. Perhaps a co-worker talks on the phone all day. Perhaps a new supervisor in the same unit has begun to make changes. Perhaps there is uncertainty about the company’s future. If there are changes that can be made, make them and monitor performance.
“When is the last time we had a performance review?” If you can’t remember, that’s a problem. Or if the answer is “never,” you have some work to do. View performance reviews as an opportunity to ensure the job and workplace are working for the employee as well as how well the employee is working for you. If you approach these sessions as conversations rather than focusing on the judgmental aspects, you can learn more and accomplish more to encourage performance.
