Diagnosing an Underperforming Employee

When you have an underperforming employee, the first step is to diagnose why the employee is underperforming. There could be many reasons why an employee is underperforming, including lack of motivation, interpersonal issues, health-related issues, personal circumstances, lack of communication, and much more.

Be Honest With Them

As a manager, it’s important to be honest with your employees about their performance.  If there are issues that need to be addressed, it’s important to be clear and direct with your employees as soon as possible.

Check-In Regularly

One way to address the issue of an underperforming employee is to create a plan for regular check-ins.  This way, you can keep track of their progress and identify any areas where they may be slipping. The key is to tailor the plan to each individual employee.

Set Goals

Part of your job is to set clear expectations for your team members. This is especially important when it comes to employees who are struggling to meet the standards you have set.  Without clear performance metrics, it can be difficult for an employee to identify areas where they need to improve.

Make The Hard Choices

If your employee isn’t performing at a more satisfactory level, you’ll need to make the difficult decision to let them go.  Don’t take too long to find a replacement or your team may feel like they’re being punished for someone else’s poor behavior.