How to support an underperforming employee

It’s concerning when an employee’s performance drops at work. Even more if they’ve consistently been underperforming despite receiving constant support. Here’s how you can handle these tough situations sensitively.

When an employee consistently fails to perform at an expected level, what are your rights as an employer? Are there grounds for termination if they’re behind in KPIs or essential tasks are incomplete? Or should you provide additional support and training when you notice an employee starts struggling with their performance? 

Let’s take a look at the important steps required to manage underperforming employees. 

How can you define underperformance? 

• Typical signs include an employee not performing their regular duties at all, or not to the required standard 
• Performance standards and KPIs will help you recognise when someone is falling short of workload expectations 
• Output isn’t the only concern as underperforming employees may display disruptive behaviour that impacts colleagues, or is non-compliant with workplace policies and rules 
• This could be the cause of teamwide performance issues and complaints directed towards the underperforming individual 

Why are they underperforming? 

Is the person a poor fit for the job? Do they lack the necessary skills? Or just misunderstanding expectations? Most often, we can find a mismatch between managers’ and employees’ understanding of good performance. 

Like any scenario, no decision regarding an employee should be made until you understand why their output and behaviour have changed. If their performance at work or workplace habits are not up to scratch, you might find: 

• They simply don’t know how to do the job due to inexperience or poor training 
• A lack of direction or leadership has left them with no guidance or daily support 
• The required tools and resources for the job are not available 
• External factors have impacted their mental health and work motivation, causing a drop in productivity 
• Conflict and a toxic team environment have negatively impacted work enjoyment 
• They feel underappreciated as a result of low wages or not receiving rewards and recognition at work 

How should you approach them? 

An attentive manager can pick up on the cause of underperformance, but more often than not, a deeper conversation with the employee is required. It’s the best way to understand what’s going on and how you can help. 

The perfect time to support an employee is from the day they start. Keep an eye on performance during their probationary period, otherwise, you’ll find it’s harder to make changes once that period’s over. You can also identify how well someone takes feedback. 

Susan Sadler, Founder and CEO of Red Wagon Workplace Solutions, said feedback, positive or negative, should be ongoing to ensure consistent employee support. But when you do notice something’s wrong, such as an employee missing two deadlines in a row or taking more sick days than normal, it’s essential you speak to them directly. 

“Generally a good approach can be to make time for an informal discussion and present the employee with some examples of your concerns. Then you can ask them what obstacles are stopping them from achieving the expected performance level and work together on a plan for improvement,” Ms Sadler said. 

“If performance doesn’t improve, then escalate the conversation to a formal process. employees should always be given advance notice of a formal performance discussion and advised that they can bring a support person with them to the meeting.” 

Whether informal or formal, Ms Sadler also said it’s essential to keep good records of your meetings with employees. Notes are acceptable, but emailing a summary of the meeting is a great way to highlight key actions and who is accountable for specific responsibilities. 

What are the best supports to offer? 

If you notice your employee is eager to change and make improvements, chances are you can turn things around. Otherwise, it can be hard to train someone who isn’t willing to accept their shortcomings. For instance, if an employee says, ‘I am who I am’, it would imply they aren’t the right fit moving forward as they’re not willing to work with you. 

When working with an employee to strengthen performance, create a performance improvement plan. This is a detailed outline of concerns, possible solutions, desired outcomes and the timeframe in which improvement is to be achieved. Ms Sadler reaffirmed the importance of documenting how an employee is going to be supported (such as formal skills training or mentoring) or the tasks required of the employee (improved time management or checklist organisation). 

“Ultimately, what support is provided depends on the particular performance issue, but employers need to be reasonable and practical in what support they offer rather than placing all responsibility onto the employee,” she said. 

It’s also critical you consistently check in with your workforce. It’s not enough to put someone in a training program and expect them to be better; they still require guidance and leadership on-site. Supporting and upskilling your staff takes time, so be prepared and patient. 

What if it’s just not working? 

What happens if you’ve supported an employee’s requests, invested everything you can and provided a reasonable amount of time for improvement, but still haven’t seen the expected results? 

Disciplinary actions such as an official warning or termination of employment are accepted if there’s valid evidence of underperformance and a just and fair performance review process. You must have provided specific and fair feedback showing achievable outcomes, while it’s critical you outline potential negative outcomes at the very beginning of the process. 

“The circumstances where an employer can unilaterally terminate an employee are rare, and a fair process must be applied in all situations. This doesn’t mean that an employer must bend over backwards to accommodate unreasonable requests or put up with poor performance for long periods of time,” Ms Sadler said. 

However, if you feel there’s value in their employment but they’re just not suited to the role, consider exploring opportunities elsewhere in the organisation. While that’s not always a practical option, it could save an employee from unemployment, or benefit you through staff retention.