Managing Underperforming Employees: Steps for Improving Team Performance

by

Managing underperforming employees can be a challenging task for any organization. It requires effective communication, clear expectations, and a supportive approach to help employees improve their performance.

This article will provide insights and strategies for managers to effectively manage underperforming employees, helping them reach their full potential and contribute positively to the organization.

How To Handle Underperforming Employees?

Underperforming employees are a common problem in any workplace, but that doesn’t mean it makes it any less dangerous for the company’s growth. 

It is evident to never let underperformance fester your organization as it grows gradually and eats up the productivity and progress of the company. 

The earlier you notice and set out to fix it, the better chances you have to rectify it. 

So you might have noticed employees becoming more unreliable, slow, lazy, checked out, inconsistent, performing poorly, responsive, or any other problem. 

Well, here are ways to deal with underperforming employees, and also step-by-step ways to motivate them. 

Also, a few tips on how you can prevent festering underperformance in the first place or find ways to optimize it. 

Effective Ways To Manage Underperforming Employees

Ways To Deal With Motivate Underperforming Employees

Be Prepared 

You need to assure that you are prepared to confront the underperforming employee. 

The preparation involves gathering as much as evidence required to state the facts and present your case to the employee. 

It is important that you are ready with all details like reports, materials, even witness records or people’s views if required. 

The idea is to not be able to make your case which leaves plenty of room for confusion and unnecessary conflict. 

Also, you would not want to make the condition hostile for the employee, rather more cooperative and understanding. 

Avoid Emotional Confrontation 

You might have just noticed the huge backlog of underperformance metrics from an employee. 

And the first reaction might be anger, frustration, disappointment, and other tons of negative emotions. 

So if you decide to confront the employee at the moment with the current state of mind, you are more likely to lash out or make it worse. 

No one will be going to benefit from accusatory behavior or threatening or any rant about how disappointed you are or how badly it affects the company. 

You certainly will get the chance to communicate your disappointment as you do owe an explanation for being in a leader or manager spot. 

But it has to be more thoughtful without creating a hostile situation for the employee. 

Be Specific With The Issue 

You can go round and round with the issue while communicating with the employee regarding their performance. 

But it will just give vague space where miscommunication can fester and take the best of you both. 

So better talk in the specific pointers where you see things went wrong and point it out to the employee. 

Have detailed documentation, records, and even notes to show how bad these problems are and what it means for the company. 

Make sure you have data to back your statements. If it is about not meeting the target, have the worksheet, if it is about exploiting the policy, have the company policy at hand. 

Talking in just broad terms will take this discussion to leave room for misinterpretation. 

Deal It With High Priority Base

Underperforming does not always tend to get the attention of the manager. When you don’t deal with it, employees are encouraged to do and get away with it. 

It is not just about one employee but impacts the working culture and spirit of the company including other hard-working employees. 

The longer you take to deal with it, the worse it will become to acclimatize back into the place. 

When you can see an employee underperforming in one way or another, you need to take a step right away. 

Having a meeting right away where you do more listening rather than talking is a better approach. 

You need to assure that employees feel valued and accounted for. They should get the point that even if they have made a mistake, they still get a chance to correct it. 

Understanding The External Factors 

You cannot be one-dimensional with any problem, especially where people are involved. 

Performance issues or inefficiencies can be due to different reasons and it can be something suddenly seen after a certain point or maybe slowly increased over time. 

The point is, you need to examine all kinds of external factors that play out in the employees’ personal and professional life. 

It might be just a temporary situation where he or she is going through some personal problems, a new child, relationship troubles, health issues, etc. 

Or it can be something that happened after which he or she is unable to do his or her best. 

Look for their previous records in other offices or just start assessing their time in the organization since the beginning. 

Maybe you will find out they have been the same since the very beginning or maybe after a point when something bad happened in the office only. 

Conclusion

Managing underperforming employees requires a proactive and supportive approach.

By understanding the causes of underperformance, setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback and coaching, and offering training and development opportunities, managers can help underperforming employees improve their performance and contribute effectively to the organization.

It is crucial to address performance issues promptly, maintain a positive work environment, and seek assistance when needed to ensure a fair and consistent approach.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How can managers identify underperforming employees?

Managers Can Identify Underperforming Employees Through Performance Evaluations, Feedback From Colleagues Or Customers, Or Objective Performance Metrics.

What should managers do to address underperformance?

Managers Should Communicate Expectations Clearly, Provide Regular Feedback And Coaching, Set Attainable Goals, Offer Training Opportunities, And Implement Performance Improvement Plans If Necessary.

How can managers maintain a positive work environment while managing underperforming employees?

Managers Can Maintain A Positive Work Environment By Fostering Open Communication, Encouraging Teamwork, And Providing A Supportive Atmosphere Where Employees Feel Comfortable Discussing Their Challenges.

What should managers do if underperformance persists despite their efforts?

If Underperformance Persists, Managers May Consider Reassignment, Further Training, Or, As A Last Resort, Disciplinary Actions. It Is Important To Document All Attempts Made To Support The Employee.

When should managers involve HR or higher-level management?

Managers Can Involve HR Or Higher-Level Management When Dealing With Complex Cases Of Underperformance Or When Conflicts Arise That Require Mediation Or Additional Guidance.

Unlock More And Dive Into The Following Articles:

How To Keep Your Employees Happy
Qualities Of A Good Employee
Mistakes To Avoid In Your Employee Recognition Program
How To Motivate Underperforming Employees

More To Explore:

Was this article helpful?