Disengaged and under performing employees are a nightmare for any business. The problem is that many managers do not know how to correctly deal with these employees. Certain obvious solutions might not be the best and it is important that you consider all the options when you deal with your employees.
Take The Time To Talk
There are a lot of managers that bypass talking to their employee about their under performance. This is something that you need to avoid as talking could help resolve the situation. You do not have to make a big deal about the talk, simply pull the person aside and communicate that you have noticed a change in their work. There are times when all the employee needs is a nudge in the right direction.
Listen To Points Of Contention
While it is important to talk to your employee about their under performance, you also need to listen to what they have to say. When you talk to the employee, you should ask if there is any reason for the change in their performance. It is possible that they have stopped putting in as much effort because they are unhappy about something within the workplace.
If this is the case, the key to getting your employee performing again could be addressing the root of the problem. Of course, there are times when there is nothing that you can do to solve the problem that your employee has. However, if they are unhappy about being passed for a promotion or something similar, you should point out that under performance will not help them with this.
Address Any Company Wide Concerns
Talking to one under performing employee can actually uncover a problem that affects many people. If one of your staff feel that they are overburdened, it is highly likely that there are others who feel the same. A great way to address this issue will be to have a meeting with representatives of relevant departments to discuss changes in company culture.
When you have the meeting, you need to make it clear that the aim is to find a solution to the company wide problem. The meeting should not be an opportunity to vent only. This type of collective approach will make your employees feel valued and that their concerns are actually being listened to and could result in better performance.
Create Performance Goals Together
Performance goals are something that more and more companies are using to determine how productive their employees are. The problem is that many managers create the goals without consulting the employee which could lead to under performance as the goals are set too high. This is why you need to take the time to create the performance goals with your employees.
When they have a say in the goals, they are more likely to set them at a level they can achieve and this will result in better performance. It is important to note that the under performance you see may not actually be as serious as you think. Perceived under performance from goals set too high is a major problem that can be addressed by including your employee in goal setting.
Hopefully this article will help you resolve you under performance issues constructively. If you’re still unsure it may be worthwhile getting some professional HR training in Perth. Being able to effectively manage your employees performance is an essential skill for any manager or business owner.