No manager wants to admit that he or she made a poor hiring decision or that someone has become a problem over time. It’s easy to hope that things will get better yet this may allow a problem to fester over time. What are the costs of letting a problem fester?
People become resentful when they notice co-workers not doing their fair share and just sliding by. Resentment can further build when a co-worker is making mistakes that impact everyone’s work. Teamwork only works when all members of the team are carrying their weight.
Nothing negatively impacts a workgroup more than a colleague who is not contributing and adding to the workload of others. Add to this the lack of attention in addressing the situation by the supervisor or manager and soon productivity and employee engagement begin a negative spiral.
What to do?
- Recognize a hiring mistake or a new problem quickly and take immediate action.
- Ask the employee if there is anything you can do to help.
- Share your observations and concerns about the employee’s performance.
- Make sure that your expectations are clear. Set specific behaviors and metrics which need to be achieved.
- Remind the employee of the EAP and provide contact information.
- Reinforce confidentiality.
- Determine a check-in date to review progress to plan.
Do you have an employee who has historically been a poor performer and a difficult employee? Decide what level of investment to make in turning the individual around. Don’t spend time on someone who is not interested in changing their behavior or improving their level of performance. Be clear with the individual on his or her shortcomings and work with your HR team to follow the designated performance management process.
The longer you postpone a performance discussion with an employee the more residual damage is done to the workgroup. If you are reluctant to start the process, call the EAP for a confidential consultation. This may help you to identify your own barriers and ultimately get started.
Address performance problems as soon as you notice them. You do yourself and all of your employees a real disservice by ignoring a problem employee.
